Mala Sinha

Mala Sinha (born 11 November 1936) is an Indian actress. She was quite popular in Bollywood films of the sixties and early seventies.

Early Life

She was born to a Bengali-Nepali Christian couple and was named "Alda." Her friends at school used to tease her calling Dalda (a branded vegetable oil of India), so she changed her name. Her father's name was Albert Sinha. Noted Bengali film 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.
After acting in a couple of films in Calcutta, Mala had to go to Bombay to shoot for a Bengali film. There she met Geeta Dutt, a noted Bollywood playback singer, who was charmed by her and introduced her to film director Kidar Sharma. It was Sharma who cast her as a heroine in his film Rangeen Ratein.
Mala was also a singer of some repute and used to sing for All India Radio, albeit she was never allowed to sing playback (even for herself) in the movies.
In 1957, noted Bollywood actor and film director Guru Dutt (the husband of Geeta Dutt) cast Mala in his film Pyaasa. Mala gave a memorable performance as the woman who chooses to marry a rich man (played by character artiste Rehman) rather than a poor unsuccessful poet (played by Guru Dutt himself). The film remains to this day a classic in the history of Indian cinema.
Mala Sinha went on to do other memorable films like Dhool Ka Phool (1959), Hariyali Aur Raasta (1962), Anpadh (1962), Gumrah (1963), Jahan Ara (1964), Himalay Ki God Mein (1965), and Aankhen (1967). She mostly essayed roles in strong women-oriented films. In spite of putting up commendable performances, she has never won the Filmfare award for any of her roles.
In 1966, Sinha went to Nepal to act in a Nepali film called "Maitighar" when the Nepali film industry was still in its infancy. Her hero in the film was an estate owner called C.P. Lohani [1]. 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 she living in Bombay with their daughter Pratibha. Mala continued acting in films after her marriage.

Later years

As she grew older, Mala Sinha gracefully moved on to doing character roles that befitted her age. She currently lives in Bombay with her now-retired husband and daughter Pratibha.
Her daughter Pratibha Sinha is an aspiring Bollywood actress.
She has also been a heroine in Nepali and Bengali films. In Bengali films she has acted with Uttam Kumar. Her last Bengali film was Kavita which featured Ranjit Mullick and Kamal Hassan.


Filmography

Hindi Films

1. Pyaasa
2. Phir Subah Hogi
3. Dhool Ka Phool
4. Hariyali Aur Raasta
5. Parvarish
6. Gumrah
7. Bahurani
8. Mere Huzoor
9. Himalaya Ki God Mein
10. Aasra
11. Do Kaliyan
12. Aankhen
13. Anpadh
14. Hariyali
15. Hariyali aur Rasta
16. Dil Tera Diwana
17. Dillagi
18. Sanjog
19. Maryada
20. Zindagi
21. Maya
22. Dharm Putra Baharen Phir Bhi Aayengi

Bengali Films

1. Roshanara
2. Shohorer Itikotha ( with Uttam Kumar )
3. Abhaya O Srikanta
4. Lookochoori (with Kishore Kumar)
5. Kavita

Nepali Films

1. Maitighar