Surendra

Biography

Surendra (11 November 1910 – 11 September 1987; Surendra Nath) was an Indian singer-actor of Hindi films. Known by his mononym, Surendra was born and educated in Punjab to be a lawyer by profession. 

He came to Bombay to become a singer on the recommendation of a Delhi distributor and his friends. He was "picked" by Mehboob Khan whom he met at Sagar Movietone, to sing and act in films as an alternative to the then Calcutta-based singer-actor, K. L. Saigal. Surendra started his career with his debut starring role in Deccan Queen (1936), directed by Mehboob Khan. He soon became a part of Sagar Movietone when his song "Birha Ki Aag Lagi More Man Mein" from the film became an "instant hit".

Surendra was born on 11 November 1910, in Batala, Gurdaspur District, Punjab British India. His father's name was Ralia Ram Sharma. While in school, Surendranath, as he was then called, took part in concerts and earned the "reputation" of a singer. Surendra completed his education in 1935, from the Punjab University, in Ambala, which was at that time a part of Punjab. He got his B.A., LL.B degree and started preparing to work as a lawyer in Punjab. 

He was "spotted" by the then-leading distributor from Delhi, Lala Alopi Prashad who encouraged the young Surendra to join films. At the instigation of his friends who wanted him to try his luck in films as a singer, he left Punjab and came to Bombay, where he met Mehboob Khan.

Surendra's parents were against the idea of his joining films, but on being persuaded they agreed, stipulating that Surendra's name in the credit roll of the films should appear as "Surendra Nath B.A., LL.B", a condition agreed to by Mehboob Khan.