Saira Banu was 16 years old in 1960, the year she made her debut to Hindi films. She said in a programme that she had basic talent and little dancing experience. Her peers all were classically trained, which was why she wasn't put in the top league. Saira started taking Kathak and Bharata Natyam lessons with success, and trained herself professionally. Soon she became a Dancer, and her films flaunted more of her dance. Banu made her acting debut opposite Shammi Kapoor in the 1961 film Junglee, for which she earned her first Filmfare nomination as Best Actress. The famous song from this movie "Yaahoo!! Chahe Koi Mujhe Junglee Kahe" sung by Mohammed Rafi was a big success. Junglee was written by Aghajani Kashmeri (aka Kashmiri and Agha Jani), who also coached her in Urdu dialogue delivery, given his background in Urdu literature and poetry from Lucknow. Junglee also instantly made her a successful Actress throughout the 1960s and early 1970s. Her image was that of a romantic heroine for love stories in the 1960s, till 1967. She did one more film opposite Shammi Kapoor, named Bluff Master, directed by Manmohan Desai. Some of her successful romantic films include Jhuk Gaya Aasman and Aayi Milan Ki Bela, with Rajendra Kumar, and April Fool, with Biswajeet, and five films with actor Joy Mukherjee - Aao Pyaar Karen, Saaz Aur Awaaz, Door Ki Awaz, Yeh Zindagi Kitni Haseen Hai and Shagird. She did a double role in the film Yeh Zindagi Kitni Haseen Hai. After her marriage in 1966, her first film to release was Aman, opposite Rajendra Kumar, and she continued to act as the lead heroine till 1977. But it is said that the turning point of her career was the comedy and love story Padosan, in 1968, opposite Sunil Dutt, which brought her to the top league of the successful actresses, and she started receiving more offers.