Suraiya: The 1940s Actress Who Earned More Than Dilip Kumar and Dev Anand—and Why She Never Married.
Suraiya: The Trailblazer Who Out-Earned Her Co-Stars, But Paid a Price for Love. The Tragic Saga of the Superstar Who Chose a Lifetime of Solitude Over Forbidden Love. The Highest-Paid Actress in an All-Male Industry: In the Golden Era of Indian cinema, when male actors like Dilip Kumar and Ashok Kumar commanded the highest prices, actress-singer Suraiya Jamal Sheikh shattered the industry's pay norms. Known for her soulful voice and graceful screen presence, Suraiya became the first Indian actress to outearn her male co-stars, demanding an unprecedented fee of ₹1 to ₹2 lakh per film in the late 1940s and early 1950s. However, despite reaching unparalleled professional heights, her personal life was marred by a heartbreak that left her permanently single, a tragic contrast to her towering stardom. The Queen of Stardom and Melody Born in 1929, Suraiya’s journey was that of a natural talent. Starting as a child artist and singer on All India Radio, her voice was her first tic...