Munawar Sultana

Munawar Sultana was an Indian Hindi cinema actress who worked in Hindi or Hindustani film industry. She was born on November 8, 1924. Munawar Sultana’s place of birth is Lahore, Punjab, British India. She was raised in a strict Punjabi Muslim family. Her nationality was Indian. Her father was a radio announcer. In 1954, she married Sharif Ali, who was an affluent businessman, who supplied furniture for movie sets. Her husband died suddenly in 1966. She had four sons and three daughters. She lived with her family in a sprawling house on Ambedkar Road in the Pali Hill area of Mumbai, Maharashtra. Munawar Sultana’s initial aim in life was to study medicine and become a doctor.

She started her career in acting with a small role in Dalsukh Pancholi’s film “Khazanchi” in 1941. She portrayed the supporting role of barmaid and had a song, “Peene Ke Din Aaye,” shown as a part of a stage performance. In 1945, she was brought to Bombay from Lahore by Mazhar Khan Mazhar Khan was an actor and director who was well >> Read More... , who contracted her on a monthly fee of Rs. 4000 with an apartment. Then, she got her first big break in producer-actor-director Mazhar Khan’s film Pehli Nazar. In the movie, she was cast opposite actor Motilal. Mazhar Khan would also direct her in two more films, including Sona (1948) and Dil Ki Diniya (1949).

In 1947, she acted in four films Elaan, Andhon Ki Duniya, Naiyya, and Dard. Dard film was directed by Abdul Rashid Kardar and turned out to be a musical hit at the box office. Elaan, a Muslim social film, garnered positive reviews, and was the sixth highest-grossing Indian film of 1947. In the film, Munawar Sultana’s portrayed the role of a young woman who sacrificed her love for the hero, Surendra. In 1948, she had featured in four more films, including Majboor, Meri Kahani, Paraai Aag, and Sona (aka Gold). In 1949, she acted in the Hindi drama film “ Kaneez Kaneez is an Urdu TV serial. It premiered in 2019. >> Read More... ,” directed & produced by Krishan Kumar.

She played the role of Akbar’s daughter, Sabira. In 1950, Munawar Sultana’s most notable film was Babul, directed by S. U. Sunny, produced & with music direction by Naushad. She acted opposite Nargis and Dilip Kumar Muhammad Yusuf Khan was born on the 11th of Decemb >> Read More... in pivotal roles. The film was the second highest-earning film of 1950. Her last film was Jallad in 1956. She was one of the famous actresses of the late 1940s to early 1950s. Munawar Sultana’s lived for eighty-two years and died on September 15, 2007, at her sprawling house on Ambedkar Road in Pali Hill, Mumbai. She had Alzheimer’s disease for the last eight years.