Obituary: Television stars mourn as Tahira Wasti passes away

Actors remember the life and work of an inspiring professional.

KARACHI: Sunday was yet another black day in the history of Pakistani television. A class act of the late ’60s and a resource of talent and inspiration for the new generation, veteran TV actress Tahira Wasti passed away in Karachi after being hospitalised for almost a week. She was 68.

One of the most celebrated stalwarts of the media industry, Wasti started her career as a voice artist for Radio Pakistan in the early ’60s and later on ventured into television after the formation of PTV.

She was catapulted into the limelight after starring in the play “Jaib Katra”, which was loosely based on a short story by Saadat Hassan Manto. She was unique in her persona and stood out because of her amazing screen presence and mystifying beauty that had caught the eye of the then directors and producers and eventually led to a number of brilliant plays.

Her earlier performances include classics like “Piyaas”, “Jangloos”  and “Daldal” to name a few, and a long play called “Heer Waris Shah”. She had taken a break from acting but later on returned with some timeless serials like “Kashkol” in which she shared screen with the legendary (late) Shafi Mohammad and Talat Hussain.

Wasti wasn’t alone in the field of arts as her husband, the (late) Rizwan Wasti, was also an actor and a news anchor himself and the talent passed on to the next generation with her daughter Laila Wasti also taking up an acting career. Recent times had been hard for Wasti as she lost her husband a year ago and her daughter was also diagnosed with cancer but has recovered to a great extent.

Her friends and colleagues are mourning today, with veteran TV and stage actor Talat Hussain saying, “Her death is a terrible loss to the industry.”

“I knew her from the day she stepped into the media industry via Radio Pakistan, a truly warm hearted person and truly honest to her craft. In the small time that she spent in the industry she achieved what people couldn’t do in ages and I must say she had a lot of acting left in her before she left television,” said Hussain.

“The way she evolved from a model to an actress and then a top class writer should be a source of inspiration to all young artists,“ Kazim Pasha, a pride of performance-winning director, told The Express Tribune.

“Contrary to her image of a proud and snobbish lady on screen, Wasti was very down to earth in real life and a testimony to that is the fact that she was the biggest supporter of new talent and always wanted the young guns to take charge,” said Pasha.

For actor Behroze Sabzwari, Wasti will be remembered for her dynamism and grace. “She played the role of a queen once and since then whenever I think of a queen on screen that character comes to my mind. She left us with too much to cherish,” he added.

Atiqa Odho, who had recently done a project with Wasti, also celebrated her life and work.

“She was an amazing artist with a truly elegant personality. Working with her was a humbling experience and her natural talent and discipline as an actor were lessons for me. We shall miss her dearly,” Odho told The Express Tribune.

Wasti is survived by two sons and a daughter. Her burial was due to take place in Gizri graveyard in Karachi last night.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 12^th, 2012.