Veteran actress Mumtaz has spoken candidly about the untold story behind the split of iconic stars Dilip Kumar and Madhubala. A close friend of the late Madhubala, Mumtaz revealed that while the actress was riding high in her professional career, her personal life took a heartbreaking turn following a medical diagnosis. In a recent interview, Mumtaz shared insights into how the news of Madhubala’s inability to conceive impacted her relationship with Dilip Kumar, and how the legendary actor reacted to it.

Dilip Kumar ended his relationship with Madhubala after doctors informed her she couldn’t have children

In an interview with Vickey Lalwani, veteran actress Mumtaz reflected on a heartfelt conversation she once had with her late friend, Madhubala. She revealed that the legendary actress had opened up to her about her relationship with Dilip Kumar and the circumstances that led to their painful separation. Madhubala and Dilip had shared a decade-long bond before eventually going their separate ways.

While Madhubala’s sister, Madhur Bhushan, once claimed that the actress and Dilip Kumar would have married if not for a legal dispute Madhubala initiated against director B.R. Chopra, a case that reportedly created a wedge between the couple, Mumtaz offered a different perspective. According to the veteran actress, the real reason for their breakup was Madhubala’s inability to bear children. Mumtaz was quoted as saying: 

“She didn’t break up with him. He broke up with her because she couldn’t have children. Instead, he married Saira Banu, who is a very nice person. She took such great care of him till his dying breath. She was his fan originally. They had a huge age difference, but these things don’t matter when you’re in love.”

In the same interview, Mumtaz confirmed that there was no doubt about Madhubala’s deep love for Dilip Kumar. However, their relationship faced a heartbreaking obstacle, Dilip Kumar longed to have children, something Madhubala could not give him. Mumtaz revealed that it was Madhubala herself who confided in her about the true reason behind their breakup. Doctors had warned the actress that attempting to conceive could be fatal due to her serious heart condition. Recalling the conversation, Mumtaz said: 

“Nobody can ever doubt that she was madly in love with him. She was madly in love with him. But Dilip saab ko aulaad chahiye thi. Perhaps it was in this desperation to have a child that he married Saira. Madhubala told me herself. I would go to meet her, and she was not well at all. She would say, ‘If I ever loved anyone in my life, it was Yusuf. But when he found out that I can’t conceive…’ She would call him Yusuf. The doctor told her that she would die in childbirth, because of her heart problem.”

Mumtaz Reflects on Dilip Kumar’s Unfulfilled Dream of Having a Child

In the same conversation, Mumtaz shared that she doesn’t hold any resentment toward Dilip Kumar for what happened between him and Madhubala, acknowledging that the desire to have children is natural for any man. She suggested that perhaps Dilip believed starting a family with someone else might have been a better path for him. Still, Mumtaz expressed her sorrow over the fact that he and Saira Banu never had children, adding that she feels especially sorry for Saira, whom she described as a truly wonderful person.

“Despite being in love with her, he might have thought, ‘Let me try with another woman.’ It’s so tragic that he didn’t have a child with Saira as well. I feel sorry for Saira. She’s a wonderful person. If they had a child, she would’ve been taken care of too.”