Legendary film actress Shabnam turns 79

Legendary Pakistani-Bengali film actress, Shabnam, celebrates her 79th birthday today.

Tributes pour in from fans and fellow actors for one of the most celebrated actresses of Pakistani cinema’s golden era.

Shabnam’s artistic journey and unmatched legacy spanned decades.

She was born in Jharna Basak in East Pakistan (now Bangladesh), and made a debut in the film world with the 1958 Bengali film “Rajdhanir Booke.”

Her entry in Pakistani movie scene was in the 1962 movie ‘Chanda’ that made her a household name. She won the hearts of fans across the borders with her delicate expressions, wide emotional range, and natural charm.

She starred in over 160 films, including 152 in Urdu, 14 in Bengali, and 4 in Punjabi throughout her celebrated career.

She gave her fans some evergreen films including Aina, Bandish, Darshan, Andleeb, and Shama Aur Parwana. Her on-screen coupling with legendary Pakistani actors like Waheed Murad, Mohammad Ali, Shahid, and most notably Nadeem made a benchmark many struggle to achieve.

Shabnam received 13 major film awards, for her being one of the finest actresses of her time. Her prowess to portray a wide range of roles, from tragic heroines to romantic leads turned even her critics to die-hard fans.

Shabnam married renowned music composer Robin Ghosh in 1966 complementing his musical genius with her artistic spirit. The couple had a son, Ronnie Ghosh.  Lauding her husband, she has often called him her pillar of support throughout her film journey. She chose to live a peaceful life away from the limelight, devoting her time to her family and his memories after his passing in 2016.

Shabnam is now settled in her hometown Dhaka. Till date, she is remembered with love and admiration across borders for her talent, grace and cinematic brilliance.