Shamim Ara

Shamim Ara (22 March 1938 – 5 August 2016) was a Pakistani film actress, director and producer. She was known as The Tragic Beauty because of the tragic heroine roles she often portrayed in films. She was one of the most popular actresses of her time and was one of the most successful actresses of the 1960s, 1970s, 1980s and 1990s. She is regarded as one of the most influential actresses of all time in Pakistani cinema. Early life She was born Putli Bai in Aligarh, British India in 1938 but later adopted the film name Shamim Ara. Her acting career spans from the late 1950s till the early 1970s. Career In 1956, Putli Bai's family was visiting some relatives in Lahore, Pakistan, when after a chance meeting with the well-known film director, Najam Naqvi, she was signed for his next movie. He was searching for a new face for his film Kanwari Bewah (1956) and was impressed by her cute face, sweet voice, approachable personality and innocent yet inviting smile. It was Najam Naqvi who introduced her under the stage name Shamim Ara, because her previous name was similar to the infamous dacoit Putli Bai. Though the film did not attract many viewers, a noticeable new female star had appeared on the horizon of the Pakistan film industry. She had her first prominent role in 1958 in Anwar Kamal Pasha's Anarkali as a Surayya alongside Noor Jehan who played the titular Anarkali. For the next two years, Ara went on to star in a few films, but none of them were a major success at the box office including Waah Re Zamanay, Raaz and Alam Ara. However, in 1960, a substantial role in S. M. Yusuf's Saheli as an amnesiac bride proved to be a breakthrough for her career. The filming of the song Mujh Se Pehli Si Mohabbat Mere Mehboob Na Maang (a poem written by renowned Pakistani poet Faiz Ahmed Faiz and sung by Madam Noor Jehan) with Rasheed Attre's music in the film Qaidi (1962), had everyone talking about her. Women had begun mimicking her speech, her make-up and her hairstyle. She had become a household name. Her fame and impeccable acting skills landed her the title character in the film Naila (1965), the first color film produced in the then West Pakistan. Her portrayal of the tragic Naila won her further critical acclaim. She went on to star in many hit films including Devdas, Doraha, Hamraz.