Asha Posley Explained

Asha Posley
Birth Name:Sabira Begum
Birth Date:1927
Birth Place:Patiala, Punjab, British India
Death Place:Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan
Othername:First heroine of Pakistani film industry
Years Active:1931 - 1998
Parents:Inayat Ali Nath (father)
Relatives:
  • Rani Kiran
  • Shamsher Ali
Awards:Nigar Award (1982)

Sabira Begum better known as Asha Posley (Punjabi, Urdu: {{Nastaliq|آشا پوسلے) (1927 – 25 March 1998) was the first heroine of Pakistani films.[1] [2] [3] [4] [5]

Early life

Asha Posley was born as Sabira Begum in Patiala, Punjab, British India in 1927.[1]

Asha Posley was the daughter of music composer Inayat Ali Nath, who worked with HMV in Delhi, and the sister of renowned film playback singer Kausar Parveen and another sisters Rani Kiran and Najma Begum.[1] She started singing at the age of four and used to sing in children's radio programmes at All India Radio in Delhi. Asha's younger brother Shamsher Ali was a musician. She started performing in theatres plays and dramas in Urdu and Punjabi. During that time her theatres dramas became very popular and she was trained in singing by her father Inayat Ali Nath. She was skilled in singing ghazal, geet, tappe, thumri and dadra.

In 1940 she moved from Delhi to Lahore along with her family. She accompanied her father to the studios to watch the shooting of director B. R Sethi's 1942 film Gawandhi and he offered her a role in the film which she accepted.[6]

Career

She made her debut as a supporting actress in Lahore-made Punjabi film Gawandi (1942), then the lead role in Hindi film Champa (1945), filmed in British India. She was given her professional name Asha Posley by the renowned music director Ghulam Haider. After the independence of Pakistan in 1947, she migrated with her family to the newly created Pakistan.[1]

She was the heroine of the first-ever released film in Pakistan in Urdu language, Teri Yaad (1948). She played the female lead opposite Nasir Khan, famous Indian actor Dilip Kumar's brother, who played the male lead in the film.[1] After playing the female lead role in just a few films, she was cast mainly in supporting roles especially opposite comedian actors Nazar and Asif Jah in most of her films. She acted in 129 films during her film career spanning over 3 decades.[7]

Later she transitioned to television and worked in numerous drama serials by appearing in various character roles in television dramas. In 1995 she appeared in drama Red Card which was written by Rimsha it aired on both PTV and STN.

Personal life

Posley's younger sister Kausar Parveen was playback singer in 1950s and 1960s. Her other younger sister Najma was the leading actress of Urdu and Punjabi films in 1970s. Asha's younger brother Shamsher Ali was a musician.[8]

Death

Asha Posley died on 26 March 1998 at Lahore, Pakistan at age 70.[1]

Filmography

Television series

YearTitleRoleNetwork
1976Asha TamashaHerselfPTV
1983Silver JubileeHerselfPTV
1995Red CardNaniPTV

Film

YearFilmLanguage
1942 Gowandhi Punjabi[9]
1945 Champa Hindi / Urdu
1946 Shehar Say Door Hindi / Urdu
1946 Aai Bahar Hindi / Urdu
1946 Badnami Hindi / Urdu
1946 Kamli Punjabi[10]
1946 Khamosh Nigahen Hindi / Urdu
1946 Paraye Bas Mein Hindi / Urdu
1947 Ek Roz Hindi / Urdu
1947 Roop Lekha Hindi / Urdu
1947 Arsi Hindi / Urdu
1947 Papiha Ray Hindi / Urdu
1947 Barsat Ki Ek Raat Hindi / Urdu
1947 Visakhi Punjabi
1948 Papiha Re Hindi
1948 Teri Yaad Urdu[11]
1950 Ghalt Fehmi Urdu
1952 Shola Urdu
1953 Awaz Urdu
1953 Barkha Urdu
1953 Mehbooba Urdu[12]
1954 Sassi Urdu[13]
1954 Parvaz Urdu
1955 Pattan Punjabi
1955 Noukar Urdu
1955 Bulbul Punjabi
1955 Jheel Kinaray Urdu
1955 Toofan Urdu
1955 Nazrana Urdu
1955 Khizan Kay Baad Urdu[14]
1956 Dulla Bhatti Punjabi
1956 Morni Punjabi
1956 Kismet Urdu
1956 Chhoti Begum Urdu
1956 Peengan Punjabi
1956 Intezar Urdu
1956 Pawan Urdu
1956 Wehshi Urdu
1956 Hatim Urdu
1956 Guddi Guddi Punjabi
1957 Aas Pas Urdu
1957 Ishq-e-Laila Urdu
1957 Seestan Urdu[15]
1957 Pholay Khan Punjabi
1957 Sardar Urdu
1957 Noor-e-Islam Urdu
1957 Pasban Urdu
1958 Sheikh Chilli Punjabi
1958 Changez Khan Urdu
1958 Mukhra Punjabi[16] [17]
1958 Neya Zamana Urdu
1958 Anarkali Urdu
1958 Tamanna Urdu
1958 Ghar Jawai Punjabi
1959 Alam Ara Urdu
1959 Muskarahat Urdu
1959 Pardesan Punjabi
1959 Lukkan Meeti Punjabi
1959 Naghma-e-Dil Urdu
1960 Noukari Urdu
1961 Son of Ali Baba Urdu
1961 Gul Bakavli Urdu
1961 Ham Ek Hayn Urdu
1961 Muftbar Punjabi
1963 Maa Kay Aansoo Urdu
1964 Ishrat Urdu
1964 Ashiana Urdu
1964 Malang Punjabi
1965 Hadd Harram Punjabi
1965 Dil Ke Tukre Urdu
1965 Zamin Urdu
1966 Gowandhi Punjabi
1966 Majboor Urdu
1966 Jalwa Urdu
1966 Goonga Punjabi
1966 Ghar Ka Ujala Urdu
1966 Aaina Urdu
1967 Bahadur Urdu
1967 Insaniyat Urdu
1967 Wohti Punjabi
1967 Mela Punjabi
1968 Mehndi Punjabi
1968 Meri Dosti Mera Pyar Urdu
1968 Ashiq Urdu
1968 Main Zinda Hun Urdu
1968 Ghar Pyara Ghar Urdu
1968 5 Darya Punjabi
1969 Run Murid Punjabi
1969 Pak Daaman Urdu
1970 Afsana Urdu
1970 BeQasoor Urdu
1970 Gul Bakavli Punjabi
1970 Insan Aur Aadmi Urdu[18]
1970 Bahadur Kissan Punjabi
1970 2 Baghi Urdu
1970 Dera Sajna Da Punjabi
1971 Sher Puttar Punjabi
1971 Yaaden Urdu
1971 Insaf Aur Qanoon Urdu
1971 Parai Aag Urdu
1971 Des Mera Jeedaran Da Punjabi
1971 Mastana Mahi Punjabi
1971 Aansoo Bahaye Pathron Nay Urdu
1972 Khan Chacha Punjabi
1972 Dil Naal Sajjan Day Punjabi
1972 Sohna Jani Punjabi
1972 Changa Khoon Punjabi
1972 Nizam Punjabi
1973 Sehray Kay Phool Urdu
1973 Daku Tay Insan Punjabi
1973 Wichhria Sathi Punjabi
1973 Ghairat Meray Veer Di Punjabi
1973 Rangeela Aur Munawar Zarif Urdu
1974 Sohna Daku Punjabi
1974 Chakkarbaz Urdu
1976 Raja Jani Urdu
1976 Insan Aur Farishta Urdu
1976 Kharidar Urdu
1976 Jatt Kurian Tun Darda Punjabi
1976 Mafroor Punjabi
1976 Goonj Uthi Shehnai Urdu
1976 Zaroorat Urdu
1977 Ajj Dian Kurrian Punjabi
1978 Nidarr Punjabi
1978 Aali Jah Punjabi
1978 Ghazi Ilmuddin Shaheed Punjabi
1978 Santri Badshah Punjabi
1978 Curfew Order Punjabi
1979 Ham Sab Chor Hayn Urdu
1979 Chaltay Chaltay Urdu
1980 Takkar Punjabi
1981 Sala Sahib Punjabi
1981 Yeh Zamana Aur Hay Urdu
1982 Ek Din Bahu Ka Urdu
1982 Wohti Jee Punjabi
1984 Shanakhti Card Punjabi
1984 Kalyar Punjabi
1984 Dil Maa Da Punjabi
1985 Khuddar Punjabi
1986 Insaf Punjabi
1996 Raju Ban Geya Gentleman Urdu

See also

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Asha Posley - Profile. https://web.archive.org/web/20170816165146/http://cineplot.com/asha-posley/. Cineplot.com website. 13 September 2009. 16 August 2017. 29 January 2022. dead.
  2. News: Kausar Parveen — a phenomenal singer who died young. 7 July 2018. Daily Times (newspaper). Amjad Parvez. en-US. 28 June 2021.
  3. Web site: 70 years of Pakistan's film industry. Geo TV News website. en-US. 28 June 2021.
  4. Web site: Pakistani Cinema Had Its Own Way of Looking at Partition Too. The Wire. 28 June 2021.
  5. Web site: 67 years ago today, Pakistanis lined up to see the first film made in their new nation. Bali. Karan. Scroll.in website. en-US. 28 June 2021.
  6. Silver Jubilee - Asha Posley's Interview. Pakistan Television Corporation. 1983.
  7. (Karan Bali) Asha Posley profile on Upperstall.com website Retrieved 28 June 2021
  8. Web site: Sound of Lollywood: Go on, makes eyes at someone . 26 September 2017 . scroll.in . 17 October 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221017021813/https://amp.scroll.in/article/851720/sound-of-lollywood-go-on-makes-eyes-at-someone .
  9. Web site: آشا پوسلے کی 22ویں برسی. Jang News. November 20, 2023.
  10. Web site: پاکستان کی پہلی فلم کی ہیروئن آشا پوسلے کی برسی. ARY News. December 28, 2023.
  11. Web site: Nasir Khan was one of Pakistan's first filmy hero. Daily Times. February 27, 2022.
  12. Web site: Remembering Santosh Kumar: the first romantic hero of Pakistan — Part I. Daily Times. July 23, 2022.
  13. Web site: Silver screen at Shanaakht. Dawn Newspaper. September 29, 2022.
  14. Book: Gazdar, Mushtaq . Mushtaq Gazdar . 1997 . Pakistan Cinema, 1947-1997 . Oxford University Press . 245 . 0-19-577817-0.
  15. Book: Gazdar, Mushtaq . Mushtaq Gazdar . 1997 . Pakistan Cinema, 1947-1997 . Oxford University Press . 246 . 0-19-577817-0.
  16. Web site: Munir Hussain a melodious singer. Daily Times. January 6, 2022.
  17. Web site: Munir Hussain — a tuneful singer. Daily Times. May 18, 2022.
  18. Web site: Zeba — a look back at the legendary actress's life. Daily Times. October 4, 2022.
  19. Web site: Pakistan's "Oscars"; The Nigar Awards (1957 - 2002) . Swami Ji . The Hot Spot Film Reviews website . 29 January 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20150722111654/https://www.desimoviesreviews.com/index.php/2017/11/24/pakistans-oscars-nigar-awards . 22 July 2015 . dead.