She commenced her career as a child artist. Achala Sachdev was born on 3rd May, 1920 in Peshawar, Pakistan. In her further career, mostly she was seen playing mother or grandmother's roles. She was best remembered for 1965 release 'Waqt', in which she was seen as Balraj Sahni's wife and talking about the recent one, was 1995 release 'Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge', in which she was seen as Kajol's grandmother.
Prior to Indian partition, Achala Sachdev worked for All India Radio, Lahore and also at Delhi All India Radio. Achala stepped in the filmy world with 1938 release 'Fashionable Wife'. In her career span, she featured in more than 130 movies, including some films under the banner of Yash Raj Films. Achala featured in the very famous song "Ae Meri Zohra Jabeen" from the film 'Waqt'. The actress got married to businessman Clifford Douglas Peters and settled in Pune. She has a son named Jyotin and one grandson. Though it is a task to mention all of her films, some of them include 'Sabse Bada Rupaiya', 'Char Dil Char Rahen', 'Adalat' (1958), 'Chhote Nawab', 'Hum Panchi Ek Daal Ke', 'Dil Ek Mandir', 'Jhoola', 'Shagun', 'Sangam' (1964), 'Chitralekha' (1964), 'Sapno Ka Saudagar', 'Mere Hamdam Mere Dost', 'Kanyadaan', 'Haqeeqat', 'Shagird' (1967), 'Prem Pujari', 'Hare Rama Hare Krishna', 'Geeta Mera Naam', 'Mera Naam Joker', 'Julie' (1975), 'Laila Majnu' (1976), 'Mangal Dada', 'Chailla Babu', 'Chandi Sona', 'Amaanat', 'Dil Kya Kare', 'Chandni', 'Dahek', 'Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham', etc.
Achala Sachdev had a fracture in her leg after she slipped and fell down in her kitchen in September 2011. Post this, she was diagnosed with multiple emboli in her brain, which gave rise to total paralysis and unfortunately, she lost her vision. She resided with her son Jyotin, who is in US and breathed her last on 30th April, 2012 in Pune.