Sabiha Khanum ruled the silver screen in Pakistan
much like Rekha, Madhuri, or Aishwarya. Her glamorous presence, an impeccable
character, and her marriage to leading man Santosh Kumar (Musa Raza) were all
a part of this wonderful lady's charisma.
We met with Sabiha at her daughter's house in Virginia, where she has been
living for the last few years. It was overwhelming to say the least, and at
the same time, enlightening and entertaining.
From the time that she sat down with us and checked in with her daughter to
make sure we'd been properly entertained with food and drinks, till the time
we left, Sabiha kept us engaged in a wonderfully told story of a remarkable
life. She is soft spoken, articulate, with a great command over English, Urdu,
and Punjabi. She is witty and funny, modern and yet very religious. Her daughter
Fariha captured it really well, ''My mother is an example of an ideal woman
- she has balanced marriage, children, a very demanding career, and stayed very
pious and religious throughout with no mark on her reputation or character.''
Let us not keep you any more from the fascinating stuff we got to know
first hand...
Sabiha Khanum was born in a village near Gujrat in Pakistan. At that time, she
was known as Mukhtar Begum. Her mother passed away when Sabiha was six. ''There
were no kids of my age in my father's house, so I was sent to the village, so
I could grow up in the company of other kids.'' And so Sabiha lived in a
village and learned to milk cows, get water from the well, make ''rotis''
and churn butter. After a few years, her father took her home, and Sabiha went
through a major adjustment period. ''I fell sick because I wasn't used to
eating too much meat!'' It was after Sabiha returned to her paternal home
that she met Sultan Khoosat, a friend of her father's. Mr. Khoosat took her
to see Lahore and for the first time in her life, Sabiha watched a movie on
the big screen. ''Everyone in the theater kept looking at me because I was
laughing out loud...the whole thing was so funny to me.'' Soon after, Sabiha
visited Radio Pakistan, where Mr. Khoosat worked, and on the spur of the moment,
she got the chance to sing in a live program, which was much appreciated by
the audience. A few days later, she saw a play in the theater, where 
were holding an audition. Sabiha tried for that part and got it. The rest as
they say is history.
How come you were able to do all these things in such conservative
times?
''My father never stopped me from doing anything because he was scared
that I'll go back to the village to live with my grandfather.'' (Laughs).
How was the first acting experience on stage? ''I had developed a sharp
memory from having read the Quran at a young age, and reciting it, so I was
also able to remember my lines really well. I did not have any stage fright
either. The lights were so bright that I was blinded and couldn't see the audience
at all. So I walked out and did my part with full confidence.''
Tell us about your film career. ''When I was performing on stage, a famous
director of the time, Anwer Kamal Pasha, was in the audience. He liked my performance
and asked if I would act in his upcoming movie, ''Dau Ansoo''. I agreed.
I was paired opposite another new comer, Musa Raza. Our film names were changed
to Sabiha Khanum and Santosh Kumar. The movie was a big hit. Then we were cast
again as a couple in a movie called ''Vaada''. I won my first film award
for my role in Vaada. I was very nervous because I was competing against Mussarat
Nazir, and it took a lot of convincing for me to go there. After that, I won
an award almost every year and have about 29 awards from Pakistan, and one from
Bangladesh, when it was part of Pakistan. But I was never overconfident. I always
prayed for success. In fact, offering my prayers regularly is a childhood habit.
Even while on the set, I used to take a break and discreetly go and offer my
prayers, without making a show of it.
So is that how you met your husband, Santosh Kumar, through your first
movie?
It was a strange coincidence. When I was little, and my mother was still alive,
our family lived in Delhi for a while. Santosh's family were our neighbors.
He didn't live with them, because he was studying out of town and living with
his grandfather. But his sister and I were playmates. Then, yes, through Mr.
Pasha's movie, Dau Ansoo, we met. We became very good friends. He was a great
man, my husband. Honest, educated, decent. He hated lies and liars. He was a
perfect man. We starred in many movies together and it was great working with
him.
did you two get married?
We were such good friends and yet both of us were so shy that we never confessed
our love to each other. In fact, one day, on a movie set, Santosh came and handed
me a wedding card - his own. I was devastated. I thought what kind of a man
is he that he won't confess his love to me and is getting married to another
woman? But after a few years, I guess we found the courage to admit to ourselves
and each other that we were deeply in love. It was a companionship we couldn't
do without. My father was of course completely against the marriage. He couldn't
reconcile to me becoming Santosh's second wife, while he was still married to
his first wife and also had two daughters. But I told my father that Santosh
was a true gentleman and there was nobody I'd rather marry. Finally, my father
relented. And I've never for a day regretted that decision. In fact, Santosh's
first wife and I are very good friends. She is a really nice woman. In fact,
the reason that we could make it work was that we both loved Santosh very much
and we got along so he would never face a conflict. It's worked out so well
that our children don't consider each other half-brothers or half-sisters. It's
all a tightly knit family, Masha Allah..
What was it like - being married and having such a demanding career?
It worked out fine. Being single and working in movies was quite challenging.
People used to think of me as a snob because I didn't mix up with them too much.
It was only because I was very shy and was not used to talking to men. My father
didn't have any exposure of this nature either so he couldn't help much. It
was really God's support that sustained me throughout my career. After working
for a few years and being married to Santosh, I opened up and was comfortable
giving interviews and mixing with other professionals in the film industry and
media. Santosh being my greatest friend always gave me good advice. You'd laugh
that my biggest interest was cars. I just used to spend my money on new cars.
One day, Santosh asked me ''Are you a man or a woman? I've never seen you
spend money on jewelry or anything else but cars.'' After that, I bought
a house! The hardest part of being in the movies was having to travel without
my children. But fortunately, I was able to keep a balance and my children have
grown up to be very nice people.
How did you cope with losing such a good friend and companion?
He died in 1982 and I faced a lot of hardships. It was like that Indian movie
Baghban. The only differences were that my husband died, and in the movie they
were just separated. They became successful because they were together, but
I couldn't, because I was by myself. It was a big change for me. I stopped accepting
lead roles, even though a lot of people said I was too young to give up the
leading parts. But I loved and cared for Santosh and his family a lot. We were
both from respectable families and I did not want any scandals or controversy
after his death. So I only played older roles. It was funny too, because I had
to impose such restrictions that no man could hug or embrace me in the movie,
even if he was playing my brother or son. When a director asked me how he should
manage to film a son apologizing to his mother, I said, ''make him kneel
down and touch my knees.'' (Laughs out loud). But that's how I maintained
my reputation and Masha Allah, no one has ever spoken ill of me in all the years
I've worked in the movies
What was your most memorable experience?
When I won an international award in Tashkent. We were competing among 95 countries.
It was an exhilarating experience for me to be chosen as the winner. I was nominated
for ''Ek Gunaah Aur Sahi''. I had played the part of a Christian mother,
not a glamor girl. Raj Kapoor, Shahi Kapoor, Shabana Azmi were all there representing
the Indian film industry. From Pakistan it was Santosh jee, myself, Zeba, and
Mohammad Ali. It was a great experience - we all used to get together and sing
songs after the day's events were over. But after being there for many days
I got very homesick. I missed my children terribly and wanted to buy some things
for them. There was nothing available in Tashkent so I wanted to go to Kabul.
But the Russians were so in love with us that they kept saying ''Mummy (the
name of my character in the movie), we can't let you go. You have to stay, Mummy!''.
(Laughs). I was terrified that they might keep us there for good! So I kept
trying to leave but they kept forcing me to stay. Actually, it turned out that
all of them knew that I would be receiving the award and were making sure I
was there to receive it. My husband also knew and Mohammad Ali also knew - he
came up to me and said ''Bhabi, your prayers have been answered''. When
I learned that I had been selected from among 95 countries as the Best Actress,
I was speechless. It was a great honor.
Unfortunately, at that time, the political situation in Pakistan was in turmoil.
Bhutto was overthrown by Gen. Zia and was in jail. Everything else took a sideline
those days. So the recognition or pleasure that the Pakistani people would have
felt at the honor received by one of their own was left untested. But my country
has acknowledged me with its greatest honor, the President's Pride of Performance
Award, so I have no complaints, just a lot of gratitude to God.
What were some of your most memorable roles?
I liked all my roles - but my favorite roles were in Vaada, in which I played
a very simple role Shikwa and Qaatil were also very memorable for me. In the
movie Gumnaam, I played the role of a ''pagli'' (crazy girl). For that
role, I had to practice a very shrill and crazy laugh. So I used to practice
that laugh at home. Until, one day, our neighbors came knocking at our door
and asked if everything was alright. After that I found a ''gharra''
in our house and I used to put my face on that gharra and laugh inside it so
that the voice wouldn't travel outside and disturb the neighbors. The famous
song ''Paayal Mein Geet Hain Chum Chum Kay'' was filmed on me in this
movie. I still remember that laugh!
has happened to Pakistani cinema now - from those glory days to the present
situation?
There was a lot of competition when we were in our hey day. Our films were
as good as Indian movies. Aan (India) and Naila (Pakistan) were released around
the same time and were equally big hits. But then the government started imposing
restrictions and gradually there was no competition left. That's what brought
down the quality of films initially. It isn't as though we had a
choice. When our movies were taken to India, they were burned down and people
protested. The same started happening in Pakistan and the government had to
impose the ban. Even Santosh protested in the streets against the screening
of Indian movies, because he said that if Indians won't allow our movies to
show in India, then why should we screen their movies? Still, I feel that this
was not a good move on either country's part. Gradually, the market got smaller,
stories took a different turn, and film makers turned towards violence and vulgarity
to attract crowds. To me it's more a reflection on the film makers than the
artists. Santosh gave up movies because he couldn't stand to play roles that
went against his character. He was a soft spoken man and could not perform shouting
and screaming roles. But nobody really wrote stories and characters to make
use of the great talent they had among the artists of the time. If Santosh had
lived and had received the kind of characters that Amitabh Bachan is now playing,
he could have been as successful if not more than Amitabh.
What do you feel is the recourse for this downward trend in Pakistani
cinema?
It's not just Pakistani cinema, although more of the Pakistani movies suffer
from this phenomenon. In our times, stories made sense, and songs made sense.
Everything was related. Now a very few movies that I've seen use music and songs
to support the story line. As an example, Veer Zara's songs go very well with
the story. Songs have to carry the story they are like dialog. You can't just
change the setting and throw in a song, which is what a lot of film makers have
started doing. That just spoils the execution of the movie and doesn't leave
a good impact. Also, there's little emphasis on acting - I call it a ''kath
putli ka tamasha'' - sit down, stand up, do this, do that. They don't allow
you to act naturally - everything is melodramatic. Plus there is too much emphasis
on showing skin.
Would you consider acting at this stage?
Yes, of course. I have not retired! My brother in law is a producer and I have
an offer from him to do a television serial. I am open to films as well
. I have actually done quite a lot of television in the last few years. There
was a play by Nusrat Thakur, a family drama with a story of four daughters and
the problems they face. I've starred with Abid Ali and Atiqa Odho in other TV
serials. I like doing television.
What else have you been doing in the last few years?
I have been in the US for the last five or six years now. My daughter and her
family made a move from Pakistan after her husband passed away. I came with
her and have stayed on to ensure that she settles down okay. Now she's doing
well Masha Allah and her children are settled. So now I am considering going
back.
You seem to be a strong, practicing Muslim - how do you characterize
yourself from a religious point of view?
I'm not a fundamentalist but I believe in the principles of our religion, and
I believe that Islam is a beautiful religion. It teaches us to be honest and
kind to people, to not talk behind other people's backs, to rely on God's will
and thank Him for his blessings. I have worked in a profession that some may
say is unIslamic but I have always believed in Allah, offered my prayers, and
stayed steadfast in my beliefs. Actually, it is God's blessing and my belief
in Him that I have been so successful. Over here, I am very active in the local
Pakistani and Muslim community. I joined up with some ladies in the Leesburg
area and we gather at each others' houses to discuss our social and family issues
in the light of religion. There are many issues like Sadqa (welfare) and practical
issues like funeral arrangements, for which we research and share knowledge
with each other. We also teach children how to read the Quran in Arabic. We
have to know our religion to love it and respect its teachings.
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