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The listeners were stunned, then filled the hall with tumultuous
applause and excited chatter.
Small wonder: Hardly any child stars
in living memory (with the exception of Noor Jehan) sang as well as she
did then.
Looking into Mukhtar Begum's innocent
eyes, her father was overcome with joy.
Soon Mohammad Ali (Maahia) introduced
his daughter, Mukhtar Begum, to a noted stage drama writer-cum- poet,
Nafees Khaleeli.
Overwhelmed by her determination,
Khaleeli offered her a role in the drama 'Buth shikan'. She
enthusiastically accepted the offer.
Additionally, Nafees Khaleeli changed
the name of Mukhtar Begum to Sabiha Khanum.
Bhiya kay dil par Rani bun kar bhabi
raaj chalaye
Bhabi ka pyara raaj dulara dewar mauj uraye
Yehe dua hai yehe tamanna sada raho khush haal
The following is a fresh look at
Sabiha, and why we still admire her.
Sabiha's superb performance in 'Buth shikan' set the tone for her future
movie career.
Moreover, such focused determination
took her where she wanted to go-to the top.
On Nafees Khaleeli's request, the film
director Masood Pervez offered Sabiha a role in the film 'Beli'.
Hence, as a film actress Sabiha made
her debut in 1948. ('Beli' was also the first film of Masood Pervez as
director. Cast: Santosh, Shaheena, Sabiha).
The film 'Beli' was a harbinger of
better movies ahead.
Next Sabiha played the role of 'Noori'
in director Anwar Kamal Pasha's silver jubilee film 'Do Aansoo',
starring: Santosh, Gulshan Ara, Sabiha.
Sara ghar day jisay salami bhabi wo
perchum hai
Pyar bahan ka maan ki mamta duno ka sangum hai
Is surat ki is seerat ki milti nahi mesaal
'Do Aansoo' takes a realistic approach
to the tragedy both in scenery and characterization.
The film was the crowning achievement
of the then movie-crew.
Sabiha gained immense prominence in
her next movie which was 'Aaghosh' (Director: Murtaza Jilani, stars:
Santosh, Sabiha, Gulshan Ara).
The secret of Sabiha's success in the
Pakistani cinema includes flexibility, rooted in love and understanding.
Next to all of that is the fact that
Sabiha is an embodiment of courage, kindness and decency.
In the annals of Pakistani film
industry, Sabiha stands out. Sabiha dazzled cine-goers in the 1950s.
Next to all of that is her role in the
film 'Ghulam' (released in 1953, director: Anwar Kamal Pasha, stars:
Santosh-Sabiha).
Her motivation was always clear and
resolute. Directors admired her ability to improvise.
She was unquestionably talented and
irrepressibly ambitious.
Her role in the film 'Gum naam' is a
testament to her magnificent artistic caliber. ('Gum naam' director:
Anwar Kamal Pasha, stars: Seema-Sudhir-Sabiha).
Mein is ghar kay sukh ki khatir hans
kay sau dukh jheloon
Is duniya say hansee khushi ki sari daulat lay loon
Tum say tumhari khushiyaan cheenay kis ki hai ye majaal
The film 'Gum naam' is a parable about
a mentally retarded girl, (smartly dubbed by Sabiha) is a pleasure to
watch.
Further, the interesting story of 'Gum
naam' actually carries the film through to the end.
The high profile reputation which
Sabiha achieved in the 1950s and 1960s as an actress has only increased.
Sabiha played the role of 'Nooran' in
the romantic Punjabi film 'Dula Bhatti', directed by M.S. Daar. Sabiha's
character in the film 'Dula Bhatti' is, indeed, an achievement of a life
time.
Sabiha was cast opposite all renowned
actors of her time. However, she will be remembered most for her films
with Santosh Kumar.
Along the way, she found the love of
her life-Santosh Kumar.
Once married, they had a great future
together.
Movie-goers were treated to a
succession of films about popular romance like the film 'Wada'
(Sabiha-Santosh).
The film 'Wada' was followed by
another spate of magnificent movies, which provided countless hours of
pleasure to millions of people:
'Paas baan', 'Sheikh chilli', 'Aas
paas', 'Sassi', 'Sohni', 'Choti Begum', 'Daata', 'Hatim', 'Aaj kal',
'Dil mein tu', 'Ayaz', 'Mehfil', 'Pervaaz', 'Tufaan', and 'Pholay Khan'.
The push to reach the zenith did fire
her imagination since her earlier days.
Her genius in succeeding was largely
one of character-patience, self-discipline, rationality and inner
resolve.
Moreover, her independence of mind and
ability to focus on her work also served her well.
Sabiha's achievement along with
Santosh Kumar in the following films is still a worthy yardstick:
'Saat lakh', 'Darbar', 'Sardar',
'Saltanat', 'Mukhra', 'Muskurahat', 'Rishta', 'Hasrat', 'Ishrat',
'Shikwa', 'Teray baghair', 'Mauseeqar', 'Dulhan', 'Kaneez', 'Dewar
bhabi', 'Shaam Dhalay', 'Shahen Shah Jehangir', 'Pak Daman', 'Anjuman',
'Sarfarosh', 'Inteqaam', 'Qatil', 'Sawaal', 'Commander', and 'Mohabbat'.
Her unparalleled performance in
innumerable movies are classic characterizations which viewers watch
with glee to this day.
Sabiha's role in the film 'Anjuman'
was not only unique for her, but a real life test of integrity, as well.
Confidence in one's own judgment, she
realized early on, is what matters most.
She won the hearts of her fans with
her role in the following films:
Director Hasan Tariq's films 'Tehzeeb'
and 'Ik gunah aur sahi'.
Direcor Zia Sarhadi's film 'Raha guzar'.
Director Zahoor Raja's film 'Deewana'.
Director Jameel Akhtar's film 'Aik Raat'.
Sabiha, the first lady of the
Pakistani silver screen, won the pride of performance award from the
government of Pakistan, and her face was lit by a smile.
Her look is simple-and it is simply
everywhere.
To talk of Sabiha in the twenty first
century is to perceive the style and the substance of a graceful lady
who defined two generations.
She received the encomiums from her
admirers whenever she won the Nigar awards:
Sabiha won the Nigar award for best
actress for the film 'Saat Lakh' in 1957.
Sabiha won the Nigar award for best
actress for the film 'Shikwa' in 1963.
Sabiha won the Nigar award for best
actress for the film 'Dewar bhabi' in 1967.
Sabiha won the Nigar award for best
actress for the film 'Aik gunah aur sahi' in 1975.
Sabiha won the special Nigar award for
her thirty years of acting career in 1981.
Sabiha won the Nigar award for best
supporting actress in director Hasan Tariq's film 'Sungdil' in 1982.
Sabiha's four decades of meritorious
work in the Pakistani cinema brought her numerous laurels from virtually
everywhere.
Her bright smile speaks for her in
many ways.
Sabiha also appeared in drama serials
from Karachi and Lahore television stations.
She depicts the wit and homespun
wisdom of ordinary Pakistanis.
Her brand of patriotism and her
down-home style had wide appeal.
The following two national songs
recorded in Sabiha's voice, sparked patriotism, renewed inspiration and
symbolized in today's terms the Pakistani dream of human achievement
-and the unrelenting march toward betterment:
Sohni dharti Allah rakhay qadam qadam
Aabad tujhay.
Jug jug jeeye mera pyara watan lub pay
dua hai dil mein lagun.
In Anwar Maqsood's stage show, 'Silver
Jubilee', she rendered the following song from the film 'Mauseeqar':
'Yaad karoon tujhay sham saweray'.
As the final lyrics faded away that
evening, the audience stood, applauding insistently.
Ironically, most of the people from
the 'nostalgic era' are now dead.
But Sabiha's past performances in the
films speaks volumes nonetheless.
Sabiha who have been in the public eye
for four decades retired and lives with her eldest daughter in U.S.A.
Additionally, Sabiha's son and
youngest daughter have also settled in the U.S.A.
In Sabiha Khanum the
movie-goers have fueled a legend that is unlikely to die as long as the
Pakistani public watch her movies.
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