Sudha Malhotra

Some Lesser Known Facts About Sudha Malhotra

• Sudha Malhotra belongs to a musically inclined Punjabi family and grew up in Lahore (now in Punjab, Pakistan), Bhopal, and Firozpur.

• At age six, her talent was discovered by Pakistani music composer Ghulam Haider when she sang the song Tu Kaun Si Badli Me Mere Chand Hai by singer Noor Jehan from the film Khandaan (1942) on stage.

• She was trained in classical music under musician Deshbandhu Sethi in Lahore.

• As a child, she was also a singer at the All India Radio (AIR).

• After the partition of India, her family returned to Delhi where she was trained under musician Pandit Amarnath.

• The music composer Anil Biswas heard her singing and gave her debut song at age 14 in 1950.

• She sang several songs including Mohabbat Ki Dhun Bekarar from the film Dil-E-Nadan (1953), Ganga Ki Ret Pe from Mirza Ghalib (1954), Maalik Tere Jahaan Me from Ab Dilli Door Nahin (1957), Hum Tumhare Hain Zara from Chalti Ka Naam Gaadi (1958), and Kaase Kahoon Mann Ki Baat from Dhool Ka Phool (1959).

• In 1951, she acted in the film Andolan produced by Harnam Motwane, the grandfather of producer and director Vikramaditya  Motwane. Her first and only dialogue in the film was Vande Mataram.

• She sang several Marathi Bhavageet (a form of poetry and pop music popular in Maharashtra) including Shukratara Mand Wara, Haat Tujha Hatatun, and Divas Tujhe He Phulavache with singer Arun Date.

• After she married businessman Girdhar Motwane, whose family owned Chicago Radio, in 1960, she retired from singing in the film industry.

• Soon after her marriage, the tabloid Blitz published some pictures of Sudha Malhotra with poet and lyricist Sahir Ludhianvi. She repeatedly dismissed the allegations and later, Blitz issued a public apology regarding this news.

• The last song she recorded before her retirement in 1959 was the duet song Tum Mujhe Bhool Bhi Jaon from the film Didi (1959) with singer Mukesh. She was also the music composer of this song.

• In a career span of over 10 years, she sang 264 songs for 155 films.

• She continued to learn music and performed in concerts after her early retirement.

• She was the lead singer in Jagjit Singh’s Ghazals In A Mood of Love released in 1980.

  

• In 1982, she returned to the film industry on legendary actor and film director Raj Kapoor‘s special request and sang Yeh Pyar Tha Ya Kuchh Aur Tha for his film Prem Rog.