Written by: Muhammad Suhayb
Posted on: June 30, 2021 | 
Begum Khursheed Shahid with her son Salman Shahid
There always is a special quality in the television dramas of the bygone era, reflected in the characters’ intellect, characterization and eloquence. Television serials of the 70’s and 80’s are still remembered because of the performances by the actors, whom the audience related to and rooted for. Begum Khursheed Shahid was one such actor, who immortalized the characters she played in one-off plays or serials on Pakistan Television.
Born in Delhi in 1926, Begum Khursheed Shahid was a woman of many talents. Besides being an accomplished singer, she was also quite active in stage theatre as a young performer. Those were the days when the Indian independence movement was at its peak. One day, Aruna Asif Ali, leader of the All India Congress, visited the school where Khursheed was studying, looking for fresh talent. Shahid’s friends told Asif about her singing and acting prowess. That interaction led young Shahid to All India Radio, where renowned music director Feroze Nizami helped nurture her skills.
She learned classical music from stalwarts like Roshanlal Nagrath (grandfather of actor Hrithik Roshan), Bhailal Muhammad Amritsari and in the 60’s, from Malika-e-Mauseeqi Roshan Ara Begum. She was mostly seen accompanying Roshan Ara Begum during concerts, where she would play the Tanpura (a long-necked string instrument). After Partition, Shahid migrated to Lahore and began a successful career in theatre and radio, while television was still years away.
Roshan Ara Begum Playing the Tanpura
In the 60’s, her life changed. Her husband, Saleem Shahid, left her and his son, future-actor Salman Shahid, to pursue a career in British Broadcasting Corporation. But she was approached by the Managing Director of Pakistan Television (PTV) at the time, Aslam Azhar, for an acting job. In its infancy, Pakistan Television needed experienced hands, and Begum Khursheed Shahid decided to choose acting over singing. She was well received at PTV, where she became one of the highest paid actors of her times. Her experience of theatre came in handy, as Pakistan Television used to air dramas ‘live’ until 1970.
Just weeks before the launch of PTV, she was seen playing the role of Agha Talish’s first wife in Khawaja Khursheed Anwar’s film ‘Chingari’ (1964). It was the legendary poet Faiz Ahmed Faiz, who persuaded her to play the role of a traditional wife in a film featuring Santosh Kumar and Shamim Ara in the leads. She also acted in Ashfaq Malik’s Punjabi film Bhola Sajjan (1974).
Begum Khursheed Shahid in Sona Chandi
Until the late 80s, she was very active on television. Playwrights like Ashfaq Ahmed, Bano Qudsia and Amjad Islam Amjad wrote special characters for her, as she used to bring a distinct assertiveness to her roles. In ‘Fehmida ki kahani, Ustaani Rahat ki zabani’, she played the role of a mother, whose daughter was impressed by the ostentatious display of wealth in society. Her power packed performance had the viewers in tears, which carried a powerful message about loss and life.
Begum Khursheed Shahid in Fehmida Ki Kahani, Ustani Rahat Ki Zubani
Those who have worked with her, remember her as a perfectionist. Her voice projection, stresses and pauses, clarity of words and above all her nuanced expressions, made her an automatic choice for otherwise difficult-to-act roles. Known as Khursheed Apa, she was a director and writer’s dream, and her performances were a clear proof of it. Actor-director Usman Peerzada considers himself lucky to have witnessed her career quite closely.
“She was a part of my childhood as well as my personal adult life. When I used to accompany my father to the Radio Station at Empress Road, I would watch her perform closely. Her experience as a drama artist helped us when Rafi Peer Theatre Workshop was launched in 1974. Her presence was a great asset in our debut play, ‘Culture, Culture; an Exercise’, which was appreciated in Lahore as well as Karachi. Her son Salman Shahid and I were classmates in Government College Lahore, and she used to accompany him. I worked with her in many plays of PTV, ‘Wadi-e-Purkhar’ being the most memorable one, where she played the role of my mother. I also had the honour of directing her in one of my plays, Sofia, the first privately produced serial on PTV, in 1995.”
Begum Khursheed Shahid in Wadi-e-Purkhar
Playwright, actor, author and TV compere Mustansar Hussain Tarar also has fond memories of Begum Khursheed Shahid, after a decades-long friendship. “We used to be neighbours in Laxmi Mansion, Lahore. As a teenager, I had seen Begum Khursheed Shahid, but formal meetings with her began when I joined TV. I have acted with her in a couple of plays where she usually played the role of a middle-aged woman. Plots of the plays revolved around her character, and it seemed as though she was at home, interacting with other members of the family, rather than acting. My friend, late Muhammad Nisar Hussain, the TV producer, was fond of Begum Khursheed Shahid and she was a regular in his plays. She truly represented our cultural heritage; a singer, actor and a musician. Begum Khursheed Shahid was the face of Lahore, which is dying out.”
Begum Khursheed Shahid reduced her television appearances by early 2000s, as she refused to participate in the newly-rampant commercialism of the television industry. She was last seen on TV in Khalil-ur-Rehman Qamar’s TV serial ‘Boota’ from Toba Tek Singh, and Sabiha Sumar’s film ‘Khamosh Pani’.
Though not as well known to the younger generations, Begum Khursheed Shahid’s journey has been quite similar to that of Malika-e-Tarannum Noor Jehan. Both started their careers around the same time in undivided India, opted for the newly-created Pakistan and played a huge role in the development of the entertainment industry. Noor Jehan chose singing over acting in the 60s, earning a big name for herself, while Begum Khursheed opted for acting and achieved accolades that she may not have attained as a singer. She received Presidential Pride of Performance Award in the 90’s at the end of her illustrious career.
Begum Khursheed Shahid in her Final Years
Begum Khursheed Shahid died at the age of 95 on Sunday, 27th June 2021 after a cardiac arrest. A woman who has been instrumental in the development of Pakistani television, has faded into obscurity for many, a sad statement on our times. She belonged to a generation who believed in the cultivation of all artistic skills, whether singing, performing or voice work. It is important to not only remember the contributions of artists like Begum Khursheed, but also remember and celebrate what made the Golden Era of Film and Television in Pakistan so memorable: the talent and work ethic of its performers.
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