Nisho:A glowing story

By Anis Ahmed Shakur

Every once in a while life hand you a moment so precious, so overwhelming , that you almost glow. In 1970, Bilquis Begum experienced one.

Bilquis Begum makes her home in Gujrat, Pakistan, but the Pakistani cinema caught up with her in Lahore.

She was offered the role of lead actress opposite Mohammad Ali and Nadeem in her debut, mega hit film ‘Baazi,’ in 1970.

Around that time, Bilquis changed her name to Nisho and achieved name, fame and respect in times due course.

Moreover, Mohammad Ali and Nadeem appeared together for the first time in the film ‘Baazi’ (Director, Late Iqbal Shehzad, composer, Sohail Rana. ‘Baazi’ was also the first Pakistani movie to be shown on STN channel.

During her school days, Nisho fell in love with a boy, Inam Rabbani. The mutual devotion and understanding resulted in their marriage.

Nisho had a daughter, Saheba, with Rabbani.

It so happened that Rabbani left Pakistan and settled abroad. Years passed by and he did not return. Consequently, Nisho divorced Rabbani.

‘Beauty is in the eye of the beholder’.

Let the poets rhapsodize about the glamorous Nisho. Let them pen their lines about her beauty and grace.

While they do so, let us focus our attention to Nisho’s film career.

The following three films of Nisho were released in 1971:

‘Yaar dais Punjab day’, ‘Baazi gar’, ‘Ye Aman’.

The film ‘Ye Aman’ was written and directed by Riaz Shahid.

The year 1973 proved to be the best year for Nisho’s films. The following ten films of Nisho were released in 1973:

Nisho achieved enormous fame with the release of the super hit film ‘Nadaan’, directed by Iqbal Akhtar. ‘Nadaan’ made diamond jubilee.

The film ‘Sehray kay phool’, the film ‘Jaal’ (Nisho- Waheed Murad- Shaista Qaiser, director, Iftikhar Khan, silver jubilee)

The films ‘Insaan aur gadha’, ‘Aar paar’, ‘Farz’, ‘Tera gham rahay salamat’.

The films ‘Mulaqat’ (Nisho- Waheed Murad- Qavi- Lehri- director, Laeeq Akhtar, silver jubilee)

The films ‘Dulhan Rani’ and the film ‘Kubra Aashiq’ (producer-director-actor Rangeela)

Nisho, who worked in sixty films is modest about her accomplishments.

Her movies were so cleverly conceptualized, you find yourself simply admiring the direction.

Sometimes, her fans are so thankful and thrilled by her movies, that they do not find proper words to applaud her performance.

Below are three examples:

The films ‘Bazaar’, ‘Angaray’ and ‘Matti kay putlay’.

Poet Tasleem Fazli, who died in 1982, was Nisho’s second husband. Through perseverance and faith, Nisho overpowered her marital setbacks one after another.

Further, she was invigorated by the constant interaction with co-workers and the directors, as well.

Her popularity graph went up with the release of the following three films:

‘Namak haram’, ‘Tiger gang’ and ‘Iman daar’.

She dived into her task with zeal and came out with magnificent acting in the three films below:

The film ‘Samaaj’ (remake of director Jafar Bukhari’s film ‘:Bharosa’) ‘Baheesht’ and ‘Parda na othao’.

The celebrated actress, Nisho, fulfilled herself artistically and personally. Below are six examples:

The film ‘Gumrah’, the film ‘Nelaam’ (first film of director Iqbal Kashmiri, producer, Qavi) the film ‘Surat aur seerat’, ‘Athra’, ‘Bikhray moti’ and ‘Shikwa’.

Nisho’s life is a glowing story of courage and decency. It is also a story of her uncommon ability to blend her talents to the particular situation in a movie. Below are three examples:

The films ‘Roshni’, ‘Ma’ashara’ and ‘Professor’.

Nisho used her magnetic personality to the fullest in the following three films:

‘Naik Perveen’, ‘Neiki badi’ and ‘Haiwan’.

Visionary directors brought with them a sight and sound revolution. Below are three examples:

The films ‘Society girl’ (first film of Sangeeta as director), ‘Jut kuryaan toon darda’ and ‘Zubeida’.

Over the years, she continued to exercise dominion over the Pakistani cinema horizon. Below are three examples:

‘Raastay ka pathar’ (director, A.Rasheed, starring, Nisho- Waheed Murad, Sultan Rahi. The performance of all three artists were at its peak) the film ‘Dharkan’,’Budtameez’.

Nisho, whose very presence charmed and soothed people, burnt the mid-night oil in the following three movies:

‘Aamna saamna’, ‘Aj deyaan kuryaan’, ‘Gora kala’.

The following three movies describes the role Nisho played in the lives of her myriad fans:

The films ‘Dil kay daagh’, ‘Aadmi’ and ‘Mohammad Bin Qasim’ The film ‘Mohammad Bin Qasim’ is based on a real story, which is a true page turner. Zamarrud was dubbed as Raja Daher’s sister.

She liked  Mohammad Bin Qasim. Jilted in love, Zamarrud took vengeance on Mohammad Bin Qasim by accusing him of wrong doing.

Her false accusations resulted in Mohammad Bin Qasim’s return to Basra.

While filming for the following three movies, Nisho invested all her efforts. The cine-goers got so much back:

The films ‘Ehtejaaj’, ‘Lakha’ and ‘Hanstay Aansoo’.

It seems Nisho knew just how to make a difference in the film through her mere presence. She was in her element as usual in the following three films:

‘Qudrat’, ‘Pyari’, ‘Nazuk rishtay’.

Equally impressive was her acting in the two movies below:

‘Siyasat’ and ‘Tufaan aur zindigi’.

In 1988, six years after Tasleem Fazli’s death, Nisho married for the third time. She had a son, Hamza, from her third husband.

Incidentally, Hamza appeared as the child star in director Shamim Ara’s film ‘Munda bigra jaaye’.

Nisho, a popular Pakistani signature, who helped inspire the movie, is retired from the industry. Once in a while, she makes her presence felt at a function or public place.

Her stories and proud memories lives on.