Shakila's was born as Badshah Begum on January 1, 1935 in the Middle East

 Shakila's was born as Badshah Begum on January 1, 1935 in the Middle East. Her younger sisters are Noor Jehan (nicknamed Noor) and Nasreen. Their ancestors belonged to the royal families of Afghanistan and Iran. Their paternal grandparents and mother were killed during family feuds over the throne. Their father and his sister Feroza Begum brought the children to Mumbai, India. Shakila and her sisters faced tough times, since their father died soon after. Her aunt, who was engaged to marry a prince, lost him in an accident, and she decided to remain unmarried and raise her three nieces. Her aunt was fond of movies and took the girls to showings. Their family friends with Kardar and Mehboob Khan. In fact, it was 'Kardar' who offered her the chance to act in Dastaan (1949). She took the name Shakila and made her debut as a child artiste in the film, which starred Suraiya. She quickly acted in another film with Suraiya titled Duniya (1949). After working in some routine films in secondary roles including Gumasta (1951), Sindbad the Sailor (1952), Rajrani Damyanti (1952), Aagosh (1953), Shahenshah (1953), Raj Mahal (1953), Armaan (1953), people finally noticed her in Guru Dutt's Aar-Paar (1954). In Aar-Paar, she played the other woman in Guru Dutt's life, the cabaret dancer, who is disdained by society and is a complex and embittered person. Aar-Paar was a superhit film and its best songs were picturized on Shakila. Her sister Noor also acted in Aar-Paar (1954) and later married famous comedian Johnny Walker and quit films, as did Nasreen, who became a housewife.

Dutt was impressed with Shakila's performance to repeat her in Raj Khosla's C.I.D. (1956), but she was eclipsed by Dutt's protégé Waheeda Rehman who made her debut in that film. Shakila's aunt was managing her career and she didn't want Shakila to be typecast in fantasy films, so she quoted a large sum of Rs. 10000 for Alibaba and Forty Thieves (1954) thinking it would dissuade the producer from casting her, but he agreed and she acted in the film. It became a hit. As a consequence, Shakila was reduced to B-grade mythological and fantasy films and she earned the title "Arbi Chehra" (Arabian Princess) from the film fraternity. She acted in Lalpari (1954), Veer Rajputani (1955), Roop Kumari (1956), Agra Road (1957), Al-Hilal (1958) etc. She played a ethereal fairy in "Hatim Tai" (1956), which is an A-grade color hit film, based on an Arabian Nights tale. She created some stir in 1957, when her film opposite Kishore Kumar - Begunah was banned after 10 days of its release. The film was a carbon copy of Hollywood's Knock on Wood (1954) starring Danny Kaye and the producers of that film went to court and won the case to stop the further screening of this film. As a consequence, all the negatives of this film were destroyed. In 1958, she starred opposite Sunil Dutt in suspense/thriller Post Box. 999. In the latter part of her career, Shakti Samanta cast her in China Town (1962) opposite Shammi Kapoor, and the songs became a rage.

During the course of her fourteen-year career, she appeared in more than 50 films with well-known actors and directors. After that, she quit the industry and got married and moved to Germany. After her marriage ended, she came back to Mumbai and remarried to an Afghan man who was the Consulate General in India. They had a daughter Meenaz together, and they went to live abroad. In 1991, she suffered a terrible blow when her daughter jumped to her death. Putting the tragedy behind her, she moved back to Mumbai and stayed close to her sisters and friends. She declined all film and television serial offers and refused to make a comeback, since she wanted fans to remember her as a young, beautiful heroine. She died of a massive heart attack at the age of 82 on September 20, 2017 in Mumbai, India.
- IMDb mini biography by: Ramstep
Family

Shakila (born Badshah Begum; January 1, 1935 – September 20, 2017) was a renowned Indian actress in Bollywood during the 1950s and early 1960s, often remembered for her graceful demeanor and roles in fantasy films. 

Here is a look at her life and career:

Early Life and "Princess" Persona

• Birth: She was born in the Middle East to an Afghan family, and she came from a royal lineage, often referred to by the nickname "Badshah Begum".
• Orphaned: She was brought to Bombay (now Mumbai) by her aunt at a young age after being orphaned.
• "Arbi Chehra": Due to her striking, delicate features, she was frequently cast in fantasy, costume, and Arabian Nights-style films, earning her the title "Arbi Chehra" (Arabian Princess). 

Career as an Actress (1949–1963) 

• Breakthrough: She started as a child actor in Dastaan (1949), but her major breakthrough came with Guru Dutt's Aar Paar (1954), where she starred in the iconic song "Babuji Dheere Chalna".
• Notable Films: Over a 14-year career, she acted in over 50 films, including C.I.D. (1956), Hatim Tai (1956), Post Box 999 (1958), and China Town (1962).
• Versatility: While often in fantasy films, she successfully played romantic leads and supporting roles opposite stars like Dev Anand, Shammi Kapoor, and Sunil Dutt.
• Retirement: She retired from acting at the peak of her popularity in 1963 to marry a man from outside the film industry, Johnny Barber, and moved to the United Kingdom. 

Later Life and Legacy

• Personal Tragedy: She suffered a deep personal loss when her daughter, Meenaz, committed suicide in 1991.
• Private Life: Following her return to India, she lived a private life in Mumbai, refusing to make a comeback because she wanted fans to remember her as a young, beautiful heroine.
• Death: She died of a heart attack on September 20, 2017, in Mumbai, at the age of 82. 

Shakila is remembered for her elegance and as a face of the golden era of Hindi cinema.