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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.[1][2]
Ashalata was the first wife of music composer Anil Biswas, with whom she was married for 18 years and had four children.[2][3]
Early life and marriage
Ashalata was born as Mehrunnisa in 1917[4] in Kutch, in a Gujarati Muslim family.[5][6][7] One of her childhood friends was Shobhna Samarth, who would also go on to become an actress in Hindi films.[8]
In 1936, Ashalata married music composer Anil Biswas and underwent religious conversion to become a follower of Arya Samaj.[8] The couple went on to have four children: Pradeep, Amit, Utpal, and Shikha; and separated in 1954.[9] In 1961, their son Pradeep, an IAF cadet, died in a plane crash.[7][10]
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, which was a commercial success.[11] Ashalata went on to star in the big-budget fantasy drama film Jwala (1938) as Kuntala,[12] a character derived from the witches of Macbeth. The film proved to be a major flop.[13] She later had a supporting role in the 1940 musical Zindagi, which became the highest-grossing Indian film at the time of its release.[14][15] Her other notable roles of this period include Geeta (1940) as Lata. She starred alongside Prithviraj Kapoor in Deepak (1940).[16]
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.[8]
In 1951, Ashalata produced Badi Bahu, written by Ramanand Sagar, which won Best Story award at the Mussoorie Film Festival.[17]
Public image
Ashalata was one of the major female film stars of 1930s.[2] Besides acting, she sang her own songs in some films such as Premveer (1936),[12] and also featured multiple times in the singing programs of All India Radio in late 1930s.[18][19]
Ashalata often drew attention for her perceived beauty.[2] She was among the fewest actresses of her time to feature in the much coveted advertisements of Lux.[4]
Death and legacy
Ashalata died of old age in 1992.[20]
Her second son Utpal Biswas became a music director, and composed music for films such as Shahenshah (1988) and Share Bazaar (1997).[9] Documentary filmmaker Paromita Vohra is Ashalata's granddaughter through her daughter Shikha Vohra (née Biswas).[21][22]
Filmography
- Azadi (1935)
- Sajiv Murti (1935)
- Sati Toral (1935)
- Bulldog (1936)
- Insaaf (1936)
- Mahageet (1936)
- Premveer (1936)
- Manmohan (1936) as Shanti[23]
- Jwala (1938) as Kuntala[12][13]
- Aaj Ki Duniya (1940)
- Deepak (1940) as Bina[24]
- Desh Bhakta (1940)
- Geeta (1940) as Lata
- Rangila Jawan (1940)
- Shamsherbaaz (1940)
- Sohag (1940) as Kamla[16]
- Zindagi (1940) as Ratan's friend's mistress (credited as "Asalata")[25][26]
- Madhusudan (1941)
- Sachcha Sapna (1942)
- Sukhi Jeevan (1942)
- Humari Baat (1943)[27]
- Swarna Bhoomi (1944)
- Char Aankhen (1944)
- Bisvi Sadi (1945)
- Shreeman Funtoosh (1965)
- Biradari (1966)
As producer
- Mehmaan (1950)
- Bazooband (1951)
- Badi Bahu (1951)[17]
References
- ↑ THE INDIAN LISTENER: Vol. IX. No. 16. (7th AUGUST 1944){{#if:|, }. All India Radio (AIR)(1944)
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 Cinema Vision India{{#if:|, {{{last}}}}. Siddharth Kak(1982)
- ↑ Filmindia{{#if:Patel|, Patel}. Filmindia Publications(1954)
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Ashalata Biswas. Cinemaazi. Retrieved 12 October 2025.
- ↑ Yesterday's Melodies Today's Memories{{#if:Premchand|, Premchand}. Notion Press(2018-12-27). ISBN 978-1-64429-877-0
- ↑ Bhoole-Bisre Film Sangeet Sitare{{#if:Sharma 'Tushar'|, Sharma 'Tushar'}. Vāṇī Prakāśana(2022-11-23). ISBN 978-93-5518-037-7
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 Remembering Anil Biswas whose songs captivated music lovers, Salamat, Sajid. Daily Times(2023-05-17). Retrieved 2025-09-26.
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 Ramanand Sagar Ke Jeevan Ki Akath Kahani: Ramanand Sagar Ke Jeevan Ki Akath Kahani{{#if:Sagar|, Sagar}. Prabhat Prakashan(2021-01-01). ISBN 978-93-90378-41-8
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 An Epic Life: Ramanand Sagar: From Barsaat to Ramayan{{#if:Sagar|, Sagar}. Penguin Random House India Private Limited(2023-05-29). ISBN 978-93-5708-107-8
- ↑ Morarji Desai: Prime Minister in an air-crash. The Times of India. Retrieved 2025-10-02.
- ↑ Biblio{{#if:|, {{{last}}}}. Asia-Pacific Communication Associates(16 March 1997)
- ↑ 12.0 12.1 12.2 Jwala review: FilmIndia (1937–38){{#if:Patel|, Patel}. Bombay(1937)
- ↑ 13.0 13.1 Encyclopedia of Indian Cinema{{#if:|, {{{last}}}}. Routledge(2014-07-10). ISBN 978-1-135-94318-9
- ↑ BoxOffice India.com(2009-02-05). Retrieved 26 September 2025.
- ↑ Top Earners 1940. boxofficeindia.com. Retrieved 26 September 2025.
- ↑ 16.0 16.1 FilmIndia (1940){{#if:Patel|, Patel}. Bombay(1940)
- ↑ 17.0 17.1 An Epic Life: Ramanand Sagar: From Barsaat to Ramayan{{#if:Sagar|, Sagar}. Penguin Random House India Private Limited(29 May 2023). ISBN 978-93-5708-107-8
- ↑ THE INDIAN LISTENER: Vol. III. No. 20. (7th OCTOBER 1938){{#if:Delhi|, Delhi}. All India Radio (AIR), New Delhi(1938-10-07)
- ↑ THE INDIAN LISTENER: Vol. II. No. 2. (7th JANUARY 1937){{#if:Radio, Bombay|, Radio, Bombay}. All India Radio, Bombay(1937-01-07)
- ↑ Mass Media in India{{#if:Division|, Division}. Publications Division, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Government of India(1994)
- ↑ Filmmaker-artist Paromita Vohra's new installation urges to not shy away from pleasures aural and oral. The Indian Express(2019-12-03). Retrieved 2025-08-27.
- ↑ Take-2: 50 Films That Deserve a New Audience{{#if:Gahlot|, Gahlot}. Hay House, Inc.(2015-10-01). ISBN 978-93-84544-85-0
- ↑ Bhāratīya philma udyoga{{#if:Śāstrī|, Śāstrī}. Kiśalapa Mañca(1969)
- ↑ Filmindia (1941){{#if:Patel|, Patel}. Filmindia Publications, Ltd.(1941)
- ↑ Bollywood's Top 20: Superstars of Indian Cinema{{#if:Patel|, Patel}. Penguin UK(2016-01-15). ISBN 978-81-8475-598-5
- ↑ Kundan{{#if:Dutt|, Dutt}. Penguin Books India(2007). ISBN 978-0-14-310156-7
- ↑ Imprint{{#if:|, {{{last}}}}. Business Press(1982)