Suraiya Jamal Sheikh (15 June 1929 – 31 January 2004), known mononymously as Suraiya, was an Indian playback singer and actress in Hindi cinema. Active primarily during the 1940s and 1950s, she was one of the most popular female stars of her era, combining acting with singing in a tradition of singer-actresses that included Noor Jehan and Khursheed Bano.
Key facts
| Born | 15 June 1929, Gujranwala, Punjab, British India (present-day Pakistan) |
|---|---|
| Died | 31 January 2004, Mumbai, Maharashtra, India |
| Other names | Suraiya, Mallika-e-Tarannum (informal title) |
| Occupation | Playback singer, actress |
| Years active | 1936–1963 |
| Languages | Hindi, Urdu |
| Notable films | Anmol Ghadi (1946), Pyar Ki Jeet (1948), Badi Behen (1949), Dillagi (1949), Mirza Ghalib (1954) |
| Honours | Padma Shri (2003) |
Background
Suraiya was born into a Punjabi Muslim family in Gujranwala. She moved to Bombay (now Mumbai) with her family as a child and was raised in the Krishna Mahal building on Marine Drive, where she lived for the rest of her life. She was educated at the New Talkies High School in Bombay. Her maternal uncle, Zahoor, was a film actor, which facilitated her entry into the film industry.
Career
Early years
Suraiya made her acting debut as a child artiste in Usne Socha Tha (1937) and appeared as a young Mumtaz Mahal in Sohrab Modi's Taj Mahal (1941). Her singing career began when music director Naushad heard her on a radio programme and invited her to sing for K. L. Saigal in Tadbir (1945). Saigal, impressed by her voice, recommended that she sing all her songs herself in his subsequent film Omar Khaiyyam (1946).
Peak period
Her breakthrough came with Anmol Ghadi (1946), directed by Mehboob Khan, where she appeared alongside Noor Jehan and Surendra. After Partition, with Noor Jehan and Khursheed migrating to Pakistan, Suraiya emerged as one of the leading singer-actresses of Hindi cinema.
Between 1948 and 1951 she became the highest-paid female star in the industry. Her major successes during this period included Pyar Ki Jeet (1948), Badi Behen (1949), Dillagi (1949) and Shair (1949). Songs such as "Tu Mera Chand Main Teri Chandni", "Woh Paas Rahein Ya Door Rahein" and "Tere Naino Ne Chori Kiya" became immensely popular.
Later career
Her portrayal of the courtesan poet in Sohrab Modi's Mirza Ghalib (1954), opposite Bharat Bhushan, is widely considered her finest performance. The film won the President's Gold Medal for Best Feature Film, and Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru is reported to have remarked that she had brought Mirza Ghalib's poetry to life.
With the rise of dedicated playback singers such as Lata Mangeshkar and the change in audience tastes, Suraiya's career declined in the late 1950s. Her last film was Rustom Sohrab (1963), after which she retired from cinema.
Personal life
Suraiya's relationship with actor Dev Anand during the late 1940s is one of the most discussed romances in Hindi film history. The two appeared together in seven films, including Vidya (1948), Jeet (1949), Afsar (1950) and Sanam (1951). The relationship reportedly ended due to family opposition, and Suraiya never married. She lived with her mother and grandmother at Krishna Mahal until their deaths, and remained largely reclusive in her later years.
Style and significance
Suraiya worked extensively with composers Naushad, Husnlal-Bhagatram, S. D. Burman, Madan Mohan and Ghulam Mohammed. She recorded songs penned by lyricists including D. N. Madhok, Shakeel Badayuni and Majrooh Sultanpuri. Her singing was marked by a clear, expressive timbre suited to ghazals and romantic numbers, and her style is often associated with the transitional phase between the Saigal-era ballads and the modern playback tradition.
She is regarded as the last major singing star of Hindi cinema, after which acting and playback singing became distinct professions.
Awards and honours
- Padma Shri (2003), conferred by the Government of India for her contribution to the arts.
- Screen Lifetime Achievement Award (1996).
- Dadasaheb Phalke Academy Award.
Death
Suraiya died on 31 January 2004 at Harkisondas Hospital in Mumbai after a prolonged illness. She was buried at the Bada Qabrastan in Marine Lines.
Selected filmography
- Taj Mahal (1941)
- Phool (1945)
- Anmol Ghadi (1946)
- Omar Khaiyyam (1946)
- Vidya (1948)
- Pyar Ki Jeet (1948)
- Badi Behen (1949)
- Dillagi (1949)
- Shair (1949)
- Jeet (1949)
- Afsar (1950)
- Sanam (1951)
- Diwana (1952)
- Mirza Ghalib (1954)
- Mr. Lambu (1956)
- Rustom Sohrab (1963)