Noor Jehan

Noor Jehan ( Punjabi: ਨੂਰ੍ ਜਹਾਂ, Urdu نور جہاں, Hindi: नूर जहाँ; born September 21, 1926 in Kasur, British India, † December 23, 2000 in Karachi, Pakistan ) was an Indian- Pakistani singer, actress and director who was active from the 1930s to the 1990s. It is now considered one of the most successful singers of the Indian subcontinent, and it was regarded as a model of Lata Mangeshkar and Asha Bhosle.

Biography

Was born Noor Jehan, with native name of Allah Wasai ( الله واسی ) in Kasur, in what is now Pakistan. After several appearances on local theater stages, she gave her film debut in 1935 in Pandschabifilm Sheila under the name "Baby Noor Jehan ". After several films where she had supporting roles, she managed the breakthrough in 1940 with the film Yamla Jatt, though she had only a minor role. She sang in the movie, some songs that are very popular today. After that she appeared in movies like Khandan, Choudhary, Naukar, Dost, Anmol Ghari and Jugnu ( with Dilip Kumar ). Anmol Ghari and Jugnu are among her most successful films from the late 1940s. In Anmol Ghari, she played along with Suraiyya, who also sang their own songs.

In 1947, she emigrated with her husband to Pakistan, where she continued her career. From there, she played alternately with the Pakistani and Indian film. In 1951, she turned her Pandschabifilm Chan Ve, in which she directed, had the lead role, produced music, and sang all the songs. The film is one of the most successful films of the 1950s Pakistan. In 1953, she starred in her first Indian film since 1947: Anarkali, with Bina Rai, Pradeep Kumar and Sulochana. 1958 turned Anwar Kemal Pasha, a remake of the film with Noor Jehan in the actual lead role.

After a few flops in the late 1950s, she retired from acting, but remained at playback singing in Pakistani and Indian films. They often sang solo songs, but also some duets, of moderate success. In the 1980s, there were virtually no Pandschabikino movie where she had not sung. From the late 1990s, was their star, and she retired from the film business. In 2000 she died of a heart attack.