Deepika Padukone, Kangana Ranaut, Sona Mastan: Actresses who have a Madhubala connection

There was speculation that Madhuri Dixit could have played Madhubala in Imtiaz Ali's biopic on the Mughl-e-Azam star's biopic. But that project was aborted as Madhubala's family couldn't come on the same page. Katrina Kaif was slated to play Madhubala and Ranbir Kapoor was believed to play Kishore Kumar in Anurag Basu's movie on Kishore Kumar-Madhubala's relationship. Alas, even that project has stalled.
This brings us to actresses who have played Madhubala in the past. Kangana Ranaut played a mythical, mystical majestic beauty in Milan Luthria’s Once Upon A Time In Mumbai, inspired by Madhubala. Kangana, at that point of time, didn’t think herself beautiful enough to play Madhubala.The challenge for Kangana was to look almost ethereally beautiful, like Madhubala. Kangana underwent a complete transformation as far as looks are concerned. She watched DVDs of Madhubala's films to prepare for the role. She didn’t copy Madhubala, but she wanted to get into her mind and heartspace.

Then there was a small-time actress Sona Mastan, married to Haji Mastan, whose only claim to fame —and what a claim! — was that she resembled Madhubala. Cashing in on this resemblance, Sona played Madhubala in a Sohrab Modi’s Meena Kumari Ki Amar Kahani (1981).
Deepika Padukone also has a Madhubala connection in Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Bajirao Mastani. The Pyar Kiya Toh Darna Kya number in Mughal-e-Azam was designed to showcase Madhubala's beauty in all its glory. Director K Asif had shot the song in a spectacularly constructed 'Sheesh Mahal' set. Sanjay Bhansali designed his song on his 'Aaina Mahal' set as a tribute to K Asif’s Mughal-e-Azam and Madhubala. Deepika's song Deewani Mastani was specially composed by Sanjay Leela Bhansali to replicate the captivating cadences of music composer Naushad's Pyar Kiya Toh Darna Kya.