Mala Begum
مالا بیگم
Born
Naseem Nazli

(1942-11-09)November 9, 1942
Faisalabad, Punjab, British India
DiedMarch 5, 1990(1990-03-05) (aged 47)
Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan
Other namesPrincess Mala Begum[1]
Mala
Occupations
Years active1961–1990
SpouseMuhammad Ashiq Butt (divorced)
Children1
RelativesShamim Nazli (sister)
AwardsNigar Award for Best Playback Singer (1962)
Nigar Award for Best Playback Singer (1965)

Naseem Begum (Punjabi, Urdu: نسِیم نازلی; 9 November 1942 – 5 March 1990), known professionally as Mala (Urdu: مالا), was a Pakistani playback singer of Urdu and Punjabi films.[2]

In the 1960s, Mala was a 'hit pair for singing duet film songs' with famous playback singer Ahmed Rushdi and they gave numerous hits to Pakistan film industry.[3] She was also called Princess Mala Begum as she provided the singing voice for actresses who portrayed roles of royal and upper-class families in films.[1] She sang many popular film songs spanning almost three decades of her singing career in the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s.[4]

Early life

Mala's given name was Naseem Begum. She was born on 9 November 1942 in Faisalabad, Punjab.[2][5] She was the younger sister of music composer Shamim Nazli.[1]

Career

Mala was interested in singing and music from a young age. Her elder sister Shamim Nazli happened to be her first music teacher and Naseem learned the basics of music from her.[6] On her sister's request, music composer, Baba Ghulam Ahmed Chishti recorded two songs for the Punjabi film Aabroo (1961) in Mala's voice.[7] However, the film flopped. Despite the fact that her elder sister got her a break in films, it was the film producer Anwar Kamal Pasha who persuaded Naseem to try her luck and not give up on the Pakistani film industry. Her first hit in films came in 1962. She changed her name to Mala and sang a simple Urdu composition, Aaya re dekho for the film Sooraj Mukhi (1962).[5] The music was composed by Master Abdullah. In 1962, Mala rendered her voice to a tragic Urdu composition, Dil daeta hai ro ro duhai, kisi sey koi pyaar na karey for the film Ishq Par Zor Nahin (1962).[8] The music was composed by Master Inayat Hussain and the song was picturised on actress Yasmin and this film song ended up being a popular song of 1962. The film song lyrics were written by Qateel Shifai.[4][5]

Additionally, Mala's greatest accomplishment was the film song 'Akele Na Jaana' in the film Armaan (1966 film). Mala teamed up with music director Sohail Rana and film songs writer Masroor Anwar.[2]
Besides Urdu language film songs, she also sang many memorable popular film songs for films in the Punjabi language.[2]

Personal life

Mala married twice but both of her marriages failed miserably. She had a daughter from husband Muhammad Ashiq Butt who was a film producer and she named her daughter after her musical iconic film, Naila.[9][10][11]

Death

Gravestones of Mala and her sister Shamim Nazli at Miani Sahib Cemetery, Lahore

Mala died on 5 March 1990 and was laid to rest at Miani Sahib Graveyard, Lahore. Later her sister was also buried near her grave.[2][5]

Popular film songs

Awards and recognition

Year Award Category Result Title Ref.
1962 Nigar Award Best Playback Singer Won Ishq Par Zor Nahin [16][5]
1965 Nigar Award Best Playback Singer Won Naila [17][5]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c "گلوکارہ مالا بیگم کو مداحوں سے بچھڑے تیس برس بیت گئے". Hum TV News website. Archived from the original on 19 May 2022. Retrieved 27 September 2022.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j "Mala Begum profile". Cineplot.com website. 2 May 2021. Archived from the original on 12 November 2011. Retrieved 27 September 2022.
  3. ^ "Remembering Mala Begum on her 20th death anniversary". Samaa News. 18 May 2023.
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l "Film songs of Mala (Pakistani singer)". Pakistan Film Magazine website. Archived from the original on 5 May 2017. Retrieved 27 September 2022.
  5. ^ a b c d e f Pakistani playback singer Mala remembered Archived 29 September 2022 at the Wayback Machine Pakistan Today (newspaper), Published 7 March 2013, Retrieved 27 September 2022
  6. ^ Lahore: A Musical Companion. Lahore: Baber Ali Foundation. p. 158.
  7. ^ "88th birth anniversary of Mala Begum observed". Daily Times (newspaper). Archived from the original on 19 May 2022. Retrieved 27 September 2022.
  8. ^ "گلوکارہ مالا بیگم کو ہم سے بچھڑے 24 برس بیت گئے". Daily Pakistan. Archived from the original on 19 May 2022. Retrieved 24 September 2021.
  9. ^ "فلمی و ادبی شخصیات کے سکینڈلز۔ ۔ ۔قسط نمبر467 - علی سفیان آفاقی". Roznama Pakistan. Archived from the original on 19 May 2022. Retrieved 24 December 2021.
  10. ^ "مالا60کی دہائی میں اردو فلموں کی معروف ترین گلوکارہ رہیں". Express News. Archived from the original on 19 May 2022. Retrieved 19 May 2022.
  11. ^ "Mala a voice that shone in films". Daily Times. Archived from the original on 19 May 2022. Retrieved 12 May 2022.
  12. ^ a b c "Non-Fiction: The Hidden Voices of Film". Dawn (newspaper). 31 January 2021. Retrieved 27 September 2022.
  13. ^ "Mala Begum still rules million hearts". BOL News. Archived from the original on 19 May 2022. Retrieved 19 May 2022.
  14. ^ a b "Mala's soundtracks (Selection of Punjabi Songs)". Academy of the Punjab in North America (APNA) website. Archived from the original on 19 May 2022. Retrieved 27 September 2022.
  15. ^ "Four successful films that the newly-established Pakistani cinema produced". Daily Times. 23 March 2021.
  16. ^ "Nigar Awards (1957 - 1971)". The Hot Spot Online website. 5 January 2003. Archived from the original on 24 July 2008. Retrieved 12 June 2020.
  17. ^ "Pakistan's "Oscars"; The Nigar Awards". The Hot Spot Film Reviews website. Archived from the original on 22 July 2015. Retrieved 27 September 2022.

External links

Nigar Award for Best Female Playback Singer
Categories