Meena Shorey

She started her acting career playing a character role, as Ambhi, Raja of Taxila's sister in Sohrab Modi's Sikandar (1941).

The "foot-tapping" music composed by Vinod became a "huge hit", with Meena becoming an "icon" for the "new liberated" young women.

Meena was born Khurshid Jehan, on 17 November 1921, in Raiwind, Punjab, British India, the second of four children.

She then went on to act as the second lead in three more films under Modi's Minerva Movietone banner, Phir Milenge (1942), Prithvi Vallabh (1943) and Pattharon Ka Saudagar.

[7] Roop K. Shorey, who was based in Lahore, migrated to Bombay and wanted to sign Meena for his film, Shalimar (1946).

However Meena had signed a contract with Sohrab Modi, which prevented her from working not only in Shalimar, but also in Mehboob Khan's Humayun (1945).

On a visit to Lahore, she was signed by producer Dalsukh Pancholi, for two films Shehar Se Door (1946) and Arsi (1947).

[6] In 1948, Chaman (Garden) in Punjabi, was directed by Roop K. Shorey, who having suffered a loss of the family business in Lahore had moved to Bombay following the partition.

[8] One of the famous songs from the film was "Chan Kithan Guzari Aai Raat Way" sung by Pushpa Hans and chorus.

[9] In 1949, came Ek Thi Larki, produced and directed by Roop K. Shorey, with story written by I. S. Johar.

[11] She acted in Ek Teri Nishani in 1949 opposite Trilok Kapoor and the film also starred I. S. Johar, Cuckoo and Om Prakash.

Miss 1956 (1956) was a plagiarised version of Guru Dutt's Mr. & Mrs. '55 (1955) and starred Meena Shorey, Santosh Kumar, Shamim Ara, and Noor Mohammed Charlie.

Directed by Anwar Kamal Pasha, the film starred Sabiha Khanum and Santosh Kumar and had music by Rasheed Attre.

Ek Thi Ladki ad in Filmindia August 1949