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{{short description|Indian actress (1917–1992)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2025}}
{{Use Indian English|date=October 2025}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Ashalata Biswas
| image = File:AshalataLUX.jpg
| alt =
| caption = Ashalata in an advertisement of [[Lux (soap)|Lux]] (1944)
| birth_name = Mehrunnisa
| birth_date = 1917
| birth_place = [[Kutch]], [[Gujarat]], [[British India]]
| death_date = 1992
| death_place =
| other_names =
| occupation = {{hlist|Actress|producer}}
| years_active =
| known_for =
| spouse = {{marriage|[[Anil Biswas (composer)|Anil Biswas]]|1936|1954|end=separated}}
| children = 4
| relatives = [[Parul Ghosh]] (sister-in-law)<br>[[Pannalal Ghosh]] (brother-in-law)<br/>[[Paromita Vohra]] (granddaughter)
}}

'''Ashalata Biswas''' (born as '''Mehrunnisa'''; 1917–1992) was an Indian film actress and producer who was predominantly active in [[Hindi cinema]] from the 1930s to the mid-1960s. She was one of the first Indian actresses to become brand ambassador of [[Lux (soap)|Lux]].<ref>{{Cite book |last= |first= |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=gxzkDwAAQBAJ&pg=PA13 |title=THE INDIAN LISTENER: Vol. IX. No. 16. (7th AUGUST 1944) |publisher=All India Radio (AIR) |year=1944 |publication-date=7 August 1944 |pages=13 |language=en}}</ref><ref name=":5" />

Ashalata was the first wife of music composer [[Anil Biswas (composer)|Anil Biswas]], with whom she was married for 18 years and had four children.<ref name=":5">{{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=guwKAQAAMAAJ |title=Cinema Vision India |date=1982 |page=54 |publisher=Siddharth Kak |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=Patel |first=Baburao |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=0UIpvn-Zig0C |title=Filmindia |date=1954 |publisher=Filmindia Publications |publication-date=1954 |pages=17 |language=en}}</ref>

== Early life and marriage ==
Ashalata was born as Mehrunnisa in 1917<ref name=":8" /> in [[Kutch district|Kutch]], in a [[Gujarati Muslims|Gujarati Muslim]] family.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Premchand |first=Manek |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ZJCBDwAAQBAJ&pg=RA2-PT12 |title=Yesterday's Melodies Today's Memories |date=2018-12-27 |publisher=Notion Press |isbn=978-1-64429-877-0 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=Sharma 'Tushar' |first=Raghunandan |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=mIKdEAAAQBAJ&pg=PA157 |title=Bhoole-Bisre Film Sangeet Sitare |date=2022-11-23 |publisher=Vāṇī Prakāśana |isbn=978-93-5518-037-7 |pages=157 |language=hi}}</ref><ref name=":3">{{Cite web |last=Salamat |first=Sajid |date=2023-05-17 |title=Remembering Anil Biswas whose songs captivated music lovers |url=https://dailytimes.com.pk/1093924/remembering-anil-biswas-whose-songs-captivated-music-lovers/ |access-date=2025-09-26 |website=Daily Times |language=en-US}}</ref> One of her childhood friends was [[Shobhna Samarth]], who would also go on to become an actress in Hindi films.<ref name=":6" />

In 1936, Ashalata married music composer [[Anil Biswas (composer)|Anil Biswas]] and underwent religious conversion to become a follower of [[Arya Samaj]].<ref name=":6">{{Cite book |last=Sagar |first=Prem |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=TgEoEAAAQBAJ&pg=PT45 |title=Ramanand Sagar Ke Jeevan Ki Akath Kahani: Ramanand Sagar Ke Jeevan Ki Akath Kahani |date=2021-01-01 |publisher=Prabhat Prakashan |isbn=978-93-90378-41-8 |pages=45 |language=hi}}</ref> The couple went on to have four children: Pradeep, Amit, Utpal, and Shikha; and separated in 1954.<ref name=":7">{{Cite book |last=Sagar |first=Prem |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=FiXREAAAQBAJ&pg=PT128 |title=An Epic Life: Ramanand Sagar: From Barsaat to Ramayan |date=2023-05-29 |publisher=Penguin Random House India Private Limited |isbn=978-93-5708-107-8 |pages=128 |language=en}}</ref> In 1961, their son Pradeep, an [[Indian Air Force|IAF]] cadet, died in a plane crash.<ref name=":3" /><ref>{{Cite news |last=Kala |first=Sadhana |title=Morarji Desai: Prime Minister in an air-crash |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/blogs/methink/morarji-desai-prime-minister-in-an-air-crash/? |access-date=2025-10-02 |work=The Times of India |issn=0971-8257}}</ref>

== Career ==
Ashalata began her acting career in mid-1930s, featuring in a string of films including ''Azadi'' (1935), ''Sajiv Murti'' (1935) and ''Insaaf'' (1936). In 1936, she played Shanti Devi in ''[[Manmohan (film)|Manmohan]]'', which was a commercial success.<ref>{{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=cC9VAAAAYAAJ |title=Biblio |date=16 March 1997 |publisher=Asia-Pacific Communication Associates |pages=28 |language=en}}</ref> Ashalata went on to star in the big-budget fantasy drama film ''Jwala'' (1938) as Kuntala,<ref name=":0" /> a character derived from the [[Three Witches|witches]] of ''[[Macbeth]]''. The film proved to be a major flop.<ref name=":1" /> She later had a supporting role in the 1940 musical ''[[Zindagi (1940 film)|Zindagi]]'', which became the highest-grossing Indian film at the time of its release.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://boxofficeindia.com/showProd.php?itemCat=121&catName=MTk0MC0xOTQ5|title=BoxOffice India.com|date=2009-02-05|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090205100637/http://boxofficeindia.com/showProd.php?itemCat=121&catName=MTk0MC0xOTQ5|access-date=26 September 2025|archive-date=5 February 2009|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref name=boxoffice>{{cite web|author=Box Office India |title=Top Earners 1940 |url=http://www.boxofficeindia.com/showProd.php?itemCat=145&catName=MTk0MA== |publisher=boxofficeindia.com |access-date=26 September 2025|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090206110235/http://boxofficeindia.com/showProd.php?itemCat=145&catName=MTk0MA%3D%3D |archive-date= 6 February 2009 |url-status=dead }}</ref> Her other notable roles of this period include ''[[Geeta (1940 film)|Geeta]]'' (1940) as Lata. She starred alongside [[Prithviraj Kapoor]] in ''Deepak'' (1940).<ref name=":4" />

=== ''Variety Productions'' ===
In 1950s, Ashalata shifted from acting to producing, and co-founded a production house, ''Variety Productions,'' along with her husband. Their early releases were ''Mehmaan'' (1950) and ''Bazooband'' (1951); both films underperformed commercially.<ref name=":6" />

In 1951, Ashalata produced ''Badi Bahu'', written by [[Ramanand Sagar]], which won Best Story award at the Mussoorie Film Festival.<ref name=":2" />

== Public image ==
Ashalata was one of the major female film stars of 1930s.<ref name=":5" /> Besides acting, she sang her own songs in some films such as ''Premveer'' (1936),<ref name=":0" /> and also featured multiple times in the singing programs of [[All India Radio]] in late 1930s.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Delhi |first=All India Radio (AIR), New |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=h-PgDwAAQBAJ&pg=PA1456 |title=THE INDIAN LISTENER: Vol. III. No. 20. (7th OCTOBER 1938) |date=1938-10-07 |publisher=All India Radio (AIR), New Delhi |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=Radio, Bombay |first=All India |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=mXHgDwAAQBAJ&pg=PA98 |title=THE INDIAN LISTENER: Vol. II. No. 2. (7th JANUARY 1937) |date=1937-01-07 |publisher=All India Radio, Bombay |language=en}}</ref>

Ashalata often drew attention for her perceived beauty.<ref name=":5" /> She was among the fewest actresses of her time to feature in the much coveted advertisements of [[Lux (soap)|Lux]].<ref name=":8">{{Cite web |title=Ashalata Biswas |url=https://cinemaazi.com/people/ashalata-biswas |access-date=12 October 2025 |website=Cinemaazi |language=en}}</ref>

== Death and legacy ==
Ashalata died of old age in 1992.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Division |first=India Ministry of Information and Broadcasting Research and Reference |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=IefZAAAAMAAJ&q=ashalata+biswas |title=Mass Media in India |date=1994 |publisher=Publications Division, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Government of India |pages=161 |language=en}}</ref>

Her second son Utpal Biswas became a music director, and composed music for films such as ''[[Shahenshah (1988 film)|Shahenshah]]'' (1988) and ''[[Share Bazaar (film)|Share Bazaar]]'' (1997).<ref name=":7" /> Documentary filmmaker [[Paromita Vohra]] is Ashalata's granddaughter through her daughter Shikha Vohra (née Biswas).<ref>{{Cite web |date=2019-12-03 |title=Filmmaker-artist Paromita Vohra's new installation urges to not shy away from pleasures aural and oral |url=https://indianexpress.com/article/lifestyle/art-and-culture/sexual-culture-the-birds-and-the-bees-6147691/ |access-date=2025-08-27 |website=The Indian Express |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=Gahlot |first=Deepa |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=JEqwDAAAQBAJ&pg=PT36 |title=Take-2: 50 Films That Deserve a New Audience |date=2015-10-01 |publisher=Hay House, Inc. |isbn=978-93-84544-85-0 |language=en}}</ref>

== Filmography ==
*''Azadi'' (1935)
*''Sajiv Murti'' (1935)
*''Sati Toral'' (1935)
*''Bulldog'' (1936)
*''Insaaf'' (1936)
*''Mahageet'' (1936)
*''Premveer'' (1936)
*''[[Manmohan (film)|Manmohan]]'' (1936) as Shanti<ref>{{Cite book |last=Śāstrī |first=Śrīdhara |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=TQULAAAAIAAJ |title=Bhāratīya philma udyoga |date=1969 |publisher=Kiśalapa Mañca |pages=70 |language=hi}}</ref>
*''Jwala'' (1938) as Kuntala<ref name=":0">{{Cite book |last=Patel |first=Baburao |url=http://archive.org/details/filmindia19373803unse |title=Jwala review: FilmIndia (1937–38) |date=1937 |publisher=Bombay |others=New York The Museum of Modern Art Library |pages=313 |language=en}}</ref><ref name=":1">{{Cite book |last1=Rajadhyaksha |first1=Ashish |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=SLkABAAAQBAJ&pg=PA276 |title=Encyclopedia of Indian Cinema |last2=Willemen |first2=Paul |date=2014-07-10 |publisher=Routledge |isbn=978-1-135-94318-9 |pages=1938 |language=en}}</ref>
*''[[Aaj Ki Duniya]]'' (1940)
*''Deepak'' (1940) as Bina<ref>{{Cite book |last=Patel |first=Baburao |url=http://archive.org/details/filmindia194107film_1 |title=Filmindia (1941) |date=1941 |publisher=Filmindia Publications, Ltd. |others=New York The Museum of Modern Art Library |pages=30 |language=en}}</ref>
*''[[Desh Bhakta]]'' (1940)
*''[[Geeta (1940 film)|Geeta]]'' (1940) as Lata
*''[[Rangila Jawan]]'' (1940)
*''[[Shamsherbaaz]]'' (1940)
*''Sohag'' (1940) as Kamla<ref name=":4">{{Cite book |last=Patel |first=Baburao |url=https://archive.org/details/filmindia194006unse/page/n687/mode/1up? |title=FilmIndia (1940) |date=1940 |publisher=Bombay |others=New York The Museum of Modern Art Library |pages=29 for ''Deepak'', 441 for ''Sohag'' |language=en}}</ref>
*''[[Zindagi (1940 film)|Zindagi]]'' (1940) as Ratan's friend's mistress (credited as "Asalata")<ref>{{Cite book |last=Patel |first=Bhaichand |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=6yQYcxZ8wmsC&pg=PT2 |title=Bollywood's Top 20: Superstars of Indian Cinema |date=2016-01-15 |publisher=Penguin UK |isbn=978-81-8475-598-5 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=Dutt |first=Sharad |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=SwHibrHtu50C&pg=PA182 |title=Kundan |date=2007 |publisher=Penguin Books India |isbn=978-0-14-310156-7 |pages=182 |language=hi}}</ref>
*''[[Madhusudan (film)|Madhusudan]]'' (1941)
*''[[Sachcha Sapna]]'' (1942)
*''[[Sukhi Jeevan]]'' (1942)
*''Humari Baat'' (1943)<ref>{{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=eUYZAAAAIAAJ |title=Imprint |date=1982 |publisher=Business Press |language=en}}</ref>
*''[[Swarna Bhoomi]]'' (1944)
*''[[Char Aankhen]]'' (1944)
*''Bisvi Sadi'' (1945)
*''[[Shreeman Funtoosh]]'' (1965)
*''Biradari'' (1966)

=== As producer ===
* ''Mehmaan'' (1950)
* ''Bazooband'' (1951)
* ''Badi Bahu'' (1951)<ref name=":2">{{Cite book |last=Sagar |first=Prem |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=FiXREAAAQBAJ&pg=PT152 |title=An Epic Life: Ramanand Sagar: From Barsaat to Ramayan |date=29 May 2023 |publisher=Penguin Random House India Private Limited |isbn=978-93-5708-107-8 |language=en}}</ref>

== References ==

{{reflist}}

== External links ==
* {{IMDb name|2983725}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Biswas, Ashalata}}
[[Category:Indian film actresses]]
[[Category:Actresses in Hindi cinema]]
[[Category:20th-century Indian actresses]]
[[Category:1992 deaths]]
[[Category:Converts to Hinduism from Islam]]
[[Category:Indian former Muslims]]
[[Category:Indian Hindus]]
[[Category:1917 births]]
[[Category:People from Kutch district]]
[[Category:Actresses from Gujarat]]

Ashalata Biswas - Revision history

Republic Bangla at 18:00, 25 February 2026