Mala Sinha was born on 11th November 1936. She is an Indian actress with great popularity in Bollywood films of the sixties and early seventies. Mala Sinha was born as Alda Sinha in Kashmir, India. She worked in the film industry thoroughly from 1952 to 1994. She was born to a Nepali Christian family couple and was thus named Alda. Her father`s name was Albert Sinha.

Mala Sinha`s friends at school used to tease for her name Alda and called her Dalda (a branded vegetable oil of India). Tired of these taunting, she changed her name to Mala Sinha. She started her film career as child artist in Bengali Films Jai Vaishno Devi and then followed up with Shri Krishan Leela, Jog Biyog and Dhooli. Distinguished Bengali film director Ardhendu Bose noticed Mala Sinha`s acting in a school play and asked for permission from her father to cast her as a heroine in his film Roshanara (1952). This film was her cinematic debut.

After acting in a couple of films in Calcutta, Mala Sinha traveled to Bombay to shoot for a Bengali film. There she met Bollywood Actress">Geeta Dutt, a renowned Bollywood playback singer. Geeta Dutt was enamored by her beauty and introduced her to film director Kidar Sharma. He directed film Rangeen Ratein and cast her as a heroine.

Mala Sinha was also a proficient singer and used to sing for All India Radio, however, she was never allowed to sing playback, not even for herself in the movies. In 1957, renowned Bollywood actor and film director Guru Dutt (the husband of Geeta Dutt) took Mala Sinha in his film Pyaasa in the lead role. Mala Sinha offered an outstanding performance as the character of a woman who chooses to marry a rich man, played by character entertainer Rehman rather than a meager, unsuccessful poet played by Guru Dutt himself. The film remains to this day an archetypal in the history of Indian cinema.

Mala Sinha was honored with the Filmfare nominations as Best Actress for excellent films like Dhool Ka Phool (1959), Bahu Rani (1963), Jahan Ara (1964), and Himalay Ki God Mein (1965). Mala Sinha strangely was not even nominated for her major roles in strong women-oriented films, such as Hariyali Aur Raasta (1962), Anpadh (1962), Gumrah (1963), and Aankhen (1967). In spite of standing up with praiseworthy performances, she has never won the Filmfare award for any of her roles. In Bengali films Mala Sinha has acted with the film stalwart Uttam Kumar. Her last Bengali film was Kavita, which featured Ranjit Mullick and Kamal Hassan.

In 1966, Mala Sinha traveled to Nepal to act in a Nepali film titled "Maitighar" when the Nepali film industry was still in its early days. Her hero in Maitighar was an estate owner called C.P. Lohani. Very soon, Mala Sinha married C.P.Lohani with the blessings of her parents. From the beginning of their marriage, they were compelled to stay at long distance due to professional necessities. Lohani was based in Kathmandu to look after his business and Mala Sinha in Bombay with their daughter Pratibha. However, Mala continued acting in films after her marriage.

With the advancement of age, Mala Sinha benevolently moved on to doing character roles that suited her age. She presently lives in Bombay with her now-retired husband and daughter Pratibha Sinha, who is an aspiring Bollywood actress.

Filmography of Mala Sinha

Pyaasa - 1957	Mere Huzoor - 1969	Dil Tera Diwana - 1962	Love Marriage - 1959
Phir Subha Hogi - 1958	Himalaya Ki God Mein - 1965	Dillagi - 1967	Khel - 1992
Dhool Ka Phool - 1957	Aasra	Sanjog - 1970	Mazdoor Zindabad - 1982
Main Nashe Main Hoon - 1960	Do Kaliyan - 1968	Maryada - 1970	Karm Yogi - 1978
Parvarish - 1959	Aankhen	Zindagi	Neela Akash - 1965
Gumrah - 1960	Anpadh - 1962	Maya - 1961	Night in London - 1967
Bahurani - 1963	Hariyali aur Rasta - 1962	Dharm Putra - 1961	Baharen Phir Bhi Aayengi - 1968

Bengali films

Roshanara	Saathihaara	Lookochoori	Bondhu
Shohorer Itikotha	Abhaya O Srikanta	Kavita	Prithibi Amare Chaay

Nepali films

Maitighar