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Mala Sinha

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Full Name
  
Alda Sinha

Role
  
Actress

Name
  
Mala Sinha


Years active
  
1952–1994

Occupation
  
Actress

Children
  
Pratibha Sinha

Mala Sinha Happy Birthday Mala Sinha


Born
  
11 November 1936 (age 87) (
1936-11-11
)
Calcutta, Bengal Presidency, British India

Spouse
  
Chidambar Prasad Lohani (m. 1968)

Movies
  
Dil Tera Diwana, Pyaasa, Anpadh, Mere Huzoor, Geet

Bollywood Film Actress Mala Sinha - "माइती घर" का जोडी माला सिन्हा र सिपी लोहनी नेपालमा


Mala Sinha (born 11 November 1936 in Calcutta, India) is a former Bollywood actress who has worked in Hindi, Bengali and Nepali films. Recognised for her talent and beauty, she went on to become a top leading actress in Hindi films from the mid 1950s until the late 1970s. Sinha has starred in over a hundred film productions: popular ones include Pyaasa (1957), Anpadh, Dil Tera Deewana (both 1962), Gumrah (1963), Himalaya Ki God Mein (1965), Aankhen (1968), Maryada and Babu.

Contents

Mala Sinha Mala Sinha Latest Mala Sinha News Photos Videos

Early life

Mala Sinha I am not aware which award I was getting Mala Sinha

Mala Sinha was born into a family of Nepali origin. Her father's name was Albert Sinha and was a Nepali Christan. (Since she was born and brought up in Calcutta and Sinha is also a Bengali surname, it is wrongly assumed that her father is Bengali and mother is of Nepali origin.) Mala's initial name was Alda and her friends at school in Calcutta (now Kolkata) used to tease her by calling her Dalda (a brand of vegetable oil), so she changed her name to Baby Nazma on getting her first assignment as a child artiste. Later on, as an adult actor, she changed her name to Mala Sinha. In her childhood she learnt dancing and singing. Although she was an approved singer of All India Radio, she has never done playback singing in films. But as a singer she has done stage shows in many languages from 1947 to 1975.

Career

Mala Sinha malasinha3jpg

Sinha started her career as child artist in Bengali films; Jai Vaishno Devi followed by Shri Krishan Leela, Jog Biyog and Dhooli. Noted Bengali director Ardhendu Bose saw her acting in a school play and took permission from her father to cast her as a heroine in his film Roshanara (1952), her cinematic debut.

Mala Sinha Mala Sinha boycotts Phalke Academy Awards Celebrities

After acting in a couple of films in Calcutta, Mala had to go to Bombay for a Bengali film. There she met Geeta Bali, a noted Bollywood actress, who was charmed by her and introduced her to director Kidar Sharma. Sharma cast her as a heroine in his Rangeen Ratein. Her first Hindi film was Badshah opposite Pradeep Kumar, then came Ekadashi, a mythological film. Both failed, but her lead role in Kishore Sahu's Hamlet, paired opposite Pradeep Kumar, fetched her rave reviews in spite of it failing at the box office. Films such as Lai Batti (actor Balraj Sahni’s only directorial venture), Nausherwan-E-Adil where she starred as the fair maiden Marcia in Sohrab Modi’s romance about forbidden love and Phir Subah Hogi, which was director Ramesh Saigal’s adaptation of Dosteovsky’s Crime and Punishment established Mala Sinha's reputation as a versatile actress who took the maximum career risks by accepting unconventional roles.

Mala was a singer of some repute and used to sing for All India Radio; she was not allowed to sing playback (even for herself) in the movies with the lone exception being 1972's Lalkar. In the 1950s, she had string of hits opposite Pradeep Kumar such as Fashion (1957), Detective (1958) and Duniya Na Mane (1959). The films she did with Pradeep Kumar were men-oriented. In 1957, noted Bollywood actor and director Guru Dutt (the husband of Geeta Dutt) cast Mala in his film Pyaasa (1957) in a role originally intended for Madhubala. Mala gave a memorable performance in the relatively unsympathetic part of an ambitious woman who chooses to marry a rich man (played by actor Rehman) and have a loveless marriage, rather than a poor, unsuccessful poet; her impoverished lover (played by Guru Dutt) whom she ditches. Pyaasa remains to this day a classic in the history of Indian cinema and a turning point for Sinha.

After Pyaasa, her major successes were Phir Subah Hogi (1958) and Yash Chopra's directorial debut Dhool Ka Phool, (1959) that elevated her into a major dramatic star. She was part of many successful movies from 1958 to the early '60s such as Parvarish (1958), Ujala, Main Nashe Main Hoon, Duniya Na Mane, Love Marriage (1959), Bewaqoof (1960), Maya (1961), Hariyali Aur Rasta, Dil Tera Deewana (1962), Anpadh and Bombay Ka Chor (1962).

Critics believe her career's best performances were in Bahurani (1963), Gumrah, Gehra Daag, Apne Huye Paraye and Jahan Ara. Apart from pairing with Pradeep Kumar, her pairings opposite Raaj Kumar, Rajendra Kumar, Biswajit and Manoj Kumar in woman-oriented films were appreciated by audiences, with her work opposite Biswajit being the most popular. With Raaj Kumar, she gave box office hits like Phool Bane Angaare, Maryada and Karmayogi and opposite Manoj Kumar, gave commercial successes like Hariyali Aur Rasta, Apne Huye Paraye and Himalaya Ki God Mein. The hits with Rajendra Kumar were Devar Bhabhi, Dhool Ka Phool, Patang, Geet and Lalkar.

With Biswajit her popular movies include Aasra, Night in London, Do Kaliyaan, Tamanna, Nai Roshni and critically acclaimed films Pyar Ka Sapna, Paisa Ya Pyaar, Jaal and Phir Kab Milogi. She did ten films with Biswajit. In 2007, they won the Star Screen Lifetime Achievement Award, calling them on stage together giving due respect to their popularity as a pair who have tasted box office success.

The most remarkable feature of the career of Mala Sinha was that most of her 1960s and 1970s hits were fueled by her own star power as much as the heroes and most of the time her roles were more powerful than the hero. Though she was pitted opposite her seniors like Raj Kapoor, Dev Anand, Kishore Kumar and Pradeep Kumar, and when she acted opposite the emerging stars from late 1950s like Shammi Kapoor, Rajendra Kumar and Raaj Kumar, she made sure her role was as good as theirs. The characters she played stood out and gave her recognition for her performances. Sinha did not mind working with newcomers as long as her role was worth it. She worked with many newcomers of her era including Manoj Kumar, Dharmendra, Rajesh Khanna, Sunil Dutt, Sanjay Khan, Jeetendra and Amitabh Bachchan. In most of her films from the 1960s, she got first billing in the credits, even before the heroes, with the exceptions being those with Guru Dutt, Raj Kapoor, Dev Anand, Pradeep Kumar and Kishore Kumar. Her career's biggest blockbuster was Maryada released in 1971.

In 1966, Sinha went to Nepal to act in a Nepali film called Maitighar when the Nepali film industry was still in its infancy. This was the only Nepali film she did in her career. The hero was an estate owner called Chidambar Prasad Lohani.

Soon after, Mala Sinha married C. P. Lohani with the blessings of her parents. From the beginning theirs was a long-distance marriage with Lohani based in Kathmandu to look after his business and Sinha living in Bombay with their daughter Pratibha. She continued acting after her marriage.

She has been a heroine in many Bengali films. In Bengali films she has acted with Uttam Kumar and Kishore Kumar. Her last Bengali work as a female lead was Kabita (1977) which featured Ranjit Mullick and Kamal Hassan; it was a super-hit at the box office. She is noted for her strong women-oriented, glamorous roles fueled by her equal star power on par with the heroes in films such as Dhool Ka Phool, Suhag Sindoor,Anpadh, Phir Subah Hogi, Hariyali Aur Rasta, Bahurani, Aasra, Do Kaliyaan, Gumrah, Aankhen, Baharen Phir Bhi Aayengi, Himalaya Ki God Mein, Do Kaliyaan, Holi Aayi Re, Nai Roshni, Mere Huzoor, Kangan, Archana, Maryada amongst others.

Of her rich and varied repertoire, she mentions she is rather partial to Jahan Ara (1964), a historical movie that Meena Kumari passed on to her:

"Meena-ji turned down the role saying that she would not look the part whereas I would. Given my ignorance of Urdu, I was rather sceptical, but Meena-ji was convinced that I could do justice to the role. Playing Mumtaz Mahal's eldest daughter entailed gruelling Urdu classes and learning royal tehzeeb. It was hot on the grand sets erected at Ranjit Studio and the film had Madan Mohan's haunting music. It was a film replete with lyrical moments."

From 1974, she cut down on her assignments as the lead actress. She accepted strong character roles in films like 36 Ghante (1974), Zindagi (1976), Karmayogi (1978), Be-Reham (1980), Harjaee (1981), Yeh Rishta Na Tootay, Babu (film) and Khel, which were popular.

In the early '90s Madhuri Dixit was promoted as the new Mala Sinha in magazines. But, after 1994, she completely withdrew from the industry and has given very few public appearances. In Dhool Ka Phool and B.R. Chopra's Gumrah, she played the first unwed mother and adulterous wife respectively in Hindi cinema. As she grew older, she gracefully moved on to doing character roles that befitted her age. She was last seen in Zid (1994). Though Mala evinced as much interest in her daughter Pratibha's career as her father did in her career, she was unable to achieve the same success for her daughter.

Personal life

Mala Sinha was born to Madhesi ethnic Nepali parents after they immigrated to West Bengal, India from the Madhesh plains of Nepal. Sinha married a Pahari ethnic Nepali actor Chidambar Prasad Lohani of Nepal in 1968. The couple met when they worked together in the Nepali film Maitighar (1966). Lohani had an estate agency business. After her marriage, she used to come and stay in Mumbai to shoot films while her husband stayed in Nepal running his business. She has one daughter from the marriage: Pratibha Sinha, who is a former Bollywood actress. From the late 1990s, the couple and their daughter have been residing in a bungalow in Bandra, Mumbai.

Awards

  • BFJA Award for Best Actress (1965) — Jahan Ara
  • BFJA Award for Best Actress (1966) — Himalaya Ki God Mein
  • Sikkim Samman Award by Government of Sikkim (2004)
  • Felicitation by Government of Nepal (2005)
  • Star Screen Lifetime Achievement Award (2007)
  • Kelvinator GR8! Women Awards: Lifetime Achievement Award (2013)
  • Dadasaheb Phalke Academy Awards: Phalke Icon Cine Artiste Award (2013)
  • Nominations

  • Filmfare Award for Best Actress — Dhool Ka Phool (1960)
  • Filmfare Award for Best Actress — Bahurani (1964)
  • Filmfare Award for Best Actress — Jahan Ara (1965)
  • Filmfare Award for Best Actress — Himalaya Ki God Mein (1966)

  • Filmography

    Actress
    2007
    Bandhu
    1996
    Sikander (Video)
    1994
    Zid as
    Daadima
    1992
    Khel as
    Sulakshana Devi
    1992
    Radha Ka Sangam as
    Thakurain
    1987
    Dil Tujhko Diya as
    Savitri
    1985
    Babu as
    Pinky's mother
    1984
    Aasmaan as
    Kumar's mother
    1982
    Nek Parveen
    1981
    Yeh Rishta Na Tootay as
    Madhu
    1981
    Harjaee as
    Sharda Nath
    1980
    Be-Reham as
    Maya 'Devki'
    1980
    Dhan Daulat as
    Vasudha
    1978
    Karmayogi as
    Durga
    1978
    Sone Ka Dil Lohe Ke Haath as
    Mother
    1977
    Prayashchit
    1977
    Kabita as
    Kabita
    1976
    Do Ladkiyan as
    Geeta / Sujata
    1976
    Mazdoor Zindabaad as
    Sita Singh (uncredited)
    1976
    Zindagi as
    Sarojini
    1976
    Dampati
    1975
    Sunehra Sansar as
    Laxmi
    1974
    36 Ghante as
    Deepa Roy
    1974
    Archana as
    Archana
    1974
    Phir Kab Milogi as
    Sapna Sheth / Paro
    1974
    Kora Badan as
    Guest Appearance
    1973
    Kahani Hum Subb Ki as
    Sandhya
    1973
    Rickshawala as
    ParvatiDevi
    1972
    Lalkar (The Challenge) as
    Usha Choudhury
    1972
    Sanjog as
    Asha Devi
    1972
    Rivaaj as
    Lakshmi
    1971
    Chahat as
    Geeta
    1971
    Maryada as
    Laxmi and Lalita
    1971
    Kangan as
    Shanta
    1970
    Geet as
    Kamal
    1970
    Holi Ayee Re as
    Suhagi / Hemlata
    1969
    Do Bhai as
    Sandhya
    1969
    Paisa Ya Pyar as
    Shanti
    1969
    Tamanna
    1969
    Pyar Ka Sapna as
    Sudha / Sushma
    1968
    Ankhen as
    Meenakshi Mehta
    1968
    Humsaya as
    Sin Tan
    1968
    Mere Huzoor as
    Sultanat
    1968
    Do Kaliyaan as
    Kiran
    1967
    Jaal as
    Sheela
    1967
    Jab Yaad Kisi Ki Aati Hai as
    Roopa and Shanti
    1967
    Nai Roshni as
    Rekha
    1967
    Night in London as
    Renu Sinha'Princess of Vijay Nagar'
    1966
    Aasra as
    Shobha
    1966
    Baharen Phir Bhi Aayengi as
    Amita Sinha
    1966
    Dillagi as
    Seema
    1966
    Maitighar as
    Maya
    1966
    Mere Lal as
    Madhu
    1965
    Bahu Beti as
    Shanta
    1965
    Neela Akash as
    Neela
    1965
    Abhaya O Srikanta as
    Abhaya
    1965
    Himalay Ki Godmein as
    Phoolwa
    1964
    Apne Huye Paraye as
    Rekha
    1964
    Jahan Ara as
    Jahan Ara
    1964
    Main Suhagan Hoon as
    Shanti
    1964
    Pooja Ke Phool as
    Shanti Rai (as Malasinha)
    1964
    Bahurani as
    Dancer-singer
    1964
    Suhagan as
    Sharda Dubey
    1963
    Gehra Daag as
    Shobha
    1963
    Phool Bane Angaare as
    Usha
    1963
    Gumrah as
    Meena
    1962
    Ankh Micholi as
    Mala / Nayantara
    1962
    Anpadh as
    Lajwanti
    1962
    Bombay Ka Chor
    1962
    Dil Tera Diwana as
    Meena
    1962
    Gyara Hazar Ladkian as
    Asha
    1962
    Hariyali Aur Rasta as
    Shobna / Kamla
    1961
    Maya as
    Shyama
    1961
    Sathi Hara
    1961
    Suhag Sindoor as
    Ratna / Chanda
    1961
    Dharmputra as
    Husn Bano
    1960
    Mitti Mein Sona
    1960
    Patang as
    Shanti
    1960
    Saharer Itikatha
    1960
    Bewaqoof as
    Mala
    1959
    Duniya Na Mane as
    Geeta
    1959
    Jaal Saz as
    Meera
    1959
    Khelaghar
    1959
    Love Marriage as
    Geeta
    1959
    Main Nashe Men Hoon as
    Shanta
    1959
    Ujala as
    Chabeli
    1959
    Dhool Ka Phool as
    Meena Khosla
    1958
    Bondhu
    1958
    Detective as
    Mashin Loonpe
    1958
    Parvarish as
    Asha H.Singh
    1958
    Phir Subha Hogi as
    Sohni
    1958
    Lukochuri
    1958
    Louhakapat
    1958
    Chandan
    1958
    Devar Bhabhi
    1957
    Apradhi Kaun? as
    Shobha
    1957
    Bhakt Dhruv
    1957
    Ek Gaon Ki Kahani as
    Jaya (as Mala)
    1957
    Lal Batti
    1957
    Nausherwan-E-Adil as
    Marsia
    1957
    Naya Zamana
    1957
    Surer Parashey
    1957
    Prithibi Amare Chaay
    1957
    Thirst as
    Meena Ghosh
    1957
    Fashion
    1956
    Ek Shola as
    Mala Sinha
    1956
    Paisa Hi Paisa as
    Mala
    1956
    Rangin Raaten as
    Mala
    1956
    Putrabadhu
    1956
    Jaldeep
    1955
    Ekadashi
    1955
    Riyasat
    1954
    Badshah
    1954
    Chitrangada
    1954
    Dhooli
    1954
    Dhuli as
    Ratri
    1954
    Hamlet as
    Ophelia
    1954
    Suhagan
    1953
    Jog Biyog
    1953
    Jhansi Ki Rani (uncredited)
    1952
    Roshanara
    1950
    Jai Vaishno Devi as
    Child
    1950
    Shri Krishan Leela as
    Child
    Music Department
    1972
    Lalkar (The Challenge) (playback singer)
    Thanks
    1966
    Mere Lal (grateful acknowledgment)
    Self
    1981
    Naseeb as
    Self
    1971
    Guddi as
    Self (shooting of "Phir Kab Milogi (1974)") (uncredited)
    Archive Footage
    2023
    Compression (TV Series documentary)
    - Compression Pyaasa de Guru Dutt (2023)
    1983
    Film Hi Film as
    Special Appearance (uncredited)

    References

    Mala Sinha Wikipedia


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