Suraiya

Suraiya Jamal Sheikh (15 June 1929 – 31 January 2004), mononymously known as Suraiya, was an Indian actress and playback singer who worked in Hindi films. In a career spanning from 1936 to 1964, Suraiya acted in over 70 films and sang 338 songs. Regarded among the finest and greatest actresses in the history of Indian cinema, she was known for her strong on-screen portrayals. Suraiya was the most celebrated actress between the mid- to late 1940s and early 1950s and was paid more than her male counterparts. Born in Lahore, Suraiya relocated to Bombay (now Mumbai) with her family when she was 1 years old. Apart from being a great actress, Suraiya was also a renowned playback singer, who mostly sang for herself. She sang her first song for Nai Duniya (1942), when she was only 12 years old. Suraiya made her first appearance as a child artist with the film Madame Fashion (1936), directed by Jaddan Bai. She made her acting debut in 1941, with Taj Mahal in which she played the role of Mumtaz Mahal. Suraiya went onto establish herself as one of the leading actresses in Hindi cinema with films such as - Ishaara (1943), Tadbir (1943), Phool (... ()