Iconic film artist, director and producer Shamim Ara (شمیم آراء) has passed away in London today after a prolonged illness. She was in coma for past several years.
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Shamim Ara was the leading face of the Pakistani Urdu cinema in 1960s when most of her successful films as heroine were released. Her successful heroes were Darpan, Santosh Kumar, Waheed Murad and Aijaz.
Born in Aligarh, United Province, British India in 1938 her actual name was Putli Bai. She migrated to Pakistan after 1947 after British India is partitioned. Here she started her film career from the film Kanwari Bewah (1956). She rose to prominence in 1960s when many of her successful films like Saheli(1960), Qaidi (1962), Chingari (1964), Farangi (1964), Naila (1965), Aag Ka Darya (1966), Doraha (1967),Lakhon Mein Eik (1967), Saiqa (1968) and Salgirah (1968) were released.
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She was the heroine of the first colored film of West Pakistan Naila in 1965 which proved quite successful.
In the late 1960s she became a film producer by producing Saiqa in 1968 which proved successful. In 1970s she also ventured in the film direction by directing Jeeo aur Jeene Do in 1976. She became a prominent director of Urdu cinema and continued film direction through out 1980s and 1990s. Her famous films as a director are Playboy (1978), Miss Hong Kong (1979), Miss Singapore, Miss Columbo, Lady Smuggler (1987), Lady Commando (1989), Hathi Mere Sathi (1993) and Munda Bidga Jaaye (1995). Kaun Banega Ka Crorepati in 2002 was her last movie as a director.
