Two legendary actresses of Hindi cinema, Rekha and Aishwarya Rai, have brought alive the character of Umrao Jaan in two eponymous films of the same name. However, way before them, Pakistani actress Rani Begum played the character in the 1972 Pakistani film Umrao Jaan Ada. Rani Begum’s portrayal of Umrao Jaan had such an effect that it reportedly changed the life of courtesans. There were multiple reports of people wanting to marry courtesans at the time.
Rani Begum’s legacy is not Umrao Jaan Ada alone but other classic films like Tehzeeb, Seeta Maryam Margaret and Surraya Bhopali. Right from the 70s to the early 90s, she was one of the most sought-after actresses in Pakistan. Her personal life was, however, a melancholic ballad.
She was the daughter of a driver, who worked for famous singer Mukhtar Begum. She was adopted by Mukhtar Begum as her father could not support her. Mukhtar wanted to make her a singer like herself but she showed a natural talent for acting and joined the film industry.
In 1962, Rani Begum made her screen debut. But she became well-known because of the 1966 film Devar-Bhabhi. For the films Mera Ghar Meri Jannat, Babul, and Sona Chandi, she received the Pakistani Nigar Award. Hasan Tariq fell in love with Rani as a result of her outstanding performance in the film Anjuman. Despite Hasan Tariq being a married man, both of them got married and had a daughter named Rabina. However, the marriage fell apart due to frequent fights between the two. She lived alone with her daughter until producer Mian Javed Qamar proposed to her and they got married. But this happiness was short-lived. Rani was soon diagnosed with cancer. When Rani broke the news to her husband, instead of getting her treated or showing compassion, he divorced her.
She met renowned cricketer Sarfaraz Nawaz while receiving treatment in London. They soon got along well with one another and got married. In the late 1980s, Rani supported Sarfraz throughout his political campaign. However, Sarfraz left Rani after a few months. Rani experienced loneliness and grief after going through a third divorce. The cancer returned and this time it was considerably more intense because Rani’s only real motivation for living was to witness her daughter’s wedding.
A few days after her daughter Rabia’s wedding, Rani passed away from cancer in Karachi on May 27, 1993, the age of 46.
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