[1][2] Amirbai Karnataki was born in Bilgi town, Bijapur district, Karnataka into a middle-class family.
[2][3] Amirbai was a talented singer and actress, who was fluent in Kannada (mother tongue) and Gujarati languages.
"Mahre Te Gaamde Ek Vaar Aavjo" is one of her famous Gujarati songs from the film Ranak Devi (1946), with music composer Avinash Vyas.
Her elder sister, Gauherbai, was an actress and helped Amirbai get a role in the film Vishnu Bhakti in 1934.
Amirbai had to put a fake smile on her face while performing as an actress and even while singing in studios.
Famous Gujarati writer Bhai Ranjan Kumar Pandaya has recounted Amirbai's married life in detail.
He says that Amirbai's elder sister Ahilya Bai, yearning for justice, one late night went to the famous Gujarati lawyer Chelshankar Vyas.
In India, Amirbai got married for the second time to Badri Kaanchwala, the editor of Paras, who was a better husband.