Veteran actress Amrita Singh, mother of Bollywood star Sara Ali Khan, turned 68 on February 9. Born in 1958 in New Delhi to Rukhsana Sultana and Shavinder Singh, Amrita Singh ruled Hindi cinema through the 1980s and 1990s with a series of successful films and memorable performances. While her career includes several notable hits, her very first film itself proved to be a major box-office success.

Amrita Singh shared screen space with some of the biggest stars of her era, including Amitabh Bachchan, Sanjay Dutt, Anil Kapoor, Vinod Khanna, Jeetendra, Rishi Kapoor and Salman Khan. However, the first actor she worked with was Sunny Deol, and notably, both made their acting debuts together.

Debut at 25 with Betaab

Amrita Singh entered Hindi cinema as a leading actress in 1983 at the age of 25. Her debut film, Betaab, was released on August 5, 1983, and featured Sunny Deol in the lead role. Directed by Rahul Rawail, the romantic drama struck a chord with audiences and quickly gained popularity, establishing both newcomers as promising stars.

Four Times Return at the Box Office

Made on a budget of approximately ₹3 crore, Betaab went on to collect around ₹13.5 crore at the box office—earning more than four times its production cost. The film emerged as one of the major commercial successes of its time and played a crucial role in launching Amrita Singh’s career in Bollywood.

Personal Life

Over the years, Amrita Singh’s personal life has also attracted public attention. She was reportedly linked to Sunny Deol during the filming of Betaab and later had relationships with Vinod Khanna and former cricketer Ravi Shastri, to whom she was once engaged. In 1991, she married actor Saif Ali Khan, who is 12 years younger than her. The couple divorced in 2004.

Today, Amrita Singh lives with her children, actors Sara Ali Khan and Ibrahim Ali Khan, remaining a respected and influential figure in Hindi cinema despite staying largely away from the limelight.