Naseem Banu moved to England and stayed there for some time with both her son and daughter. When Saira Banu also pursued a career in acting, Naseem Banu, though reluctant, finally gave in. Naseem Banu also played a big hand in getting Saira Banu and Dilip Kumar married.
It was the era of the 30s when, one by one, many actresses were in a race to make their mark in the Hindi film industry. From Devika Rani to Sabita Debi, as actresses were establishing themselves in Bollywood, one woman entered the scene, winning everyone’s hearts with her beauty. Whenever the names of the most beautiful actresses in the Hindi film industry are taken, Meena Kumari or Madhubala of the old era are mentioned. But in the 30s, there was an actress who was so beautiful that people used to call her a beauty queen or a fairy. This actress was none other than Naseem Banu, mother of Saira Banu and mother-in-law of Dilip Kumar.
Born Roshan Ara Begum, Naseem Banu was the daughter of Chamiyan Bai, a famous and well-earning singer and tawaif of those days. Naseem Banu’s mother was keen on seeing her daughter become a doctor; however, fate had other plans. Naseem Banu went on a hunger strike to convince her mother and then left schooling midway to pursue an acting career. Naseem Banu came to Mumbai and signed a contract with Sohrab Modi. She started her career with Khoon Ka Khoon (Hamlet) in 1935. Naseem Banu got a breakthrough in 1939 after she starred in Pukar, in which she played the role of Empress Nur Jahan.
Naseem Banu went on to work in many films, including Main Haari, Jeevan Sapna, Door Chalen, Anokhi Ada, and Sheesh Mahal. Her last film was Chaddian Di Doli, which was released in 1966. According to The Guardian, Naseem Banu was often referred to as the first superstar of Hindi cinema.
Naseem Banu, at the peak of her career, married her childhood friend, an architect, Mian Ehsan-ul-Haq. They had two children, a daughter, Saira Banu, and a son, Late Sultan Ahmed (1939-2016). Naseem Banu’s husband opted to leave India and settle in Pakistan after Partition, but she stayed back in India.
Naseem Banu moved to England and stayed there for some time with both her son and daughter. When Saira Banu also pursued a career in acting, Naseem Banu, though reluctant, finally gave in. Naseem Banu also played a big hand in getting Saira Banu and Dilip Kumar married, despite their 22-year age gap. Naseem Banu died in June 2002 in Mumbai at the age of 85.
Source link
[ad_3]
[ad_4]