Written by: Sadaf Shahzad
Posted on: February 01, 2021 | 
| 中文
Neelo (Left) and Riaz Shahid (Right)
This weekend, the Pakistani film industry mourned the loss of film star Neelo. In her six-decade film career, Neelo made waves as a bona fide leading lady who was popular with audiences and versatile in her acting and dancing skills. Although it is difficult to mention Neelo without the influence of her husband Riaz Shahid, history shows that Neelo’s story is that of someone who defied convention and remained resolute in her choices, no matter the consequences.
Neelo was born Cynthia Alexander Fernandez in 1940 in Bhera, Sargodha. Although much is not known about her early life, she entered the Pakistani film industry at the tender age of 16. As luck would have it, the Hollywood Film ‘Bhowani Junction’ (1956) was being shot at the Lahore Railway station, and Neelo made her big break playing a budding reporter in the film. However, it was Neelo’s role in the 1957 film ‘Saat Laakh’ (Seven Lakh) which caught the attention of the local film community. Her role as the sweet flower girl who sang, “Aae Mausam Rangeelay Suhanay” (‘The Colorful and Pleasant Weather Has Come’) remains iconic, and is still sung fondly today.
Neelo in Saat Laakh
With her round face and large, arresting eyes, Neelo quickly cemented herself as Pakistani cinema’s queen of romance. She became well-known for her dancing skills, and her playback singers included Noor Jehan and Zubaida Khanum, which added to her vampish feminine allure. But Neelo established herself in the pantheon of cinema starlets by steadily taking on several minor and secondary roles in films which allowed her to showcase her versatility in acting, eventually leading to the success of the films she was in.
Neelo met the progressive writer-director Riaz Shahid in 1966, when she was cast in his film, “Mr. Allah Ditta”. At the time, Shahid was well known for his writing partnership with left-wing poet Habib Jalib. Together, they not only wrote about anti-imperialist struggles but also questioned the lack of trade unions and increased control of military dictators. But while Neelo and Shahid allegedly fell in love on the set of the film, it was their next collaboration that would cement their relationship and impact the film industry with their collaborative power.
Neelo and Riaz Shahid with their Eldest Daughter Zarqa
During the early 1960s, the Palestinian liberation movement received considerable attention from both the Pakistani public and film directors. Thus, Jalib and Shahid joined together once more to make “Zarqa” (1969), with Neelo as the titular character. Zarqa is the story of an Arab woman who joins the Palestinian liberation movement and wrecks havoc on the Israeli military occupying their land. The film is violent, ideological but also very moving as it not only reflects on the plight of the Palestinians under occupation, but also offered sharp-edged commentary on the rise of authoritarian practices in Pakistan.
Before the film was shot, the Shah of Iran was to pay a visit to the country in 1965 to establish diplomatic ties. The incumbent Governor of West Pakistan, the Nawab of Kalabagh, Amir Muhammad Khan, threatened and demanded that Neelo dance for the Shah’s official visit. Neelo, who was at the height of her career and devoted to Shahid, refused to be degraded in such a manner. It was said that she took sleeping pills and collapsed on the floor of the Governor’s house for all to see. As she was rushed to the hospital, the event received considerable public scrutiny, and Habib Jalib was inspired to write a poem in her honor.
The Poster for Zarqa (1969)
“Raqs zanjeer pehen kar bhee kiya jata hai!
(You can also dance in chains!)
Aaj qatil ki yeh marzi hai ki sirkash ladki
(Today the ruler wishes of you, you stubborn girl)
Sir-e-qatil tujhay koroon se nachaya jay
(That you be made to dance by whipping)
Maut ka raqs zamanay ko dikhaya jay
(This deadly dance is for the world to see)
Is tarahan zulm ko nazarana diya jata hai
(This is a spectacle of the power of darkness)
Raqs zanjeer pahin kar bhee kiya jata hai
(For dances can also be performed wearing chains)”
After the incident, Neelo and Shahid married in 1969, and Neelo changed her name to Abida after converting to Islam. In honor of Neelo’s act of defiance, Jalib’s poem was incorporated into the film Zarqa, as Neelo refused to dance for the sadistic Major David in the film. Moreover, the vocal power of Mehdi Hassan along with the notoriety of the event itself, spelled certain success for the song as well as the film. Zarqa became Pakistan’s first Diamond Jubilee film (meaning it ran in theatres for over 100 weeks), and is still considered one of the best films in Pakistan’s film history. Neelo and Shahid remained married for the remainder of his life and together they had three children, including the famous actor Shaan Shahid who has built a considerable reputation in the film industry.
Neelo with her Shaan and His Wife
A diabetic in the later years of her life, Neelo passed away on 30th January this year, with her son Shaan taking to Twitter to share the news. During her career, she featured in 134 Pakistani films both in Urdu and Punjabi, and she also won four Nigar awards. Many have remembered the cinema starlet for her long-term contributions to the Pakistani film industry, whether as a young romantic lead, or a brave woman who refused to dance even when coerced by authoritarian forces.
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