In the same year, she grabbed the lead role opposite Prithiviraj Kapoor along with Imrozia Begum in National Movietone's Swarg Ki Seedhi (1935) and received huge acclaim for her performance.

[5] She soon moved to Bombay and after working in Mahalakshmi Cinetone Company's Bombshell (1935) and Chirag-e-Husn (1935), she acted in Saroj Movietone's Gaibi Sitara (1935) where she sang all the songs herself.

Some of her films released during this phase were Laila Majnu (1931), Muflis Aashiq (1932), Naqlee Doctor (1933), Bomb Shell and Mirza Sahiban (1935), Kimiagar (1936), Iman Farosh (1937), Madhur Milan (1938) and Sitara (1939).

[2] Some of her films in the 1940s were Musafir (1940), Holi (1940) ("Bhigoi Moree Saree Ray"), Shadi (1941) ("Hari ke Goon Prabhu ke Goon gavun mein" and "Ghir Ghir Aaye Baderia"), Pardesi (1941) ("Pahley Jo Mohabbat Sey Inkaar Kia Hota" and "Mori Ateria Hai Sooni").

[1][2] She achieved immense popularity when she acted opposite the famous singer-actor K. L. Saigal in the Chaturbhuj Doshi directed, Bhukt Surdas (1942), followed by Tansen (1943) and was referred to as the "first of the singing stars".

[2] Her other famous films are: Mumtaz Mahal (1940) ("Jo Hum Pay Guzarti Hai", "Dil Kee Dharkan Bana Liya"), Shahenshah Babar (1944) ("Mohabbat Mein Sara Jahan Jal Raha Hai", "Bulbul Aa Tu Bhi Ga"), Prabhu ka Ghar opposite Trilok Kapoor and Moorti (1945) ("Ambwa Pay Koyal Boley", "Baderia Baras Gayee Uss Paar") with music composition by Bulo C. Rani, Mitti (1947) ("Chhaai Kali Ghata More Balam") in 1947 and Aap Beeti (1948) ("Meri Bintee Suno Bhagwan").

[2] The second film Fankar, produced by Robert Malik, a physics teacher at Saint Paul's English High School, in Karachi suffered the same fate.