The Road To Stardom Was Bumpy

The 63rd Jio Filmfare Lifetime Achievement winner, Mala Sinha, relives her life and times with Farhana Farook

Mala Sinha’s bungalow sits right there on the bustling Turner Road in Bandra yet it remains impervious to the world outside. Inside too, there are no ostentatious signs of stardom. The foyer with vintage furniture may have played host to several celebrations. But today, the sprawling residence is home to countless strays and pets, which daughter/actor Pratibha devotedly tends to. Mala Sinha, at 80 plus, has no desperation to cling on to past memories or trophies. She’s happier travelling back and forth to the mountains of Nepal and to her husband Chidambar Prasad Lohani’s ‘resort like home’ there.

Satellite screens regularly give glimpses of her as in the romantic Anpadh, with the classic melody Aap ki nazron ne samjha, her fight as an unwed mother in Dhool Ka Phool, her unapologetic stance as the gold-digger in Pyaasa or her royal adas in Jahan Ara.... From Ashok Kumar to Amitabh Bachchan she has romanced all... cutting across generations and genres. If her women-oriented roles earned her the title of ‘Daring Diva’, her dreamy ‘sensuousness’ mesmerised millions, including filmmaker Mahesh Bhatt. Tell her that and she credits Filmfare for being her ticket to stardom. A journalist in Kolkata came across her photograph profiled in a photo studio and got it printed in the magazine. Filmmaker, Amiya Chakravarty, charmed by her picture, invited her to Mumbai. Through the years, she won Filmfare nominations for her performances in Gumraah, Jahan Ara, Anpadh and Himalay Ki God Mein. But life came full circle when she was honoured with the Lifetime Achievement at the recently held 63rd Jio Filmfare Awards 2018... “Thank you Filmfare,” she says softly... her smile wiping away the years...

TRAIN FROM KOLKATA