Mala (Pakistani singer)
Encyclopedia
Naseem Nazli popularly called Mala was a Pakistan
i playback singer of Urdu and Punjabi
films. In 1960s, Mala had a hit pair with famous playback singer
Ahmed Rushdi
and they gave numorous hits to Pakistan film industry. She sung many super hit songs in almost two decades singing career in the 60s/70s. Mala's career suffered with the arrival of Runa Laila
in the film industry.
, Punjab
, Pakistan
. She was the younger sister of music composer Shamim Nazli. Naseem was interested in singing and music from a young age. Fortunately, her elder sister happened to be her first music teacher and Naseem learnt the essentials of music from her. On Shamim Nazli's request, music composer, Baba Ghulam Ahmed Chishti
recorded two songs for the Punjabi
film Aabroo (1961) in Naseem's voice. However, the film flopped and didn't attain success. Despite the fact that her elder sister got her a break in films, it was Anwar Kamal Pasha who persuaded Naseem to try her luck in the Pakistani film industry. Her first major break 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). The music was composed by Master Abdullah
and the film went on to become a memorable film. In 1963, Mala rendered her voice to a tragic Urdu composition, Dil daeta hai for the film Ishq pe zor nahin (1963). The music was composed by Inayat Hussain Bhatti
and the song was picturised on Yasmin
.
Additionally, Mala's greatest accomplishment was Akele na jana. Mala teamed up with Sohail Rana
. In 1962, Mala won the Nigar Award
best singer for the film Ishq pe zor nahi. In 1965, she won the Nigar Award
for best singer for the film Naila. The last days of Mala were fraught with loneliness and misery. She could not come to grips with the harsh realities of life. Over and above, she found herself in the midst of deep financial crisis. Mala died on March 6, 1990.
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
i playback singer of Urdu and Punjabi
Punjabi language
Punjabi is an Indo-Aryan language spoken by inhabitants of the historical Punjab region . For Sikhs, the Punjabi language stands as the official language in which all ceremonies take place. In Pakistan, Punjabi is the most widely spoken language...
films. In 1960s, Mala had a hit pair with famous playback singer
Playback singer
A playback singer is a singer whose singing is prerecorded for use in movies. Playback singers record songs for soundtracks, and actors or actresses lip-sync the songs for cameras, while the actual singer does not appear on screen.-South Asia:...
Ahmed Rushdi
Ahmed Rushdi
Ahmed Rushdi, SI, PP was a versatile Pakistani playback singer who worked in film music and was "an important contributor to the Golden Age of Pakistani film music." Rushdi is acclaimed as one of the greatest singers ever lived in south asia and was a natural baritone, yet could sing high tenor...
and they gave numorous hits to Pakistan film industry. She sung many super hit songs in almost two decades singing career in the 60s/70s. Mala's career suffered with the arrival of Runa Laila
Runa Laila
Runa Laila is a singer of the Indian subcontinent who is from Bangladesh. She started her career from Pakistan film industry and is effective in Ghazals also. She made a hit pair with famous singer Ahmed Rushdi after replacing Mala. She also has done numerous playbacks for movies in Bangladesh,...
in the film industry.
Career
Mala's given name was Naseem Nazli. She was born in FaisalabadFaisalabad
Faisalabad , formerly known as Lyallpur, is the third largest metropolis in Pakistan, the second largest in the province of Punjab after Lahore, and a major industrial center in the heart of Pakistan. Before the foundation of the city in 1880, the area was very thinly populated. The population has...
, Punjab
Punjab (Pakistan)
Punjab is the most populous province of Pakistan, with approximately 45% of the country's total population. Forming most of the Punjab region, the province is bordered by Kashmir to the north-east, the Indian states of Punjab and Rajasthan to the east, the Pakistani province of Sindh to the...
, Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
. She was the younger sister of music composer Shamim Nazli. Naseem was interested in singing and music from a young age. Fortunately, her elder sister happened to be her first music teacher and Naseem learnt the essentials of music from her. On Shamim Nazli's request, music composer, Baba Ghulam Ahmed Chishti
Ghulam Ahmed Chishti
Ghulam Ahmed Chishti was a Pakistani music composer, attributed as being one of the founders of Pakistani film music. He is also sometimes referred to as Baba Chishti....
recorded two songs for the Punjabi
Punjabi language
Punjabi is an Indo-Aryan language spoken by inhabitants of the historical Punjab region . For Sikhs, the Punjabi language stands as the official language in which all ceremonies take place. In Pakistan, Punjabi is the most widely spoken language...
film Aabroo (1961) in Naseem's voice. However, the film flopped and didn't attain success. Despite the fact that her elder sister got her a break in films, it was Anwar Kamal Pasha who persuaded Naseem to try her luck in the Pakistani film industry. Her first major break 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). The music was composed by Master Abdullah
Abdullah
-Places:*Abdullah Gan, mountainous region of Afghanistan*Abdullah Hukum LRT station, elevated rapid transit station in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia*Kampung Haji Abdullah Hukum, was an urban village located in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia...
and the film went on to become a memorable film. In 1963, Mala rendered her voice to a tragic Urdu composition, Dil daeta hai for the film Ishq pe zor nahin (1963). The music was composed by Inayat Hussain Bhatti
Inayat Hussain Bhatti
Inayat Hussain Bhatti was a Pakistani singer, actor, producer, director, script writer, social worker, columnist, religious scholar and a protagonist of the development of Punjabi language and literature.- History :...
and the song was picturised on Yasmin
Yasmin
-Etymology:Yasmin is the name in Persian for a flowering plant, and from which the name Jasmine derives.The pronunciation of Yasmin is often parallel with the English Jasmine, but in Arabic, Persian and Turkish, the "s" is not taken as a "z", and so is often pronounced as .-Yasemin:* Yasemin...
.
Additionally, Mala's greatest accomplishment was Akele na jana. Mala teamed up with Sohail Rana
Sohail Rana
Sohail Rana is a Pakistani music composer for films. He was introduced by actor Waheed Murad in Pakistan film industry and gained popularity when singer Ahmed Rushdi sang his compositions in such films like Arman and Doraha. He is now based in Canada.-Early Life and career:Sohail Rana was born in...
. In 1962, Mala won the Nigar Award
Nigar Awards
The Nigar Awards, the official awards of Pakistani film industry, are the oldest awards to honour the show business personalities of Pakistan. The awards were first introduced in 1958 by Ilyas Rasheedi, the editor of weekly Nigar magazine, with a purpose to recognize the achievements of those who...
best singer for the film Ishq pe zor nahi. In 1965, she won the Nigar Award
Nigar Awards
The Nigar Awards, the official awards of Pakistani film industry, are the oldest awards to honour the show business personalities of Pakistan. The awards were first introduced in 1958 by Ilyas Rasheedi, the editor of weekly Nigar magazine, with a purpose to recognize the achievements of those who...
for best singer for the film Naila. The last days of Mala were fraught with loneliness and misery. She could not come to grips with the harsh realities of life. Over and above, she found herself in the midst of deep financial crisis. Mala died on March 6, 1990.