By Mahlia Lone
Yesteryear filmstar Neelo and socialist filmmaker Riaz Shahid are Pakistani superstar Shaan’s parents. Both were two strong-minded creative individuals who have bequeathed to the nation a memorable filmography. Their real life love story, packed with politics, romance, song and dance, villains, melodrama and tragedy could easily inspire a movie. Let’s delve more into the life of these two stars, who left their mark on Pakistan’s film history
Cynthia Alexander Fernandes (later Neelo) was born in Sargodha pre-Partition officially in 1945, and unofficially in 1941. She grew up in a Punjabi Christian household and not much is known of her early life. She came on the radar when she was recruited to play a reporter for the Hollywood classic Bhowani Junction in 1954, starring Ava Gardner and Stewart Granger. The film is based on actual historic events during the Independence struggle when Congress Party workers laid down on railway tracks to protest British rule over India. However, the film’s producers were denied permission by the Indian government to film in the country as a Hindu revolutionary is portrayed as the villain in the film. The Pakistani government readily agreed and the MGM film crew came to Lahore for the outdoor shooting staying at the Faletti’s Hotel, which still has a suite in Ava Gardner’s name where she stayed at the time. Filming began at the Lahore Railway Station where the sign Bhowani Junction was put up. Somehow Parveen Alexander (as Neelo was known in those days) managed to get the part of playing a budding reporter in the film, paving the way for her future in Pakistani films. She subsequently appeared in a grand total of 134 Pakistani films to date in Urdu as well as Punjabi.
In 1956, the teenager under the screen name Neelo appeared in the Pakistani film Sabira. Her breakout role came the following year playing a flower seller in the mega hit romantic comedy Saat Laakh, lip syncing and dancing to the perennial song sung by Zubaida Khanum:
“Aaye mausam rangeelay suhane
(The weather is colourful and pleasant
Jia nahi mane,
(I’m feeling restless)
Tu chutti lay kar aaja saajan.â€
(Get a holiday and come visit me my love.)
The song became immensely popular and is still played to this day. Neelo, the round faced girl with two braids and large, sparkly eyes, became an overnight sensation. Soon film offers started pouring in and there was no looking back to her former life of anonymity. Many of her films celebrated silver, gold and diamond jubilees at the box office and she became a bankable star, known as the Princess of Romance and Fatal Attraction.
In his article Socialist Cinema for a local newspaper, Zulqurnain Shahid describes the memorable working partnership between Riaz Shahid and left wing symbolist poet Habib Jalib. Their first collaboration took place on the film Khamosh Raho, released in 1964. They were both taraqqi pasand (progressive) literary figures who supported anti-imperialist fighters from Muslim backgrounds. The film’s plot was ostensibly about a brothel owner’s system of bonded prostitution, but it was multilayered. On a deeper level, it portrayed the similarities between arranged marriages and prostitution. Remarkably, it also predicted the 1965 war between India and Pakistan. Only political insiders knew at the time that President Ayub Khan was going ahead with Operation Gibraltar inside Indian-held Kashmir
Born in 1930, Sheikh Riaz, nicknamed Shahid, was educated at Islamia College, Lahore, and then started working as a journalist at the Urdu newspaper Chataan. After this, he joined Faiz Ahmed Faiz’s weekly Lail-o-Nihar. Faiz Ahmed Faiz, a world famous Pakistani agnostic, humanist philosopher, poet and communist leader, wrote lyrical poetry supporting worker unions and denouncing the tyranny of military dictators. For this reason, he was celebrated in the Soviet Union. Shahid developed his socialist leanings working under the poet. As a natural progression of his literary career, Shahid wrote a novel Hazar Dastaan, before turning to script writing. In 1958, Riaz Shahid started his film career as a script writer for the film Bharosa. He was the writer, director and producer for the film Susraal in 1962.
In his article Socialist Cinema for a local newspaper, Zulqurnain Shahid describes the memorable working partnership between Riaz Shahid and left wing symbolist poet Habib Jalib. Their first collaboration took place on the film Khamosh Raho, released in 1964. They were both taraqqi pasand (progressive) literary figures who supported anti-imperialist fighters from Muslim backgrounds. The film’s plot was ostensibly about a brothel owner’s system of bonded prostitution, but it was multilayered. On a deeper level, it portrayed the similarities between arranged marriages and prostitution. Remarkably, it also predicted the 1965 war between India and Pakistan. Only political insiders knew at the time that President Ayub Khan was going ahead with Operation Gibraltar inside Indian-held Kashmir. Jalib’s lyrics of:“Main te to preet nibhai sanwarya re†(I have been faithful to my sweetheart) were not just about a woman singing to her soldier fiance, but also Pakistan’s soil rallying the troops to protect the sanctity of her borders, safety within the borders and an ominous warning about the coming invasion.
renowned for her dancing, Neelo…was peremptorily summoned to dance for the Shah of Iran on an official visit to the country in 1965. reportedly, the Incumbent Governor of West Pakistan, nawab of Kalabagh, Amir Mohammad Khan threatened her and demanded she dance for them at the Governor’s House. knowing that Shahid Riaz would not approve, a reluctant and nervous neelo collapsed on the floor while dancing and feigned unconsciousness. Some even claimed that she had tried to commit suicide by swallowing an overdose of sleeping pills on the way to the Governor’s House. She was rushed to the hospital where doctors revived her. Thus, Neelo demonstrated her faithfulness and loyalty to Shahid
Additionally, Jalib’s poem, Dastoor (The Constitution) that he read at Liaquat Bagh (Pindi) against Ayub Khan and for which he was jailed, was included in the movie after a slight alteration. The lyrics to the song ended in:
“Tum nahee charagar,
(You are not the remedy)
Koee maney Magar,
(Whether someone believes it or not,)
Main naheen manta.â€
(I don’t believe it.)
The song managed to pass the censor board even though it was against martial law. Shahid wrote the characters and dialogue inspired by events being reported in the press. The brothel madam is based on Aqleem Akhter Rani, nicknamed General Rani, a woman who infamously procured women for those in power. According to the plot, the madam of the brothel uses the character played by Mohammad Ali (newly into acting he received much acclaim for this role) to kidnap young village women for feudals and military officers. Eventually, his conscience smites him and he fights from within the brothel for justice. When the film’s main protagonist, a soldier played by Yusuf Khan, arrives to break up the brothel, he tells him, “Tum sarhad kee hifazat karo, andar hum sambhal lein ge.†(You safeguard the border, we’ll protect it from the inside). In this way, Shahid illustrated the link between the civilian government and the military throughout Pakistan’s political history. Thus, the two writers were fearless in their anti-establishment sentiment.
Eldest daughter Zarqa, Neelo & Riaz Shahid
Riaz Shahid married Neelo and gave her his protection. She converted to Islam and was given the name Abida. SHahid’s film Zarqa was released in 1969 the same year that President Ayub Khan handed over the reins of power to General Yahya Khan and it became the defining film of Neelo’s career. based on the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, the film is a parable. Neelo, in the titular role of Zarqa, is a Muslim Palestinian follower of Yasser Arafat and prisoner of war who has been captured by the Israelis. She is forced by an Israeli general to dance and, upon refusal, is soundly whipped and burnt with lit cigarettes. This scene was influenced by the real life incident that had occurred, which Riaz Shahid bravely incorporated in the film as was jalib’s lyrics….At the end of the song “Aaj qatil ki ye marzi hai†(Today the murderer is demanding this) Zarqa utters Allah with such palpable pathos and pain that the audience also suffers with her. Through symbolism Shahid and Jalib depicted the Palestinian plight and a victimized Neelo’s real life humiliation, sadness and suffering, making this the most popular scene of the movie. Zarqa became such a big hit that it became Pakistan’s first diamond jubilee, meaning it played for more than 50 weeks at the cinemas, and Neelo received her first Nigar Award for Best Actress
In 1966, he wrote and directed the Punjabi movie Mr. Allah Ditta, in which Neelo was cast. During filming their romance began. For his film Zarqa that he produced, directed and wrote, Shahid again cast Neelo. Halfway between filming of the movie, a dramatic incident occurred. Renowned for her dancing, Neelo, who by this time had won two Nigar Awards for Best Supporting Actress in 1959 and 1963, was peremptorily summoned to dance for the Shah of Iran on an official visit to the country in 1965. Reportedly, the incumbent Governor of West Pakistan,  Nawab of Kalabagh, Amir Mohammad Khan threatened her and demanded she dance for them at the Governor’s House. Knowing that Riaz Shahid would not approve, a reluctant and nervous Neelo collapsed on the floor while dancing and feigned unconsciousness. Some even claimed that she had tried to commit suicide, swallowing an overdose of sleeping pills on the way to the Governor’s House. She was rushed to the hospital where doctors revived her. Thus, Neelo demonstrated her faithfulness and loyalty to Shahid.
Habib Jalib immortalized this incident in his poem titled Neelo:
“Too ke nawaqif-i-aadab-i-shahenshahi thee
(You are unaware of the tenets of imperialism!
Raqs zanjeer pehen kar bhee kiya jata hai!â€
You can also dance in fetters)
This poem was adapted and used in the film Zarqa. Soon after this incident, Riaz Shahid married Neelo and gave her his protection. She converted to Islam and was given the name Abida. Zarqa was released in 1969 the same year that President Ayub Khan handed over the reins of power to General Yahya Khan and it became the defining film of Neelo’s career. Shahid’s film, based on the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, is a parable. Neelo, in the titular role of Zarqa, is a Muslim Palestinian follower of Yasser Arafat and prisoner of war who has been captured by the Israelis. She is forced by an Israeli general, played by Taalish, to dance and upon refusal she is soundly whipped and burnt with lit cigarettes. This scene was influenced by the real life incident, which Riaz Shahid bravely incorporated in the film. The wordings of Jalib’s poem were changed in the song to:
   “Too ke nawaqif-i-aadab-i-ghulami hai abhi
(You are unaware of the tenets of slavery!
    Raqs zanjeer pehen kar bhee kiya jata hai!†(You can also dance in fetters!)
At the end of the song “Aaj qatil ki ye marzi hai†(Today the murderer is demanding this) Zarqa utters Allah with such palpable pathos and pain that the audience also suffers with her. Through symbolism Shahid and Jalib depicted the Palestinian plight and a victimized Neelo’s real life humiliation, sadness and suffering, making this the most popular scene of the movie. Zarqa became such a big hit that it became Pakistan’s first diamond jubilee, meaning it played for more than 50 weeks at the cinemas and Neelo received her first Nigar Award for Best Actress.
Reema & Shaan in his first film Bulandi
Family photo
After this, Neelo retired in favour of domestic life. Shahid and Abida named their eldest child, a baby girl, Zarqa who is now married with children of her own. Then, came Shaan, named Armaghan at birth in 1971, followed by the youngest, Sarosh who has also appeared in two films.
Shahid’s final movie was Yeh Amn, a movie on Kashmir. Jalib penned a few of the songs for this film, including the hit song Zulm rahey aur amn bhee ho,  sung by Noor Jahan and Mehdi Hasan. Shortly after the film was released, Shahid Riaz died of leukemia in 1972.
Shaan with his deceased father’s photograph
Though devastated, life had to go on for Abida who had to take care of her very young children. In order to support her family, she resumed her career by starring in the hit movie Khatarnaak, another diamond jubilee film, in 1974 for which she was again awarded a Nigar for Best Actress. She also continued to produce films under her husband’s banner with Baheesht (1974). She won two more Nigars for Best Producer and Best Film. Her last Nigar was for Jat Kuryan Tu Darda (1976). In 2013, she appeared in Waar, a Shaan starrer.
Shaan, the most popular Pakistani film star of our times with more than 500 films to his credit, made his film debut in1990 starring in Javed Fazli’s film Bulandi opposite Reema Khan. He has won many awards including one Pride of Performance, four National Film Awards, fifteen Nigar Awards, five Lux Style Awards, and one each Pakistan Media Award and ARY Film Award. He carries on his parents’ legacy.
Images provided by Guddu Film Archive
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