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This is about the Indian performer. For people so surnamed, see Khurshid.

Khursheed Bano (Punjabi, Urdu: خورشید بانو) (April 14, 1914 - April 18, 2001) was an Pakistani singer & actress, and a pioneer of the Indian cinema. Her career ran through the 1930s and 1940s.

[edit] Early life

She was born Irshad Begum in the village of Choonian, in Kasur District, Lahore (in British India, now Pakistan).

[edit] Career

Khursheed Bano started her film career as Shehla in the silent film Eye For An Eye (1931) the year when the first talkie film (Alamara) of the sub-continent was released. Some of the films that were released during these phase were Laila Majnu, and Shakuntla in 1931, Chatra Bakavli, Hatili Dulhan, Muflis Aashiq, Radheshyam in 1932, Naklee Doctor in 1933, Suarag ki Serhi, Bomb Shell, Chiragh-e-Husn, and Mirza Sahiban in 1935, Ailan-e-Jang, Kimiagar in 1936, Iman Farosh in 1937, Madhur Milan in 1938, Murad, Kaun kisi ka and Sitara in 1939.

But most of her films that were released between 1931 and 1942, a period during which she went unnoticed. Khursheed acted in a number of films for Ranjit Movietone and her leading men included K. L. Saigal, Motilal, Jairag, and Isharilal.

Some of her films in 40s were Musafir and Holi (“Bhigoi Moree Saree Ray”), in 1940, Pardesi ("Pahley Jo Mohabbat Sey Inkaar Kia Hota","Mori Ateria Hai Sooni"), Beti, and Shaadi (“Ghir Ghir Aaye Baderia”), in 1942, Bhakta Surdas (Her famous song “Panchee Bawra” whose composer was Gyan Dutt became a very famous song of the forty’s. The other famous and popular songs from the same film are “Madhur Madhur Ga Ray Manwa”, “Jholee Bhar Taray Laday Ray”, and a duet “Chandni Raat Aur Taray Khilay Hon” with K. L. Saigal.), Chandni and Patola (in Punjabi) in 1941, Tansen and Nurse (“Koyalia Kahay Bolay Ree”) in 1943. Tansen (1943), with music composed by Khem Chandra Prakash, was a high point in her acting career. She became known both as an actress and a singer. Her famous songs (with her name as Tani as heroine in this film) included such popular songs as “Barso Re”, “Ghata Ghan Ghor Ghor”, “Dukhia Jiara”, “Ab Raja Bhae Moray Balam”, and a duet, “Moray Bala Pun Kay Sathee Chela” with K. L. Saigal.

Her other famous films are, Mumtaz Mahal (“Jo Hum Pay Guzarti Hai”, “Dil Kee Dharkan Bana Liya”), Shahenshah Babar (“Mohabbat Mein Sara Jahan Jal Raha Hai”,”Bulbul Aa Tu Bhi Ga”) in 1944, Prabhu ka Ghar and Moorti (“Ambwa Pay Koyal Boley”, “Baderia baras gayee uss paar”) with music composition by Bilo. C. Rani in 1945, Aagey Barho and Mitti ("Chahi Kali Ghata More Balam") in 1947, Aap Beetee (“Meree Bintee Suno Bhagwan”) in 1948.

[edit] Migration to Pakistan

Her last film in India was Papeeha Re (1948), which was a great hit, prior to her migration to Pakistan, leaving her mark in the Indian film industry. Khursheed migrated to Pakistan after the Partition of India, with her husband where she settled down in Karachi, Sind, Pakistan.

She worked in two films in 1956, Fankar and Mandi. Mandi attracted some attention because of Khursheed, but because of technical shortcomings including poor direction, neither Khursheed as singer nor Rafiq Ghaznavi's musical score were able to produce the hoped-for ticket sales. Fankar was produced by Robert Malik, a teacher at a Christian missionary high school. The film also lagged in commercial success.

[edit] Personal life

Khursheed married her manager Lala Yakub, who was an occasional actor and member of the Bhati Gate Group, Lahore. Due to personal problems, she divorced Yakub. She remarried in 1956 to Yusuf Bhaimia, an admirer of her work, entrepreneur in the shipping business, and eventually a philanthropist.

[edit] Death

Khursheed died on April 18, 2001 in Karachi, four days after her 87th birthday.

[edit] Trivia

She was among the two singing actresses of Indian cinema who have shared stellar honors with the renowned singer K. L. Saigal. Suraiya, another popular singer/actress of the forty’s and fifty’s.

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