Dilip Kumar broke up with Madhubala because she couldn't have kids; Mumtaz reveals he married Saira Banu in desperation to have a child

Mumtaz, the well-loved actress from Bollywood’s golden era, has revealed a heart-breaking truth about her close friend Madhubala’s love life. In a recent interview, she shared how Madhubala’s relationship with Dilip Kumar ended not because of a court case, but because the actress was told she couldn't have children.

A legendary love that couldn’t last
Madhubala and Dilip Kumar were the golden couple of Indian cinema. Their chemistry on-screen in films like 'Mughal-e-Azam' mirrored their real-life romance, which lasted for nearly a decade. Fans believed they were made for each other, but their relationship ended, leaving many wondering why.

Over the years, different stories have been told about their breakup. In an interview with Vickey Lalwani, Mumtaz revealed that Dilip Kumar ended things with Madhubala after learning she wouldn’t be able to bear children due to a serious heart condition.

Mumtaz said, "She(Madhubala) 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."

Madhubala was 'madly in love' with Dilip Kumar
According to Mumtaz, Madhubala never stopped loving Dilip Kumar. She often spoke about him with deep affection and used his real name, Yusuf. "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 doesn’t blame Dilip Kumar
Mumtaz said she doesn’t hold any anger towards Dilip Kumar for his decision. In fact, she sympathised with his desire for a child and understood why he may have chosen to try again with someone else. "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."