Rani Begum

Rani Begum was born on 8 December 1946 as Nasira in Mozang, Lahore to Malik Muhammed Shafi and Iqbal Begum in an Punjabi Arain family. Her father was a driver for Mukhtar Begum, a singer who was married to Agha Hashar Kashmiri, a well-known Urdu dramatist. Mukhtar Begum took over and raised Rani herself. After being raised by Mukhtar Begum, Rani moved in with her mother with whom she reconciled. ==Acting career==

Rani acted in both Urdu and Punjabi movies in Pakistani cinema. In 1962, Anwar Kamal Pasha gave Rani her first role in Mehboob. For several years after Mehoob, Rani appeared in supporting roles in films like Mouj Maila, Ek Tera Sahara and Safaid Khoon. Until 1965 she starred in other films, but when they flopped one after another she was dubbed a jinxed actress. However, after the success of Hazar Dastan (1965) and Devar Bhabi (1967), Rani became a leading actress. Some of her more notable films are Chann Makhna, Sajjan Pyara, Jind Jan, Duniya Matlab Di, Anjuman, Tehzeeb, Umrao Jaan Ada, Naag Muni, Seeta Maryam Margaret, Aik Gunnah Aur Sahi and Surraya Bhopali. In Umrao Jaan Ada, she portrayed an ill-fated tawaif and poetess from Lucknow. In 1974, she portrayed Laila in Laila Majnu, based on the eponymous legend. In 1975, she portrayed a Romani girl who falls for an urban man in Dilruba. She also acted in two TV serials Khuwahish and Fareb in the early 1990s. ==Personal life==

After her initial success in the late 1960s, she married renowned director Hassan Tariq, with whom she had a daughter, Rabia. Due to conflicts, Hassan Tariq divorced Rani in the late 1970s. ==Illness and death==

Rani died of cancer on 27 May 1993 at the age of 46 in Karachi, just a few days after her daughter Rabia's marriage. Shortly after Rani's death, her mother who was seriously ill and never knew of her daughter's death, also died. Rani's only sister also died three months later. Rani and her mother were buried side by side in Lahore in Muslim Town Cemetery. ==Filmography==

Television series Film ==Awards and recognition==