Screen idol Sabiha Khanum passes away in US.

Byline: Shoaib Ahmed

LAHORE -- Sabiha Khanum - the Golden Girl of Pakistani Cinema and the Prestige of Lollywood - breathed her last in the United States on Sunday after a protracted illness.

She was 85.

She is survived by two daughters, a son and grandchildren.

Khanum was one of the most popular actors of 1950s-60s. She not only performed in films, but also did theatre and sang national songs for some PTV programmes.

Her family told Dawn on Sunday that she had been hospitalised for the past few months. She had multiple complexities but was majorly suffering from kidney issues.

Khanum had been living with her daughter in the US for more than a decade. On her demise, her granddaughter, Sarish Khan, said: 'It is with great sadness that we share the news of the demise of our beautiful and beloved Sabiha Raza (Sabiha Khanum) who passed away earlier today, June 13th, 2020. She returned to Allah (SWT) very peacefully and was surrounded by her loving immediate family in her last moments. We pray to Allah (SWT) to place her soul amongst the blessed who continuously receive mercy and grace of Allah (SWT) - Ameen. We know that she was loved by so many people and we have been receiving countless messages and calls. We ask that you be patient with us as we grieve her loss and respond to you all. We humbly request no in person visits to our home due to our safety and yours. In the meantime, a request for Sura-e-Fateha for my dearest Nani.'

One of her relatives and a noted actress and classical dancer Zarin Suleman Panna, who also did films with Khanum, told Dawn that she had been bedridden for last few months. 'Bhabhi Sabiha was not only a great actress, but also a wonderful human being,' said Panna, adding that she was much into spiritualism and was a very loving person. A couple of years ago, Khanum came to Pakistan to see her friends and relatives back home, she said.

Panna said Khanum had a great wish to be buried next to her husband Santosh Kumar (whom she used to call Sahab Jee) in Lahore though her wish could not be fulfilled. Her funeral, according to her family, will be held on Monday (today) in Virginia, the US.

She said most of her co-actors such as Waheed Murad, Santosh Kumar, Agha Talish, Allaudin, Mina Shori, Mohammad Ali and several others had left this mundane world.

Recalling the days when she worked with Khanum in the film Zinda Laash, she said Khanum was an excellent actress. 'Those were the golden times,' she said. She remembered...