Mala Sinha Movies and Career Information

Mala Sinha (Nepali: माला सिन्हा) (born 11 November 1936) is an Indian actress of Nepalese ethnicity. She became one of the most popular female stars in Bollywood films from the fifties to the early seventies, starring in numerous blockbusters and hits like Pyaasa (1957), Dhool Ka Phool (1959), Anpadh (1962), Himalaya Ki God Mein (1965), Aankhen (1968) and Maryada (1971) . Sinha was born to Albert Sinha, in a Nepalese Christian family. They named her Alda. Her friends at school used to tease her calling Dalda (a branded vegetable oil of India), so she changed her name to Mala. Sinha started her film career as child artist in Bengali Films Jai Vaishno Devi followed by Shri Krishan Leela, Jog Biyog & Dhooli. 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