Mala Sinha

Overview

Mala Sinha (born Alda Sinha; 11 November 1936) is a former Indian actress who worked primarily in Hindi and Bengali cinema. Known for her versatility and graceful screen presence, she emerged as one of the leading and highest-paid actresses of Hindi cinema between the late 1950s and the early 1970s. She is often referred to as the "daring diva" and "torch bearer of women's cinema" for her portrayal of strong, female-centric and unconventional roles in a number of films considered ahead of their times.

Key facts

Background

Sinha began her career in regional cinema before transitioning to Hindi films, where she became one of the leading actresses of her era. Over a career spanning roughly four decades, she appeared in over a hundred film productions.

Career

Sinha rose to prominence with two films widely regarded as landmarks of Hindi cinema: Guru Dutt's Pyaasa (1957) and Yash Chopra's Dhool Ka Phool (1959). She followed these with a range of successful films across the late 1950s and the 1960s.

Notable films

• Pyaasa (1957)
• Phir Subah Hogi (1958)
• Dhool Ka Phool (1959)
• Hariyali Aur Rasta (1962)
• Anpadh (1962)
• Dil Tera Deewana (1962)
• Gumrah (1963)
• Bahurani (1963)
• Himalay Ki God Mein (1965)
• Aasra (1966)
• Ankhen (1968)
• Do Kaliyan (1968)
• Maryada (1971)

Co-stars

Sinha was paired multiple times opposite senior and near-contemporary actors including Uttam Kumar, Kishore Kumar, Raj Kapoor, Pradeep Kumar, Guru Dutt, Dev Anand, Shammi Kapoor, Raaj Kumar and Rajendra Kumar. She also worked with junior leading men such as Dharmendra, Manoj Kumar, Sanjeev Kumar, Biswajeet and Jeetendra, and appeared opposite then-newcomers Amitabh Bachchan and Rajesh Khanna.

Standing in the industry

Sinha's commercial standing in Hindi cinema during her peak years is documented as follows:

• Highest-paid actress from 1958 to 1965, alongside Vyjayanthimala.
• Second-highest-paid actress from 1966 to 1967, alongside Vyjayanthimala.
• Shared the second position with Sharmila Tagore from 1968 to 1971.
• Third position alongside Sadhana and Nanda in 1972–73.

Awards and recognition

Sinha received the Filmfare Lifetime Achievement Award in 2018 in recognition of her contribution to Indian cinema.

Significance

Sinha is widely regarded as one of the most successful and finest actresses of Indian cinema. Her willingness to take on female-centric and unconventional parts, in films that addressed themes ahead of their time, helped expand the range of leading roles available to actresses in mainstream Hindi cinema during the 1950s and 1960s.

Related topics

• Hindi cinema
• Bengali cinema
• Pyaasa
• Dhool Ka Phool
• Guru Dutt
• Yash Chopra
• Vyjayanthimala
• Filmfare Lifetime Achievement Award

References

• "Mala Sinha", English Wikipedia.
• Wikidata item: Q3633732.