Sabiha Khanum

Sabiha Khanum was a Pakistani film actress and producer who started her career in 1950 with the film Beli. She became famous for her role in the film Do Ansoo (1950), which was the first film to celebrate a Silver Jubilee in Pakistan. She worked in more than 100 Urdu and Punjabi films, some of which were box office hits. She received her first Nigar Award in the "Best Actress" category for Kaneez (1965). She won three more Nigar Awards for Aag Ka Darya (1966), Devar Bhabhi (1967), and Anjuman (1970). She was also awarded the Pride of Performance by the Government of Pakistan in 1986. She was known as the "First Lady of Pakistani Cinema" and was often recognized for her role in Pakistani cinema during the 1950s and 1960s. She appeared mostly in Santosh Kumar's films playing protagonist roles opposite to him throughout her career. She was married to Santosh Kumar from 1958 until his death in 1982. She had two daughters, Tayyaba Khanum and Naheed Khanum, who also worked in the film industry. She died of renal failure on 13 June 2020, at the age of 84, in Virginia, USA. She is remembered as one of the most popular and versatile actresses of Pakistani cinema.