Suraiyya, a child prodigy, metamorphosed into a great singer and a star in her later years. Suraiyya was originally named Suraiyya Jamal Sheikh. She was born in the year 1929. The latent talent of this legend started showing itself from a very early age. She had never received any kind of institutional training in music. It was the illustrious music director Naushad who took note of her in AIR (All India Radio). And acknowledging her potentialities, he signed her to sing a song for the movie SHARDA, which was released in 1942. At that time she was so young that a stool was provided to her to reach the microphone.

But later on Suraiyya shifted her interest to acting from music. She started her career in the field of acting with the movie TAJ MAHAL by Prakash Pictures, where she played the role of young Mumtaz Mahal. As a supporting star, she has acted in movies like `Anmol Ghadi` (released in 1946) and `Dard` (released in 1947). Acknowledging her talent she was flooded with offers of numerous lead roles. Suraiyya also has the honour of acting in movies like `Tadbir` (released in 1945), `Omar Khaiyyam` (released in 1946) and `Parwana` (released in 1947), with the legendary K L Saigal.

The sky of late forties was overshadowed with the presence of the stellar Suraiyya. The years 1948 and 1949, saw the release of her films like, `Pyar Ki Jeet`(1948), `Badi Bahen`(1949) and `Dillagi`(1949). At that time, she was considered the highest paid actress. She however did not disappoint the producers, she mesmerized her audience with her performance in the movie `Mirza Ghalib`. She played the role of the married Ghalib`s lover. It was directed by Sohrab Modi. She was highly acclaimed by Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru for her emotionally charged implementation of such a complex role. According to him- `she with her performance had brought Ghalib back to life`.

After a tremendous successful tenure of her career, Suraiyya took a break from films only to return in the year 1961 with the film `Shama`. She acted in the movie `Rustom Sohrab` released in 1963. `Rustom Sohrab` was the last movie ever, where her trusted admirers saw her for the final time, after which she never came back in movies again. In her last years Suraiyya led an abandoned life of tragic, alienated from the outside world, becoming a far-off memory to all. The dazzling star of the 40`s and 50`s faded into eternity recently in her Marine Drive flat.