Born in Lahore, Suraiya's
tryst with showbiz began in 1941
when she accompanied uncle Zahoor
to the sets of Prakash Pictures' Taj Mahal and ended up being cast
as the young Mumtaz Mahal.

She was subsequently launched
as a singing star in Bombay Talkies' Humaari Baat (1943) and made her presence felt in what was perhaps India's first multi-starrer, K Asif's
Phool (1944).

The 1948-49 phase saw her
rise to her peak when she became
the highest paid female star of her time. Shop owners would down their shutters to see her starrers on the
first day and crowds would
throng outside her residence at
Marine Drive in Bombay just
to get a glimpse of her.

Dharmendra recalls going to see Dillagi 40 times just to see the superstar Suraiya!

Suraiya Jamal Shaikh
(1929-2004)


Major Films

Anmol Ghadi (1946 )
Dard (1947 )
Parwana (1947 )
Pyar ki Jeet (1948 )
Badi Bahen (1949)
Dillagi (1949)
Dastaan (1950)
Mirza Ghalib (1954)
Shama Parwana (1954)