Suraiya

Today is the death anniversary of Suraiya Jamaal Sheikh, or Suraiya for short, the popular singer/actress of Hindi Cinema.A combination of good looks and singing voice, she was of the league of Noor Jehan and Khursheed who doubled as playback singers and actors.First she sang for the actress Mehtaab in her child roles.Later she sang for herself when she acted in films like Dillagi, Afsar, Anmol Ghadi,Taraana, Badi Behan, Phool, Jeet and Dastaan.She won a gold medal for a role in film Kajal (1948).She is remembered most for her stellar performance in Mirza Ghalib in which she also rendered Ghalib's ghazals in her inimitable voice.She also sang for leading heroines of the time like Nargis, Madhubala.Romantically involved with Dev Anand, with whom she paired in a number of hit films,her love affair with him could not mature into matrimony due to opposition from her family, especially her maternal grandmother.
Heartbroken, Suraiya never married.
A recipient of many awards and honours, like the Urdu Academy Award and the Dadasaheb Phalke Award,she was also honoured by a commemorative postal stamp being issued .
Our humble tributes to the great artiste and actress !