Swaran Lata (20 December 1924 – 8 February 2008) was a super star of 40’s cinema, She was known for her movies Shara (1943), Rattan (1944), Laila Majnu (1945), and Heer (1955).
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Willum Skeener
Swaran Lata was born on December 20, 1924, in Rawalpindi, British India, which is now in Pakistan, into a Sikh family. She completed her Senior Cambridge diploma in Delhi and later enrolled at the Academy of Music and Arts in Lucknow.
After losing her parents at a young age, Swaran Lata spent much of her adolescence under the strict care of her elder brother. The turning point in her life came when she was a student at a college in Lucknow.
During a journey from Delhi to Lucknow, she caught the attention of some film directors who approached her for acting opportunities. After her refusal, one of the directors took the proposal to her elder brother, who surprisingly agreed. This unexpected agreement marked the beginning of Swaran’s journey into the world of cinema.
She started her career with 1942 film Awaaz, followed by films like Tasveer (1943), Raunaq (1944) opposite Motilal and Ishara (1943) with Prithviraj Kapoor.
She becomes an overnight sensation with A.R. Kardar’s Rattan (1944), which has music by Great Naushad Saab and lyrics given by D.N. Madhok, Songs like “Akkhiyan Mila Ke Jiya Bharma Ke, Chale Nahin Jana” by Zohrabai Ambalawali, “Milke Bichhad Gayii Akkhiyan” by Amirbai Karnataki and the duet “O Janewale Balamwa” by Amirbai Karnataki and Shyam Kumar are still hummed fondly.
Swarnalata played leading lady to Dilip Kumar in his second film, Pratima (1945), made at Bombay Talkies. The same year, she was cast opposite Nazir in Preet and Laila Majnu. The two fell in love and got married. After her last film, Ghar Baar (1948), in India, Nazir and Swarnalata migrated to Pakistan.
They go on to make films in Pakistan and star opposite his husband Nazir in Sachai (1949) and Pheray (1949). Some of her other successful films were Anokhi Dastan (1950), Bheegi Palken (1952), and Shehri Babu (1953).
Heer (1955), with Inayat Hussain Bhatti, was undoubtedly Swarnalata’s best known and most popular film in Pakistan. She had another big box office hit with Nauker (1955), a remake of the Indian film, Aulad (1954).
She was called “ragedy Queen of Pakistan” for her emotional, tragic roles, She was known for her screen presence and moving dialogue delivery.
Post Heer, Swarnalata did Sauteli Maa (1956), Sabira (1956), Noor-e-Islam (1957), Shama (1959), and Billoji (1962), but they did not have a major impact at the box office.
Swarnalata’s last roles saw her in supporting roles in Sawaal (1966) & Duniya Na Mane (1971), after which she retired gracefully from the silver screen.
Swaran Lata died at the age of 83 in Lahore, Pakistan, on February 8, 2008. Her grandson Nauman Ijaz is one of the leading actor in Pakistan, Her granddaughter Fariha Rashed, is a Pakistani entrepreneur, CEO of Ink Magazine and Pitch Media Inc.
