SHAKILA HINDI ACTRESS BORN 1935 JANUARY 1

SHAKILA HINDI ACTRESS 

BORN 1935 JANUARY 1

Born Badshah Begum on January 1, 1935, Shakila had two younger sisters, Noor and Nasreen, who were also actors. She was introduced to the movies by filmmaker Abdul Rashid Kardar, who offered her a role in Dastaan (1950). She shot to fame with Guru Dutt's Aar Paar, in which she played the other woman in Dutt's life. Shakila starred in CID, a role overshadowed by Waheeda Rehman. She quit cinema after acting in close to 50 films.


Having begun her career in small roles in the early 1950s, Shakila was first noticed when she played the grey-shaded second lead to heroine Shyama in Aar Paar (1954), which Guru Dutt produced, directed and acted in.

Her seductive performances in the ever-popular club number Babuji Dheere Chalna and the fabulous torch song Hoon Abhi Main Jawaan (two O P Nayyar beauties sung by Geeta Dutt) made filmmakers sit up and notice this new talent.
Along with a flourishing career in fantasy films such as Alibaba Aur 40 Chor (opposite Mahipal) and Haatim Tai (opposite Jairaj), Shakila was also romantically paired opposite matinee idols like Raj Kapoor in Shriman Satyavadi and Dev Anand in CID; and was serenaded by 1960s sensation Shammi Kapoor with Baar Baar Dekho in China Town.

She worked consistently for a decade before giving up her career for marriage.

She is perhaps best remembered for the many lustrous songs picturised on her including Aankhon Hi Aankhon Mein Ishara Ho Gaya, Neend Na Mujhko Aaye, Zulfon Ki Ghata Lekar, Sau Baar Janam Lenge, Laagi Chhute Na Ab Toh Sanam and the burnished Lata Mangeshkar beauty Aye Mere Dil e Nadaan Tu Gham Se Na Ghabrana.

Shakila's younger sister Noor was married to the famous comedian, Johnny Walker.

Johnny's son Nasirr Khan, an actor in his own right, recalls, "My aunt featured in Aar Paar along with my father. Her younger sister Noor was paired opposite my father in the same film and they fell in love and subsequently got married."

"My aunt was a very lively, lovely, social person. She lived life to the fullest. She was a people's person. She always had a nice comment to make about my shows on TV. My father, like me, was extremely fond of Shakila aunty."
Her contemporary from the 1950s, actress Jabeen says, "I was watching Kaun Banega Crorepati on TV when I got a call from Waheeda (Rehman). She told me, 'I have some sad news. Shakila had passed away'."

"Waheeda, Shakila, Nanda and I were a group of four close friends. We would meet at least once in 10 days before I left for America. Shakila had worked with each of us at some point of time in her career -- with Waheeda in CID, with Nanda in Agra Road and with me in Hathkadi."

"Shakila had heard about me before we met because I had befriended her sister Noor when we worked together in Lutera."

Describing Shakila as a large-hearted, philanthropic woman, Jabeen recalls, "When I came down from America, I was living as a paying guest. But Shakila insisted I stay with her and extended me a warm welcome for two months."

"Recently, when I was hospitalised after a surgery, she came on a wheelchair to visit me despite her respiratory problems. It's a gesture I will remember forever."

"She was a truly wonderful soul who will be remembered for her good deeds and friendly disposition."

Shakila, yesteryear’s top heroine who featured in such cult movies as Wadia Movietone’s Hatim Tai (1956), Guru Dutt’s Aar Paar (1954) and CID (1956), opposite Raj Kapoor in Shriman Satyawadi (1960) and Shammi Kapoor in China Town (1962), passed away after a massive heart attack in the city on Wednesday afternoon. She was 82.

A resident of Bandra, the actress often described as ‘the fairy queen of Indian fantasies’ was sought to be rushed to a nearby well-known hospital. Her colleagues from the ’50s cinema said it was a pity that she could not find immediate admission and had to be taken to the Arogya Nidhi hospital in Juhu, at a further distance away.
Hindi cinema actor from the '50s, Shakila passed away on Wednesday after suffering a heart attack. She was 82. Shakila had featured in hit films Hatim Tai (1956), Aar Paar (1954), CID (1956) and China Town (1962). Her nephew, actor Nasir Khan, told mid-day, "She wasn't keeping well and had been in and out of the hospital. She was diagnosed with a kidney ailment recently and was on dialysis, which led to further complications."

Khan is the son of late comedian Johnny Walker, who married Shakila's sister, Noor. "My father was fond of her (Shakila). She was a social person, full of life. She was always surrounded by people," he remembered.

Shakila is best remembered for the song Babuji Dheere Chalna. The late actor's close friend and veteran actor Asha Parekh said, "She was always there for others. She was by my side when my father passed away. Waheeda [Rehman], Nanda and Shakila were a gang. She was a soft-spoken and kind person, hardly ever raised her voice. Saira [Banu] was trying to get her admitted to a hospital and was with her yesterday."



Filmography[edit source]
1949 Duniya
1950 Dastan
1953 Armaan
1953 Madmust
1953 Shahenshah
1953/II Aaghosh
1954 Aar-Paar - Dancer (Captain's Moll)
1954 Daan
1954 Gul Bahar
1954 Halla Gulla
1954 Khushboo
1954 Laila
1954 Lal Pari
1954 Ali Baba 40 Chor
1954 Noor Mahal
1955 Mast Qalandar
1955 Ratna Manjari
1956 C.I.D. - Rekha
1956 Caravan
1956 Hatim Tai
1956 Jhansi Ki Rani - Kashi (as Shakeela)
1956 Malika
1956 Paisa Hi Paisa
1956 Roop Kumari
1957 Begunah
1957 Naag Padmini
1957 Paristan
1957 Agra Road
1958 Al Hilal
1958 Chaubees Ghante
1958 Post Box 999 - Nilima
1959 Forty Days
1959 Guest House - Neela
1959 Kali Topi Lal Rumal
1959 School Master
1960 Abdulla
1960 Baraat
1960 Dr. Shaitan
1960 Gambler
1960 Shriman Satyawadi
1961 Reshmi Rumal - Rekha Rai
1962 Baghdad Ki Raaten
1962 China Town - Rita D. Rai
1962 Naqli Nawab
1962 Tower House - Sabita
1963 Kahin Pyaar Na Ho Jaaye
1963 Mulzim

1963 Ustadon Ke Ustad - Nita

Yesteryear actress Shakila, best remembered for her roles in CID and Aar Paar, passed away on Wednesday, September 20,2017 at the age of 82. A  star of the ’50s and ’60s, Shakila has featured in hit songs like 

Babuji Dheere Chalna, 
Neend Na Mujhko Aaye and 
Leke Pehla Pehla Pyaar. 

When Waheeda Rehman made her debut in CID, Shakila was already a star. But the two struck a friendship that lasted for 62 years. Here, Waheeda remembers her friend and recounts how the two gelled together.

“Bichde sabhi baari baari…First my close friend Nanda, then Sadhana and now Shakila. I am losing all my friends. But that’s life, I suppose… Shakila and I go back a very long way, to my very first Hindi film, Guru Dutt’s CID in 1956 where she was the heroine and I was the vamp, and never for a minute did she let me feel like a newcomer. Halaanke woh koi bahot senior nahin thi (She wasn’t too senior to me), but she had done more movies than me in Hindi whereas I was just starting out. She was very nice, very helpful. You tend to remember those who are good to you at the beginning.

“Shakila and I didn’t have even one shot together in CID, but we struck up a friendship that lasted  62 years. She would give me advice on career and life. Later, I worked with Nanda in Kala Bazar and there began another friendship that endured until her death. Then I met Jabeen with whom I never worked, but we had the same dance teacher and hence bumped into one another quite often. Shakila, Nanda, Jabeen and I became an inseparable foursome. We went to movies and dinner together. And we went for picnics to Lonavla and Khandala. In those days, there were wide-open spaces, the air was fresh and clean, bahot saaf-suthri thi hamari duniya and we four girls sang and laughed and shared giggles together. You know, although all three of us were actresses there was never any sense of competitiveness among us. In fact, we never discussed our careers when we met. We spoke about everything else under the sun except films. Those were such happy carefree days. I miss them. And I will miss Shakila. Once she got married and moved to Germany, our communication diminished. There was trouble in that marriage. Shakila moved back to Mumbai and then remarried and moved to London. We were both living in Mumbai during the past years, but we didn’t meet as often as we would have liked to. However, we were constantly in touch right until the end. In fact, I spoke to her just a few days before her death. She told me she had been to Lilavati Hospital for a check-up. I admonished her for not giving me time to meet her. She promised to meet me very soon. She didn’t keep her promise.”