Actress Saloni who worked in films from 1964 to 1979 passed away in Karachi on Friday 15 October 2010. She was 60.

Living in Lahore, Saloni had gone to Karachi 10 days ago to visit her daughter where lever failure took her life. Her burial will be held here on Saturday (today). She left behind two daughters.

Saloni was the second wife of Bari Malik and stepmother of Khurram Bari, one of the owners of Bari Studios on Multan Road. After her marriage with Bari Malik, she left the film industry. The couple rather moved to Dubai and returned to Pakistan some five years ago. She starred with prominent heroes like Yousaf Khan, Ijaz and Akmal.
Born in Hyderabad, Sindh, she started her film career in 1964 from Ghaddar, starring against Muhammad Ali and Sudheer. Her last film was Amir tay Gharib in 1979.
She acted both in Punjabi and Urdu films. Chan Makhna, Dil Da Jani, Sajan Piyara and Phany Khan were among her popular films.

Known film director Aslam Dar said Saloni was a talented actress who left the industry in her hey days.
Director Diljit Mirza said Saloni was a versatile actress. He said she was the only heroine who became a part of an experimental film project, Raja Rani, directed by him. The film was made first in Urdu and then in Punjabi on the same set. He said Saloni was very respectful to her directors.

Saloni

Zurain Imam

 When one recount Saloni’s name a couple of times, one is instantly reminded of Salome and her seven veils. Not that Saloni didn’t have her own chance to don tissue and chiffon and do a few twirls of her own.

Saloni entered the Pakistani film industry in nondescript and unmemorable Urdu films, and only became popular in the mid `60s with films like Aadil, Darinda and Ghaddar. Aadil was one of the many early movies she made with Mohammad Ali and it proved to be a mega hit. Saloni had her fifteen minutes (more like six) of dancing fame as she had three songs picturized on her notably Eid Ka Chand Dakhao.

In the mid 60s Saloni was offered Punjabi roles and due to the lack of Urdu films popularity during that time, she accepted many of them, and was instantly wowed by film audiences all over Pakistan.

In these typical Punjabi scenarios, dusky skinned Saloni was paired with film actor Sudhir, and one of the most memorable songs picturized on her was Terey Jae Put Jamman.

Apart from swarthy complexion, another characteristic that was taken full advantage of in the raucous Punjabi cinema of the day, was Saloni’s squeaky and high-pitched voice. In those films one can still see her portraying the typical Punjabi heroine, no doubt screeching loudly, in a swirling black and white harlequin lehnga, with indigenous puffballs attached to it, the dupatta and blouse, lending her almost rural bovine look. Ironically enough however, Saloni’s career sustained itself through the essential requirement of the day: unadulterated sex appeal, something which she exuded effortlessly, if not somewhat crudely.

In the early 70s, she married film studio owner Bari Malik of Bari Studios, Lahore, and retired from films before she was ever asked to play the supporting role of a mother, something that would evince a stereotypical stigmatic stamp.

Saloni's Films