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    Shabnam: The Shining Star of Excellence

    Written by: Muhammad Suhayb
    Posted on: April 17, 2024 | | 中文

    A collage of Shabnam's pictures

    She was born in what was East Pakistan and is now Bangladesh. She was not fluent in the Urdu language, but overcame all challenges and gained great popularity in just a few years. When legendary actress Shabnam Ghosh a.k.a Shabnam, received the Sitara-e-Imtiaz from President Asif Ali Zardari at the March 23rd celebrations this year, she got her long overdue recognition.

    Shabnam receiving Sitara-e-Imtiaz from the President of Pakistan, Asif Ali Zardari

    Born as Jharna Basak in Dhaka some eighty years ago, she is widely respected for her work during the golden era of Pakistani cinema. Writing about the leading actress of the yore is like travelling back in time. It was the year 1962, when names like Muhammad Ali, Zeba, Waheed Murad, Deeba and Rani were rising in the western wing of the country. In the eastern wing, Director Ehtisham made Chanda, a movie that saw the debut of actor-Director Rehman, music Director Robin Ghosh, lyricist-and-later-Director Suroor Barabankvi, along with Shabnam. The team made several successful films in East Pakistan and grew fast professionally. However, the personal lives of some team members also became intertwined, with Robin Ghosh marrying Shabnam, a marriage that has withstood the test of time for over five decades. Their marriage added an interesting dimension to their professional collaboration, further consolidating their bond, both on and off-screen. Shabnam was the leading lady of most of the hit films which had music provided by Robin Ghosh. Ehsaas (1972), Chahat (1974), Sharafat (1974), Do Saathi (1975), Umang (1975), Mom ki Gurya (1976), Aaina (1977), Bandish and Nahin Abhi Nahi (both 1980), to name a few.

    Robin Ghosh and Shabnam

    Shabnam gained immense popularity for her versatile acting skills and captivating presence in numerous Pakistani films. However, her rise to stardom did not come easy, as she had Bengali features and a strong Bengali accent. Her Urdu dialogues for the first few scripts were written in Bengali, and that is how she would memorize her lines. It was with the help of the legendary lyricist, Suroor Barabankvi, that Shabnam’s Urdu diction improved. ‘Suroor Sahib was the driving force behind my understanding of Urdu. He advised me to visit his house anytime and converse with his children in whatever Urdu I could come up with. I used to play with the kids, speaking to them in jaisi taisi urdu. My confidence grew, and I eventually got to know the language better’, revealed Shabnam to the scribe when contacted for the article.

    Shabnam at KLF, 2017

    After her debut, she was invited by producers to work in West Pakistan, but it was Waheed Murad’s Samandar (1968), that launched her in what was then West Pakistan. The film Samandar’s significance was that it addressed the discontent that was building up in East Pakistan, against West Pakistan. Shabnam was a perfect choice for the role, yet she encountered difficulties with the audience due to her accent. Later, she was dubbed in Andaleeb (1970) and the experiment worked. Shabnam, who was away for work during the dubbing, was accepted by people of the western wing, and hence started her phenomenally successful journey that continued late into the 90s. Viewers stopped complaining of her accent and accepted it as unique to her.

    She worked with many renowned directors and actors of her time. A regular in movies of S. Suleman and Pervez Malik, she even gave hits like Dillagi (1974) with Aslam Dar, Aakhri Station (1965) with Suroor Barabankvi and Dosti (1971) with Sharif Nayyar. She was a frequent co-worker with Waheed Murad, Kemal, Muhammad Ali, but her pairing with Nadeem was a sure success. Their association that started with Tum Mere Ho (1968) to Aulad ki Qasam (1997), gave around 50 successful films and innumerable songs. The most famous films featuring Nadeem and Shabnam were directed by Nazr-ul-Islam, who also opted to stay in Pakistan, after the creation of Bangladesh. Aaina (1977) is still considered one of the best Urdu films, while Bandish (1980), a Pakistan-Indonesian co-production is not far away behind.

    Shabnam and Nadeem Baig in 1977

    Shabnam even worked with actors who were quite junior to her: Shahid, Ghulam Muhiuddin, Rahat Kazmi, Javed Shaikh, Shafi Muhammad and Faisal, to name a few. She not only worked in movies that were destined to be blockbusters, but also remained associated with movies that were experimental. Apart from Samandar, she was part of the first film that was shot in a foreign country (Kaajal, 1965), and in films like Kaamyabi and Qurbani that had social themes. She acted in the maiden film by Ibn-e-Safi, Dhamaka (1974), which was based on his renowned mystery novel. Despite Dhamaka faring badly at the box office, Shabnam was praised for her work as Sabiha. She was superb as the lady who went to Europe in search of her father in Mere Hamsafar (1972), and as an educated girl from the city, in Pehchan (1975).

    Shabnam's ability to immerse herself into the characters she portrayed, was one of her greatest strengths. Whether it was an ordinary lady in ‘Aina aur Soorat’, or a village belle in Mann ki Jeet, a confused mother in Qurbani or a rowdy girl in Talaash, Shabnam had a remarkable talent for bringing characters to life on screen. It never mattered to her whether it was a dramatic role, a romantic lead, or a comic character, Shabnam's performances consistently resonated with audiences. She was lovely whether singing Roothay Ho Tum Tumko for her husband in Aaina, or warning her boyfriend of dire consequences with Mere Sartaj ko Samjhao in Sachcai. If you want to experience Shabnam’s range of acting, watch the sad and romantic versions of Do Pyasay Dil from Bandish (1980).

    Shabnam and Waheed Murad in a non-film pose

    Shabnam left the industry in the late ‘90s, but despite being out of sight, she was never out of mind. When asked how she felt about receiving the Sitara-e-Imtiaz from the President, there was a long pause and she said, ‘I am overwhelmed and cannot express my feelings. I felt very emotional and had to make an effort to stay calm and composed. I was rewarded for the hard work I had put in over the years’, recalled Shabnam. She has a special place for Pakistan in her heart, despite the horrors of the 1971 military operation in what was then East Pakistan.

    She came to Pakistan with her late husband Robin Ghosh in 2012, for a television show, and was surprised by the response of the people. Since then, she has been visiting Pakistan that she considers her second home. She acted in a television serial in Pakistan circa 2016, and enjoyed the experience. Shabnam still remembers the golden days when she used to rule the hearts and minds of people, just like the words of her famous song, Tere Bin Mera Jeevan Kuch Nahi.


    As the new year begins, let us also start anew. I’m delighted to extend, on behalf of the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in the Islamic Republic of Pakistan and in my own name, new year’s greeting and sincere wishes to YOULIN magazine’s staff and readers.

    Only in hard times can courage and perseverance be manifested. Only with courage can we live to the fullest. 2020 was an extraordinary year. Confronted by the COVID-19 pandemic, China and Pakistan supported each other and took on the challenge in solidarity. The ironclad China-Pakistan friendship grew stronger as time went by. The China Pakistan Economic Corridor projects advanced steadily in difficult times, become a standard-bearer project of the Belt and Road Initiative in balancing pandemic prevention and project achievement. The handling capacity of the Gwadar Port has continued to rise and Afghanistan transit trade through the port has officially been launched. The Karakoram Highway Phase II upgrade project is fully open to traffic. The Lahore Orange Line project has been put into operation. The construction of Matiari-Lahore HVDC project was fully completed. A batch of green and clean energy projects, such as the Kohala and Azad Pattan hydropower plants have been substantially promoted. Development agreement for the Rashakai SEZ has been signed. The China-Pakistan Community of Shared Future has become closer and closer.

    Reviewing the past and looking to the future, we are confident to write a brilliant new chapter. The year 2021 is the 100th birthday of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Pakistan. The 100-year journey of CPC surges forward with great momentum and China-Pakistan relationship has flourished in the past 70 years. Standing at a new historic point, China is willing to work together with Pakistan to further implement the consensus reached by the leaders of the two countries, connect the CPEC cooperation with the vision of the “Naya Pakistan”, promote the long-term development of the China-Pakistan All-weather Strategic Cooperative Partnership with love, dedication and commitment. Mohammad Ali Jinnah, the founding father of Pakistan said, “We are going through fire. The sunshine has yet to come.” Yes, Pakistan’s best days are ahead, China will stand with Pakistan firmly all the way.

    YOULIN magazine is dedicated to promoting cultural exchanges between China and Pakistan and is a window for Pakistani friends to learn about China, especially the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. It is hoped that with the joint efforts of China and Pakistan, YOULIN can listen more to the voices of readers in China and Pakistan, better play its role as a bridge to promote more effectively people-to-people bond.

    Last but not least, I would like to wish all the staff and readers of YOULIN a warm and prosper year in 2021.

    Nong Rong Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of
    The People’s Republic of China to the Islamic Republic of Pakistan
    January 2021