Jaffer sadiq at 00:39, 8 January 2026

2026-01-08T00:39:00Z

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{{short description|Pakistani singer and actress (1914–2001)}}
{{EngvarB|date=September 2014}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2022}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Khursheed Begum
| image = Khurshid Bano.png
| image_size =
| caption = Khurshid in ''[[Holi (1940 film)|Holi]]'' (1940)
| other_names = Khursheed or Khurshid
| birth_date = {{Birth date|1914|04|14|df=yes}}
| birth_place = [[Lahore]],([[British India]]), now in [[Pakistan]]
| death_date = {{Death date and age|df=yes|2001|4|18|1914|4|14}}<ref name=cineplot/>
| death_place = [[Karachi]], [[Sindh]], [[Pakistan]]
| birth_name = Irshad Begum
| years_active = 1931 – 1956
| spouse = {{plainlist|
* {{marriage|Lala Yakub|1949|1956|end=div.}}{{efn|Different from Indian actor [[Yakub (actor)|Yakub]]}}
* Yousaf Bhai
* Mian<ref name=cineplot/>
}}
| occupation = {{Hlist | Actress | [[Playback singer]] | Singer}}
| children = 3
}}

'''Khursheed Bano''' (14 April 1914 – 18 April 2001), often credited as '''Khursheed''' or '''Khurshid''', was a singer and actress, and a pioneer of the [[Indian cinema]].<ref name=TheHindu/> Her career ran through the 1930s and 1940s, before she migrated to [[Pakistan]] in 1948.<ref name=TheHindu/>

Making her debut with ''Laila Majnu'' (1931), she acted in over thirty films in India.<ref name=TheHindu>{{cite news |url=https://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/movies/the-scene-stealer/article18261757.ece|url-status=dead |title=The scene-stealer (Khurshid Begum with K. L. Saigal in Tansen (1943 film))|author=Pran Nevile |newspaper=The Hindu newspaper|date=28 April 2017|archive-date=21 September 2021|access-date=24 January 2025|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210921135853/https://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/movies/the-scene-stealer/article18261757.ece}}</ref> She is best known for her film ''[[Tansen (film)|Tansen]]'' (1943) with actor-singer [[K. L. Saigal]], which featured many of her memorable songs.<ref name="Rishi2012">{{cite book |last=Rishi |first=Tilak |title=Bless You Bollywood!: A Tribute to Hindi Cinema on Completing 100 Years |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=r623sWyGm0sC&pg=PA28 |year=2012 |publisher=Trafford Publishing |isbn=978-1-4669-3963-9 |pages=28–}}</ref><ref name="NettlArnold2000">{{cite book |last1=Nettl |first1=Bruno |last2=Arnold |first2=Alison |title=The Garland Encyclopedia of World Music: South Asia : the Indian subcontinent |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ZOlNv8MAXIEC&pg=PA525 |year=2000 |publisher=Taylor & Francis |isbn=978-0-8240-4946-1 |page=525}}</ref>

==Early life==
Khursheed was born on 14 April 1914 as Irshad Begum in Lahore, Pakistan. As a child, she lived in the [[Bhati Gate ]] area next to [[Allama Iqbal|Allama Iqbal's]] house.<ref name=cineplot/><ref name=":0">{{Cite web|date=11 November 2019 |title=Khursheed profile |url=https://www.cinemaazi.com/people/khursheed-1|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211022232008/https://www.cinemaazi.com/people/khursheed-1|access-date=24 January 2025 |website=Cinemaazi.com website |language=English |archive-date=22 October 2021|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref name=TheHindu/>

==Career==
Khursheed started her film career with early talkies when she joined [[Madan Theatre|Madan Theatres]] in Calcutta in 1931.<ref name="Ranade2006"/>

She also worked in the silent film ''Eye for an Eye'' (1931) the year when the first talkie film (''[[Alam Ara]]'') of the subcontinent was released.<ref name="TheHindu" /><ref name=cineplot/> This was the heyday of the fledging movie industry in Lahore. Khursheed joined the Hindmata Cinetone Film Company and under this banner she appeared in ''Ishq-e-Punjab'' alias Mirza Sahiban (1935) - the first Punjabi talkie film. In the same year, she grabbed the lead role opposite [[Prithviraj Kapoor|Prithiviraj Kapoor]] along with Imrozia Begum in National Movietone's Swarg Ki Seedhi (1935) and received huge acclaim for her performance.<ref name=":0" /> She soon moved to Bombay and after working in Mahalakshmi Cinetone Company's Bombshell (1935) and Chirag-e-Husn (1935), she acted in Saroj Movietone's Gaibi Sitara (1935) where she sang all the songs herself. Sadly no records of these songs survive to this day.

Some of her films released during this phase were ''Laila Majnu'' (1931), ''Muflis Aashiq'' (1932), ''Naqlee Doctor'' (1933), ''Bomb Shell'' and ''Mirza Sahiban'' (1935), ''Kimiagar'' (1936), ''Iman Farosh'' (1937), ''Madhur Milan'' (1938) and ''Sitara'' (1939).<ref name="TheHindu" />

During 1931 and 1942, she acted in films made by the studios in [[Calcutta]] and [[Lahore]] but though recognised as a singer actress, the films did not make an impact.<ref name="TheHindu" /> Some of her films in the 1940s were ''Musafir'' (1940), ''Holi'' (1940) ("Bhigoi Moree Saree Ray"), ''Shadi'' (1941) ("Hari ke Goon Prabhu ke Goon gavun mein" and "Ghir Ghir Aaye Baderia"), ''Pardesi'' (1941) ("Pahley Jo Mohabbat Sey Inkaar Kia Hota" and "Mori Ateria Hai Sooni").<ref name="TheHindu" /> In ''[[Bhakta Surdas]]'' (1942), "Panchee Bawra", whose composer was [[Gyan Dutt]] became a very famous song of the 1940s.<ref name="TheHindu" /> The other popular songs from the same film are "Madhur Madhur Ga Ray Manwa", "Jholee Bhar Taray Laday Ray', and a duet "Chandni Raat Aur Taray Khilay Haun" with K. L. Saigal.<ref name="Tribune">{{cite news |last1=Nevile |first1=Pran |title=Remembering Khurshid |url=http://www.tribuneindia.com/2004/20040418/spectrum/main7.htm |access-date=18 June 2018 |issue=The Sunday Tribune |publisher=The Tribune (newspaper) |date=18 April 2004}}</ref>

Her peak period came when she moved to [[Bombay]] to act in Ranjit Movietone films with actors like K. L. Saigal and [[Motilal (actor)|Motilal]].<ref name=cineplot/><ref name=TheHindu/> She achieved immense popularity when she acted opposite the famous singer-actor K. L. Saigal in the [[Chaturbhuj Doshi]] directed, ''[[Bhukt Surdas]]'' (1942), followed by ''[[Tansen (film)|Tansen]]'' (1943) and was referred to as the "first of the singing stars".<ref name="Ranade2006">{{cite book |author=Ashok Damodar Ranade |title=Hindi Film Song: Music Beyond Boundaries |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ZI1wqkWsIjYC&pg=PA331|date=1 January 2006 |publisher=Bibliophile South Asia |isbn=978-81-85002-64-4 |pages=331–334}}</ref> Her other two main lead stars were [[Paidi Jairaj|Jairaj]], and [[Ishwarlal (actor)|Ishwarlal]].<ref name=cineplot>{{cite web|title=Khursheed Bano's last interview|url=http://cineplot.com//khursheed-begum-her-last-interview/|website=Cineplot.com website|access-date=24 January 2025|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191006122219/http://cineplot.com//khursheed-begum-her-last-interview/|archive-date=6 October 2019|url-status=dead}}</ref>

She acted in ''[[Chhoti Maa|Nurse]]'' ("Koyalia Kahay Bolay Ree") in 1943.<ref name=TheHindu/> ''[[Tansen (film)|Tansen]]'' (1943), with music composed by [[Khemchand Prakash]], was also a high point in her acting career.<ref name=TheHindu/> Her famous songs included "Barso Re", "Ghata Ghan Ghor Ghor",<ref name="Ranade2006"/> "Dukhia Jiara", "Ab Raja Bhae Moray Balam", and a duet, "Moray Bala Pun Kay Sathee Chela", with [[K. L. Saigal]].<ref name=TheHindu/>

Her other famous films are: ''Mumtaz Mahal'' (1940) ("Jo Hum Pay Guzarti Hai", "Dil Kee Dharkan Bana Liya"), ''Shahenshah Babar'' (1944) ("Mohabbat Mein Sara Jahan Jal Raha Hai", "Bulbul Aa Tu Bhi Ga"), ''Prabhu ka Ghar'' opposite [[Trilok Kapoor]] and ''Moorti'' (1945) ("Ambwa Pay Koyal Boley", "Baderia Baras Gayee Uss Paar") with music composition by [[Bulo C. Rani]], ''Mitti'' (1947) ("Chhaai Kali Ghata More Balam") in 1947 and ''Aap Beeti'' (1948) ("Meri Bintee Suno Bhagwan").<ref name=TheHindu/><ref name="Ranade2006"/>

==Migration to Pakistan==
Her last film in India was ''Papeeha Re'' (1948), which was a great hit, prior to her migration to [[Pakistan]], leaving her mark in the Indian film industry.<ref name=TheHindu/> Khursheed migrated, in 1948, to [[Pakistan]] after the [[Partition of India|independence]], with her husband and settled down in [[Karachi]], [[Sindh]], Pakistan.<ref name=cineplot/>

She worked in two films in 1956, ''Fankar'' and ''Mandi''.<ref name=TheHindu/> Mandi was notable because of Khursheed and music composer [[Rafiq Ghaznavi]], but because of poor handling of the film, the film was not a success at the box office.<ref name=TheHindu/> The second film ''Fankar'', produced by Robert Malik, a physics teacher at Saint Paul's English High School, in [[Karachi]] suffered the same fate.<ref name=cineplot />

==Personal life==
Khursheed married her manager Lala Yakub (not to be confused with the famous Indian actor [[Yakub (actor)|Yakub]]), who was a small-time actor with Kardar Productions and member of the [[Bhati Gate]] Group, [[Lahore, Pakistan]].<ref name=Tribune /> Due to personal problems, she divorced Yakub in 1956. She married Yusuf Bhai Mian in 1956, who was in the shipping business.<ref name=TheHindu/> She had three children and had stopped working in films after her last film in 1956.<ref name=cineplot />

==Death==
Khursheed Bano died on 18 April 2001 in [[Karachi, Pakistan]] four days after her 87th birthday.<ref name=cineplot/><ref name=":0" /><ref name="Ranade2006"/>

==Filmography==
===Films in India===
* ''Laila Majnu'' (as Shehla) (1931) (her debut film)<ref name="Ranade2006"/>
* ''Muflis Ashiq'' (1932)
* ''Hatili Dulhan'' (1931)
* ''Chatra Bakavali'' (1932)
* ''Nakli Doctor'' (1933)
* ''Mirza Sahiban'' (as Khursheed) (1934)<ref name="Ranade2006"/>
* ''Aankh Ka Nasha'' (as Shehla) (1933)
* ''Swarg Ki Sidhi'' (as Khursheed) (1935)<ref name=":0" />
* ''Bombshell'' (as Khursheed) (1935)
* ''Sipah Salar'' (1936)<ref name=":0" />
* ''Piya Ki Jogan'' (as Shahla) (1936)
* ''Kimiagar'' (1936)
* ''Ailane Jung'' (1936)<ref name=":0" />
* ''Sitara'' (1938)<ref name=cineplot/>
* ''Prem Samadhi'' (1938)
* ''Madhur Milan'' (1938)<ref name=":0" />
* ''The Daughters of India'' (1939)
* ''Kaun Kisi ka'' (1939)
* ''[[Aap Ki Marzi]]'' (1939)<ref name=":0" />
* ''[[Musafir (1940 film)|Musafir]]'' (1940)
* ''[[Holi (1940 film)|Holi]]'' (1940)
* ''[[Shaadi (1941 film)|Shaadi]]'' (1941)<ref name=cineplot/><ref name=":0" />
* ''Pardesi'' (1941)<ref name=cineplot/><ref name=":0" />
* ''Beti'' (1941)
* ''Choti Ma''
* ''Chandni'' (1942)
* ''[[Bhakta Surdas]]'' (1942)<ref name=cineplot/><ref name=":0" />
* ''[[Tansen (film)|Tansen]]'' (1943)<ref name=cineplot/><ref name=":0" />
* ''Dr. Kumar'' (1944)
* ''[[Shahenshah Babar]]'' (1944)<ref name=cineplot/><ref name=":0" />
* ''Mumtaz Mahal'' (1944)<ref name=":0" />
* ''Prabhu Ka Ghar'' (1945)
* ''Moorti'' (1945)
* ''Devar'' (1946)
* ''[[Phoolwari]]'' (1946)
* ''[[Manjhdhar (1947 film)|Manjhdhar]]'' (1947)<ref name=":0" />
* ''Rangeen Kahani'' (1947)
* ''Mitti'' (1947)
* ''[[Aage Badho]]'' (1947)<ref name=":0" />
* ''Aap Beeti'' (1948)<ref name=":0" /><ref name="Ranade2006"/>
* ''Papiha Re'' (1948)

===Films in Pakistan===
{| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders"
! style="background:#B0C4DE;" | Year
! style="background:#B0C4DE;" | Film
! style="background:#B0C4DE;" | Language
|-
| 1956 || ''[[Mandi (1956 film)|Mandi]]''<ref name=cineplot/> || Urdu
|-
| 1956 || ''Fankar''<ref name=cineplot/> || Urdu
|}

==References==

=== Notes ===
{{notelist}}

===Citations===
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* {{IMDb name|0452025|Khurshid Begum}}
* [https://www.flickr.com/photos/rashid_ashraf/31525096131/in/dateposted/ Rare Picture of Khursheed Bano]

{{authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Bano, Khursheed}}
[[Category:1914 births]]
[[Category:20th-century Indian actresses]]
[[Category:Indian silent film actresses]]
[[Category:20th-century Indian women classical singers]]
[[Category:Pakistani film actresses]]
[[Category:Pakistani classical singers]]
[[Category:Pakistani ghazal singers]]
[[Category:Punjabi-language singers]]
[[Category:2001 deaths]]
[[Category:Pakistani women singers]]
[[Category:Indian film actresses]]
[[Category:Urdu-language singers]]
[[Category:Pakistani Sunni Muslims]]
[[Category:Urdu-language playback singers]]
[[Category:People from Kasur District]]
[[Category:Hindi-language playback singers]]
[[Category:Actresses in Hindi cinema]]
[[Category:20th-century Pakistani actresses]]
[[Category:20th-century Indian women singers]]
[[Category:Pakistani playback singers]]
[[Category:Actresses in Urdu cinema]]
[[Category:Indian women ghazal singers]]
[[Category:Hindi-language singers]]
[[Category:Punjabi women]]
[[Category:Actresses from Karachi]]
[[Category:Women ghazal singers]]
[[Category:Actresses in Punjabi cinema]]
[[Category:Pakistani radio personalities]]
[[Category:People from Punjab Province (British India)]]

Khursheed Bano - Revision history

Jaffer sadiq at 00:39, 8 January 2026