Tribute paid to Noorjehan, Sibtain Fazli

Lok Virsa screens 1952 classic ‘Dupatta’

ISLAMABAD: Along with a successful singing career, Noorjehan also had a successful acting career. The Lok Virsa Mandwa Film Club paid tribute to the legendary singer and to film director Sibtain Fazli by screening their 1952 classic ‘Dupatta’ on Saturday.

Fazli and Noorjehan began their film careers in British India. There, Fazli had made a name for himself with classics such as ‘Shama’, ‘Ismat’ and ‘Mehndi’.  While he migrated to Pakistan in 1947, it took him five years before releasing another film. ‘Dupatta’, in 1952, was thus his debut film in a new country.

A new country also allowed Fazli to veer away from being typecasted for making family films. His career in Pakistan thus saw films such as ‘Anka Ka Nasha’ and ‘Do Taswereen.’

Noorjehan had already made her mark as an actor and singer before partition, ruling hearts in Lahore, Kolkata and Mumbai.

After she migrated to Pakistan from Mumbai in 1947, she resumed where she had left off, starring in 13 films. However, she gave up acting in favour of playback singing after 1961 hit Ghalib. Her last film as a playback singer was Sakhi Data and passed away in December 2000.

‘Dupatta’, Produced by Aslam Lodhi and Subtain Fazli with the musical score by Feroz Nizami, was a musical and saw the first screen collaboration between Fazli and Noorjehan.

The cast included Noorjehan (as a singer and a leading lady), Ajay Kumar, Sudhir, Ghulam Mohammad, Azad, Nafees Begum and Yasmin (also known then as Zareena). Hakeem Ahmad Shujah is credited for the script. APP 

Published in The Express Tribune, January 7^th, 2018.