20 Facts About Mala Sinha

Mala Sinha was born on Alda Sinha; 11 November 1936 and is a former Indian actress who mainly worked in Hindi, Bengali films.

Mala Sinha was known as the "daring diva" and "torch bearer of women's cinema" for essaying strong female centric and unconventional roles in a range of movies considered ahead of their times.

Mala Sinha was constantly paired in roles opposite Uttam Kumar, Kishore Kumar, Dev Anand, Dharmendra, Raaj Kumar, Rajendra Kumar, Biswajeet, Manoj Kumar, Rajesh Khanna.

Mala Sinha used to sing for All India Radio; she was not allowed to sing playback in the movies with the lone exception being 1972's Lalkar.

Mala Sinha performed in the relatively unsympathetic part of an ambitious woman who chooses to marry a rich man and have a loveless marriage, rather than a poor, unsuccessful poet; her impoverished lover whom she ditches.

Mala Sinha was part of many successful movies from 1958 to the early '60s such as Parvarish, Ujala, Main Nashe Main Hoon, Duniya Na Mane, Love Marriage, Bewaqoof, Maya, Hariyali Aur Rasta, Dil Tera Deewana, Anpadh and Bombay Ka Chor.

Mala Sinha consistently did lead roles in Bengali films throughout the 1950s to the 1970s.

Mala Sinha worked with many newcomers of her era including Manoj Kumar, Dharmendra, Rajesh Khanna, Sunil Dutt, Sanjay Khan, Jeetendra and Amitabh Bachchan.

In 1966, Mala Sinha went to Nepal to act in a Nepali film called Maitighar when the Nepali film industry was still in its infancy.

Mala Sinha has been a heroine in many Bengali films.

Mala Sinha's last Bengali work as a female lead was Kabita which featured Ranjit Mullick and Kamal Haasan; it was a super-hit at the box office.

Mala Sinha is noted for her strong women-oriented roles in films such as Dhool Ka Phool, Suhag Sindoor, Anpadh, Phir Subah Hogi, Hariyali Aur Rasta, Bahurani, Aasra, Do Kaliyaan, Gumrah, Ankhen, Baharen Phir Bhi Aayengi, Himalay Ki God Mein, Do Kaliyaan, Holi Aayi Re, Nai Roshni, Mere Huzoor, Kangan, Archana, Maryada amongst others.

In 1978, during an income tax raid at Mala Sinha's house in Bombay, bundles of cash amounting to Rs 12 lakh were recovered from a wall in her bathroom, which was a huge amount at the time.

Mala Sinha is reported to have been scared of losing the money, and is said to have taken the drastic step of admitting to prostitution on the advice of her father and lawyer, Albert Sinha.

Mala Sinha made the shocking admission when the court asked her to prove that she had earned the money by fair means.

Mala Sinha was allowed by the court to keep the money, but she is said to have lost the favour of her fans, resulting in the loss of many projects in the immediate aftermath.

Mala Sinha married Nepali actor Chidambar Prasad Lohani of Kumaoni Brahmin ethnicity in 1966.

Mala Sinha has one daughter from the marriage: Pratibha Sinha, who is a former Bollywood actress.

Mala Sinha's mother lived in her house till her death in April 2017.

Mala Sinha's daughter takes care of stray dogs and cats at Mala Sinha's home.