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Chanchal (actress)

Zeb Ataullah (born 1934), better known by the stage name Chanchal, is a former Indian actress who appeared in Hindi-language films. The sister of actress Madhubala, she is best known for portraying Rupa in Mehboob Khan's blockbuster Mother India (1957).

Early life

Born as Zeb Ataullah in 1934 in Delhi, Chanchal was one of eleven children of Ataullah Khan and Ayesha Begum. Her parents were of Muslim Pathan descent. Chanchal's seven sisters included Mumtaz, better known by her stage name Madhubala, who became one of the most celebrated Bollywood actresses of the 1950s and 1960s.

Career

Chanchal appeared in four films headlined by Madhubala: Pardes (1950), Naata (1955), Mehlon Ke Khwab (1960) and Jhumroo (1961). Her work in Naata was praised by critics, with a reviewer for Thought noting her "lively" performance despite poor direction. However, her role in Mehlon Ke Khwab (1960) drew criticism from filmindia<nowiki/>'s Baburao Patel, who remarked that she "just fills the role of a crazy looking filly".

Her most prominent roles came in Mehboob Khan's Mother India (1957), where she played Sukhilala's "wild and tempestuous" daughter Rupa, and in Jis Desh Mein Ganga Behti Hai (1960), where she played the village belle Bijli.

After Madhubala became ill in the early 1960s, Chanchal completed the filming of Boy Friend (1961) on her behalf.

Personal life

Chanchal was first married to film director S. K. Prabhakar. After his death, she married Ibrahim. As of 2017, she resides in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

Filmography

References

External links