Happy Birthday Mala Sinha

Nepali beauty Mala Sinha who lit up the screen in films like Pyaasa and Aankhen, turns a year older. Ahead, her road to stardom

Mala Sinha was born into a Nepalese Christian family and named Alda. She was forced to change her name to Mala when her friends started calling her Dalda.

She was a child artiste in many Bengali films like Jog Biyog and Dhuli. Noted Bengali film director Ardhendu Bose saw her in a school play and persuaded her father to let him cast her as the heroine in his film Roshanara in 1952.

A couple of films later, Mala had to go to Bombay on a shoot. There she met Geeta Dutt, who introduced her to film director Kidar Sharma. Sharma cast her in his film Rangeen Ratein. However, her first Hindi release was Badshah opposite Pradeep Kumar.

Mala was also a singer of some repute and used to sing for All India Radio. Despite this, she never sang playback in the movies.

In 1957, Guru Dutt cast her in Pyaasa, in a role originally intended for Madhubala. Pyaasa was the turning point of Mala Sinha's career.

After Pyaasa, Mala Sinha appeared in Yash Chopra's directorial debut, Dhool Ka Phool, and there was no looking back for the actress.

She starred in a series of hits - Parvarish, Phir Subah Hogi, Main Nashe Main Hoon, Love Marriage, Bahurani, Anpadh, Aasra, Dil Tera Deewana, Gumrah, Aankhen, Hariyali Aur Rasta and Himalaya Ki God Mein, among others.

Mala Sinha never shied away from working with newcomers. Some of these went on to become major movie stars - Dharmendra, Sunil Dutt, Sanjay Khan and Amitabh Bachchan. In many movies, her name was listed before the male leads in the credits.

In 1966, she appeared in a Nepali film called Maitighar opposite newcomer CP Lohani. Love blossomed on set and the two married soon after. They had a daughter named Pratibha.

Mala Sinha continued to work in movies after her marriage. She starred opposite Uttam Kumar as well as Kishore Kumar in a few Bengali films.

As she grew older she gracefully moved on to character roles that better suited her age. She was last seen in Zid in 1994.

Her daughter, Pratibha, tried her luck as an actress but could not repeat her mother's success.

Despite being nominated several times, Mala Sinha never won a Filmfare award throughout her career. She was however honoured with the Star Screen Lifetime Achievement Award in 2007.

She now lives in Mumbai with her husband. A very happy birthday to her.