Suraiya

Suraiya was a legendary star of Indian cinema.

She was a talented actress and a famous playback singer. People often called her the queen of beauty and the queen of acting. She was a very important part of Hindi films for many years. Her work made her one of the most celebrated stars in history. She was even paid more than the male actors in her time.

Suraiya's career was full of many different roles. She acted in over 70 films and sang 338 songs. She often sang the songs for her own characters. Her acting career lasted from 1936 all the way to 1964. She was known for being very strong in many different types of movies. Many of her films were huge hits that people loved to watch.

Suraiya's journey in films started when she was very young. She first appeared as a child artist in the film Madame Fashion in 1936. Later, she got a big role in the film Taj Mahal in 1941. In that movie, she played the role of Mumtaz Mahal. She also sang for children's radio programs on All India Radio. When she was six, she sang alongside Raj Kapoor and Madan Mohan. These friends became important people in her life later on. She did not have any professional training for her music. She learned to sing and act through her natural talent.

Suraiya was born on 15 June 1929 in Lahore. At that time, Lahore was part of British India. Her parents were Aziz Jamal Sheikh and Mumtaz Sheikh. When she was only one year old, her family moved to Mumbai. They lived in a place called Krishna Mahal at Marine Drive. Her family was a deeply religious Muslim family. Her grandmother even gave her religious lessons in the Persian language. She attended the J.B. Petit High School for Girls in Bombay.

Her fame grew very quickly during the late 1940s. Between 1948 and 1949, she appeared in over 18 films. Many of these were the highest-grossing films of those years. She worked with famous actors like Dev Anand and Prithviraj Kapoor. In the film Mirza Ghalib, she played a character named Moti Begum. This role earned her great praise from two Prime Ministers of India. She was so popular that large crowds gathered outside her house. Sometimes the crowds were so big that the police had to help.

Suraiya's life shows how much one person can achieve. She rose from being a child singer to a superstar. She even received the Screen Lifetime Achievement Award in 1996. This award was for her great work in Indian cinema. She eventually retired in 1964 because her health was not good. She passed away on 31 January 2004. Her many songs and films are still remembered today. She remains a very important figure in the history of movies.