Shamim Ara

Shamim Ara
Deeba, Waheed Murad and Shamim Ara
Born	Putli Bai 22 March 1938 Aligarh, British India (now India)
Died	5 August 2016 (aged 78) London, United Kingdom
Occupation	Actress, film producer, film director in Pakistan
Years active	1956–2010
Spouse(s)	Sardar Rind Abdul Majid Karim Fareed Ahmed [Dabeer-ul-Hasan -her husband until her death in 2016]

Shamim Ara (Urdu: شمیم آرا ‎) (22 March 1938 – 5 August 2016) was a Pakistani film actress, film director and film producer.

She was born Putli Bai but later adopted the film name Shamim Ara. Her acting career spans from the late 1950s till the early 1970s. She is most famous for her leading role in the then West Pakistan's first color motion picture Naila (1965), released on 29 October 1965, whereas the first full length color motion picture was Sangam (1964) which was produced in the then East Pakistan and released on 23 April 1964.

In 1956, Putli Bai's family were visiting some relatives in Lahore, Pakistan, when after a chance meeting with the well-known film director, Najam Naqvi, she was signed for his next movie. He was searching for a new face for his film Kanwari Bewah (1956) and was impressed by her cute face, sweet voice, approachable personality and innocent yet inviting smile. It was Najam Naqvi who introduced her under the stage name Shamim Ara. Though the film did not attract many viewers, a noticeable new female star had appeared on the horizon of the Pakistan film industry.

Later, Shamim Ara was given a minor role in the film Anarkali (1958) starring Noor Jehan as Anarkali and Shamim Ara as Surayya, Anarkali's younger sister. For the next two years, Shamim Ara went on to star in a few films, but none were a major success at the box office. However, in 1960, a major role in the film Saheli (1960) is what truly advanced her career. After this film, Shamim Ara had become a household name. The filming of the song Mujh Se Pehli Si Muhabbat Meray Mehboob Na Maang (a poem written by renowned Pakistani poet Faiz Ahmed Faiz and sung by Madam Noor Jehan) with Rasheed Attre's music in the film Qaidi (1962), had everyone talking about her. Women had begun mimicking her speech, her make-up and her hairstyle. She had become a household name. Her fame and impeccable acting skills landed her the title character in the film Naila (1965), the first color film produced in the then West Pakistan. Her portrayal of the tragic Naila won her further critical acclaim. She went on to star in many hit films including Devdas, Doraha, Humraz. However, Qaidi (1962), Chingari (1964), Farangi (1964), Naila (1965), Aag Ka Darya (1966), Lakhon Mein Eik (1967), Saiqa (1968) and Salgirah (1968) were landmarks in her career securing her a position as the top actress of the 1960s in Lollywood. Her acting career came to a halt when she retired as a leading lady in the early 1970s. But that did not stop her from being a part of the Pakistani film industry as she pioneered to produce and direct films on her own. However, none of those films reached the level of success Shamim Ara had at the height of her acting career.Jaidaad (1959) and Tees Maar Khan (1989) were the only two Punjabi movies in which she performed.