Entertainment / The Ugly Face Of Fame

The Ugly Face Of Fame

Entertainment Jun 18, 2013

by Farah Khan

Bollywood actress Jiah Khan’s tragic demise reminds us of the ugly side of fame and fortune that comes with showbiz. We take a walk down memory lane, remembering the celebrities we loved and lost to tragic ends.

Meena Kumari

Meena Kumari was known as the tragedy, a title that perhaps accurately represented her life itself. Briefly abandoned as an infant by her father, she grew up in a household that was not financially sound. Her 12 years of marriage to director Kamal Amrohi broke apart, leaving her heartbroken. The flop release of her film Pakeezah shortly, combined with loneliness proved deadly, as soon after she was hospitalized due to health related problems, that eventually lead to her death in 1974(caused by liver failure resulting from alcoholism).

Marilyn Monroe

Perhaps the most celebrated actress of all life, Marilyn Monroe’s famous and successful life was not without its shortcomings. Growing up in foster homes opened way for physical and mental torture. Having started off as a sex symbol, she sought serious roles later in her career. Three failed marriages, miscarriages and surgeries had Monroe succumb to alcohol and pills, and her death in 1962 at the age of 32 was ruled as a “probable suicide”. Her physician later stated she had been deeply depressed that day as she felt rejected by those close to her.

Heath Ledger

The man who gave us the iconic Joker died before the release of perhaps his best acting role. The Australian started off his career as a “pretty boy” heathrob, with popular teen movies such as 10 Things I Hate About You. His much deserved success came with Brokeback Mountain in 2005. Shortly after completing shooting of The Dark Knight, Ledger was found dead in his apartment at the very young age of 29, a death caused by overdose of prescription drugs. He received more than 30 posthumous awards for his portrayal of the psychopathic killer, including an Oscar, BAFTA and Golden Globe.

Sanjeev Kumar

Known as the Godfather of Indian Cinema, Sanjeev Kumar was a very versatile actor, having played roles that portrayed all ages. His most notable roles are perhaps those in Sholay and Aandhi. He passed away at very young age of 47 due to an overeating problem he developed as a child, when he used to sleep in his kitchen. Legend goes, however, that in his latter years it was the depression of losing his love Hema Malini to Dharmendra that ultimately lead to his demise.

Michael Jackson

The King of Pop was yet another victim of an accidental drug overdose. His tremendous success in music was followed by drastic changes in physical appearances and accusations of child molestation. A drug-induced cardiac arrest took his life when he was only 50, leaving behind millions of mourning fans. It is alleged that Jackson took prescription drugs at home in order to sleep. It could be that at some point he became addicted to painkillers and needed them to sleep and to wake up, or it could be that he suffered from depression-induced insomnia and needed the drugs to get to sleep. Of course it could be a combination of either of these.

Smita Patil

Yet another very young death was that of Smita Patil, who at 31 years of age died soon after giving birth to her son with actor Raj Babbar. Known for her roles in Shakti and Namak Halal, she was the youngest recipient of the National Award for her role in Bhumika. In 2010, Patil’s younger sister Manya Seth declared that she died of a broken heart, as she was unable to deal with her tumultuous personal life and relationship with Raj Babbar. Media did not take well to her marriage with an already married man.

Kurt Cobain

Nirvana’s leader singer, guitarist and songwriter Kurt Cobain did not have an easy family life growing up. His parents’ divorce scarred his personality for life, leaving him largely anti-social. Following the huge success of the album Nevermind, it became increasingly difficult for Cobain to keep up with the life of fame and fortune. Kobain was put into rehab in 1994 for a suicide attempt by his wife of two years – Courtney Love. Having run away from rehab, he was soon found having shot himself to death, with a suicide note addressed to his wife and daughter in red ink, ending with words “I love you”.

Parveen Babi

She was the tall, sexy seductress of the 80s era, and gave blockbusters such as Amar Akbar Anthony and Namak Haram. She graced the cover of the Time Magazine in 1976, as the changing face of Bollywood. Babi went through a string of relationships with married men; Mahesh Bhatt, Danny Denzongpa, Kabid Bedi etc. Rumors go that she also had an affair with Amitabh Bachchan, and later developed a fear of him conspiring to kill her, filing a petition in court against him. Babi died at the young age of 55, alone in her apartment, her body discovered 3 days later when neighbours noticed her absence. Autopsy revealed an otherwise empty stomach full of alcohol, suggesting she may have starved to death.

_{Images and Biographies Courtesy of IMDB}

Farah Khan

Author

Farah joined ANOKHI LIFE while finishing up her degree in English Literature and Writing at the University of Toronto. Her position since then has expanded across all departments, everything from office administration and corporate affairs, to ANOKHI's online presence and events. . .

The Ugly Face Of Fame

by Farah Khan

Farah Khan

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