Begum had met Nayyar during her radio stint in Lahore, when he worked as an office boy delivering cakes for the lead singers. In 1954, when Nayyar got a break as a composer, he approached Begum to record songs for "Mangu". Nayyar described her voice as resembling a "temple bell" for its clarity of tone. He worked with her until the late 1960s and gave her many hit songs, including "Ab To Jee Hone Laga" from "Mr. & Mrs. '55", "Main Jaan Gayi Tujhe" from "Howrah Bridge", "Zara Pyar Karle" from "Mangu", "Saiyan Teri Ankhon Mein" from "12' O Clock", "Thodasa Dil Lagana" from "Musafirkhana", and many others.