Sofia Bano
Pakistani film actress (1938–2024)
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Sofia Bano (23 October 1938 – 20 November 2024) was a prominent Pakistani film actress and singer who worked in the Lollywood film industry during the 1960s and 1970s.[1] Originally from Bombay, India, she moved to Pakistan to pursue a career in cinema and became one of the most respected character actresses of her era.[1] She is best remembered for her award-winning performance in the 1973 film Parday Mein Rehnay Do.[1]
23 October 1938
Indian (1947-1964)
Pakistani (1964-2024)
Sofia Bano | |
|---|---|
| صوفیہ بانو | |
| Born | Sofia Bano Begum 23 October 1938 |
| Died | 20 November 2024 (aged 86) |
| Other names | Sufia Bano |
| Citizenship | British Indian (1938-1947) Indian (1947-1964) Pakistani (1964-2024) |
| Occupations |
|
| Years active | 1964–1976 |
| Spouse |
Haroon Ahmed (m. 1978) |
| Children | 2 |
| Awards | Nigar Award: Best Supporting Actress Award for Parday Mein Rehnay Do (1973) |
Early life
Career
Initial leading roles (1964–1968)
Bano made her Pakistani film debut in the 1964 film Chhoti Behan, playing a supportive role.[2] Her first role as a lead heroine was intended for the film Sehra, but the project was never completed beyond its song recordings and opening ceremony.[1] One of those songs, "Akeela Na Jana," sung by Naseema Shaheen and picturized on Bano, became a major hit.[3]
In 1966, she starred as a lead heroine opposite Muhammad Ali in Akelay Na Jana, though the film was a moderate box office success.[4] During this period, she also appeared in Azadi Ya Mout (1966) a war drama set during the 1965 Kashmir war, where she played the character Reshama then Ham Dono a film where she starred opposite Syed Kamal in a double role.[1]
In 1968, Tum Mere Ho, she played Sufia, an educated and bold woman married to a man with a disfigured face.[1] Over the next decade, she transitioned into more complex supporting and character roles, often portraying educated, bold, and "proud" women.[5]
Transition to character roles and peak success (1969–1973)
As her leading roles were able to gain moderate commercial traction, Bano transitioned into more complex supporting and character roles.[6] In 1969, she appeared in the adult-certified social drama Neela Parbat, one of the first Pakistani films inspired by Italian neorealism.[1]
The year 1973 marked the pinnacle of her career with two major hits such as Gharana.[1] She played the patient and devoted wife of Muhammad Ali, a role that showcased her range in traditional family dramas.[1] Later Parday Mein Rehnay Do which was directed by Shabab Kiranvi, Bano played a stubborn, arrogant, and wealthy socialite.[7]
For her performance in Parday Mein Rehnay Do, she won the Nigar Award for Best Supporting Actress in 1973.[1]
Success and retirement (1974–1976)
Bano remained highly active in the mid-1970s, appearing in five films in 1974 alone, including Do Tasveerein, Sharafat, and her only Punjabi film, Naukar Wohti Da.[1] Her final screen appearance was in the 1976 film Zarurat, directed by Hassan Tariq.[1]
Throughout her 12-year career, Bano appeared in approximately 28 films.[1] She also appeared in a Punjabi movie.[1]
Personal life
In 1978, Sofia Bano married Haroon Ahmed, a businessman and politician of Pakistan Muslim League from Karachi.[1] Following her marriage, she retired from the film industry.[1] The couple had two children.[1]
Illness and death
Sofia died of natural causes on 20 November 2024 in Karachi, Pakistan.
Filmography
Film
| Year | Film | Language |
|---|---|---|
| 1964 | Chhoti Behan | Urdu |
| 1966 | Akelay Na Jana | Urdu |
| 1966 | Azadi Ya Mout | Urdu[8] |
| 1966 | Ham Dono | Urdu |
| 1967 | Meray Laal | Urdu |
| 1968 | Manzil Door Nahein | Urdu |
| 1968 | Papi | Urdu |
| 1968 | Khilona | Urdu |
| 1968 | Tum Mere Ho | Urdu |
| 1969 | Neela Parbat | Urdu |
| 1970 | Maa Te Maa | Urdu[9] |
| 1971 | Parai Aag | Urdu |
| 1971 | Mohabbat | Urdu |
| 1972 | Ehsaas | Urdu |
| 1973 | Sarhad Ki Goud Mein | Urdu |
| 1973 | Gharana | Urdu |
| 1973 | Nadan | Urdu |
| 1973 | Parday Mein Rehnay Do | Urdu |
| 1974 | Do Tasveerein | Urdu[10] |
| 1974 | Sharafat | Urdu |
| 1974 | Naukar Wohti Da | Punjabi |
| 1974 | Qismat | Urdu[11] |
| 1975 | Professor | Urdu |
| 1976 | Zarurat | Urdu |
| Unreleased | Sehra | Urdu |
| Unreleased | Ham Bhi Parhay Hayn Rahon Mein | Urdu |
| Unreleased | Halchal | Urdu |
Awards and recognition
| Year | Award | Category | Result | Title | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1973 | Nigar Award | Best Supporting Actress | Won | Parday Mein Rehnay Do | [12][13] |