The "Lara Lappa" girl

This song was played often on TV when I was growing up in India. It's from the comedy movie "Ek Thi Ladki" (released in 1949), but who really was that girl ? The tune is catchy, Lata's voice is very sweet, the lyrics are funny and the actress is cute enough to make you ignore the outdated and forced acting style. But what happened to that beautiful face ? I could never gather much information about the actress herself.

Till man invented internet, of course. I found all the information I was looking for, at UpperStall.

From being the heart throb of India (being known as the 'Lara Lappa girl' at her peak) to begging at a film function in the 1980s in Pakistan for money to marry off her sister's daughters, Meena Shorey's is the classic riches-to-rags story one often finds in the filmline, the world over.

...

Much more information at the link. Looks like a nice site.