Shyama (Hindi actress)

Shyama (born Khurshid Akhtar; 7 June 1935 – 14 November 2017) was an Indian actress who appeared in Hindi and Punjabi films. She first appeared as a child artist in the 1945 Hindi film Zeenat as Baby Khurshid. She later adopted the screen name Shyama, given to her by film director Vijay Bhatt.^[1][2] After years of playing small parts and side roles in films like Shabnam (1949) and Tarana (1951), her breakthrough in a starring adult role came with Aar Paar (1954). She also had some success in Punjabi films like Posti (1950) and Kaude Shah (1953).

Known for her versatility in various genres, Shyama went on to become a recognized star in both Hindi and Punjabi cinema in the 1950s and early 1960s. Some of her best known roles were in Sharada (1957), Bhabhi (1957), Barsaat Ki Raat (1960) and Zabak (1961). She later transitioned to taking on character roles in films like Milan (1967), Sawan Bhadon (1970) and her last film Hathyar (1989), after which she retired from acting.^[2]

Born as Khurshid Akhtar in Lahore, Punjab in British India on 7 June 1935 into a Muslim Arain family, Shyama moved to Mumbai from Lahore in the 1940s.^[3][4] From her childhood she had an inclination for acting and dancing. Her mother tongue was Punjabi.

Shyama made her film debut at the age of 10, when she Shaukat Hussain Rizvi's Zeenat (1945) as one of the chorus singers in the Qawwali song "Aahein Na Bhari Shikwe Na Kiye". This was followed by small roles in many films like Meerabai (1947), Shabnam (1949) and Patanga (1949).^[2][1] During this period, she also acted in some Punjabi films like Chaman (1948).

In 1949, she came in contact with film producer Harcharan Singh Kwatra and his younger brother music director Sardul Singh Kwatra, who liked her command over Punjabi language and cast in their film Posti, which went on to become a big commercial success in 1950, making her a popular actress in Punjabi cinema. Noted playback singer, Asha Bhosle, made her film playback singing debut with this film.

By this point of her career, Shyama had graduated from doing child roles to adult roles as second leads in Hindi films, like Fali Mistry's Sazaa opposite Dev Anand, and Tarana (1951) opposite Dilip Kumar. She then played the lead roles against Nasir Khan in Aasmaan (1952) and Shrimati Ji (1952), opposite Shammi Kapoor in Gul Sanobar (1953)" and Thokar (1953), opposite Talat Mahmood in Dil-E-Nadaan (1953), opposite Kishore Kumar in Lahren (1953), and opposite Balraj Sahni in Majboori (1954).

In 1954, she got her breakthrough in Guru Dutt's classic Aar Paar (1954), in which she played the vivacious daughter of a garage owner who falls for an ex-convict (Dutt). She then continued to act in films like Ladla (1954), Majboori (1954), Khandaan (1955), Bhai-Bhai (1956), Chhoo Mantar (1956) and Mai Baap (1957).

One of her most memorable performances came in the 1957 film Sharada, where she played the role of Chanchal, who finds that her husband, Raj Kapoor, and his stepmother, played by Meena Kumari, were in a relationship before marrying his father. The same year, she starred in Bhabhi (1957), where she played a scheming sister-in-law who plots to separate brothers. She worked with Shammi Kapoor again in the romantic classic Mirza Sahiban (1957), made by the Kwatra brothers.^[5]

Some of her other well-known Hindi films of the time include Chandan (1958), Lala Rukh (1958), Chhoti Bahen (1959), and Do Behnen (1959) in which she played the double role of twin sisters. She also acted in P.L. Santoshi’s Barsaat Ki Raat (1960).

Her last Punjabi film was Vilayat Pass in 1961. Her role was critically acclaimed, though the film did not do too well. In later years, her memorable roles came in Hindi films such as Dil Diya Dard Liya (1966), Sawan Bhadon (1970), Ajanabee (1974) and Masterji (1985).^[1]

She was honored with the BFJA Award for Best Actress for her role in the 1956 film Chhoo Mantar. For her performance in the 1957 film Sharada, she was awarded the Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actress.^[1][2]

She was married to cinematographer Fali Mistry in 1953. Her husband was a Parsi (Zoroastrian) from Bombay, India. They kept the marriage secret for as many as 10 years because of the fear that Shyama's career would suffer if her marriage became known; in those days, it was thought that the fan following of female stars became less as soon as they married. The marriage was revealed to the public shortly before the birth of their first child, their eldest son. The couple had three children, two sons, Faroukh and Rohin, and a daughter Shirrin. Fali Mistry died in 1979, thereafter she continued to stay in Mumbai. Their marriage seemed to have worked out well and they got along well with each other. In a 2013 interview, she reportedly said, "My greatest weakness was always Fali."^[1][2]

Shyama's close friends were actress Ameeta and Johnny Walker. Nasir Kazi, Johnny Walker's son, expressed his grief on hearing the news of her death. In an interview with Mid-Day, he said, "It's really disheartening to know about the demise of Shyama aunty. She had done several films with my father and in a lot of them, she paired with him also. In fact, in the film that was made on his name Johnny Walker, she was the heroine with him.^[6]

Her son Faroukh Mistry is a cinematographer.^[7] Faroukh's previous film to hit the theatres was Angrezi Mein Kehte Hain in the year 2018.

Shyama died on 14 November 2017 due to a lung infection at the age of 82.^[6] She is buried at Badakabarastan, Marine Lines in Mumbai, India.^[7][1]

• Shyama at IMDb
• Shyama Filmography Upperstall