Mala(1939-1990)

Mala was born on 9 November 1939 in Faisalabad, Pakistan. She had an older musician sister named Shamim Nazli who groomed her musical talents and trained her to be a film playback singer. Famed musician Ghulam Ahmad Chishti of_ Pheray (1949)_ fame first introduced her voice in his film Aabroo (1961). Chishti also suggested the professional film world name Mala for her which she adopted. Her big breakthrough came when she won the Pakistani nationally-known film world award- 'Nigar Award' for the year's best female playback singer for film Ishq Par Zor Nahin (1963). In 1965, she won the Nigar Award again, this time for the film Naila (1965). She really hit the jackpot by singing the all-time super-hit song 'Akelay Naa Jaana' in film Armaan (1966). Mala is also fondly remembered for singing many super-hit film songs in the Punjabi language films. Mala and Ahmed Rushdi became a 'well-sought-after' couple for singing film duets in Pakistan in the 1960's. Mala died on March 6,1990 at the age of 50. Her active singing career was from 1962 to 1972.