LAHORE: Actor Nusrat Ara, who played a popular character in a children’s television play, commonly known as Bil Batori, passed away on Saturday. She was 65.

Nusrat’s brother Aftab told Dawn she had been suffering from paralysis for 10 months and had multiple medical complications. Her condition deteriorated on Saturday and she was rushed to Jinnah Hospital where she died.

Television, stage, film and radio personality Nusrat Ara started her showbiz career in the late 60s. She acted in several plays such as Uchay Burj Lahore Dey, Alif Laila, Masi Chalako to name a few. However, it was PTV’s Ainak Wala Jinn in 1993 that made her a household name through the character of Bil Batori. She also did a lot of commercial theatre.

Haseeb Pasha, another actor from Ainak Wala Jinn expressed grief over the her demise, saying she was a great actress who contributed a lot to performing arts.

Although she remained popular while Ainak Wala Jinn was on air, life got tough for her after the play wrapped up. She could not find work and faced abject poverty.

Her funeral will be held near her residence in Iqbal Town and she will be laid to rest at Miyani Sahib graveyard.

Published in Dawn, October 15th, 2017