LAHORE, Nov 2: Film actress Chakori was laid to rest at Shah Farid graveyard in Sabzazaar on Tuesday – a day after she breathed her last at the age of 58.
She had been suffering from multiple diseases such as asthma and diabetes and would go through the process of blood transfusion.
Among the screen stars who attended her funeral were Sohail Ahmed, Jawad Waseem, Sardar Kamal, Bahar, Durdana Rehman, Nisho and Sangeeta.
A contemporary of Anjuman, Naghma, Aliya, Asia, Sangeeta and Zamurad, Chakori had performed in Sindhi, Punjabi and Pushto films till 90s.
According to her family, she was born in Gujrat and started her career from Sindhi films at a time when Sindhi cinema was making slow progress. Her first Sindhi movie “Mehboob Mitha” appeared in 1971 in which she performed a secondary role. The film had Anila Ejaz in the lead role with Mushtaq Changezi.
The same year she appeared in another hit movie “Pyar Kayo Singhar” which was produced by Yusuf Nasar, a known Sindhi filmmaker. Mushtaq Changezi and Chakori were the leading artistes in the film and their performance gave a boost to the Sindhi cinema. The duo developed an understanding and they got married and later performed in films such as “Pyar Taan Sadqey” and “Munjho Pyar Pukarey”.
Watching Chakori perform with distinction in the Sindhi films, the producers and directors from Punjab were convinced that she could show her talent also for Urdu and Punjabi movies.
Film Director Javed Fazil in his debut production “Goonj” signed Chakori in 70s. It was a multi-starred film having Shahid, Ghulam Mohyuddin and Usman Peerzada. The movie brought accolades to Chakori who later decided to stay in Lahore and do more films. Mushtaq Changezi was unhappy about this decision and the couple got separated.
Later, she played a lead role in Punjabi films like “Maula Jutt”, “Chalan” and “Hirasaat”. It was Maula Jutt which took Chakori to heights of popularity; she had attained the status of the second best heroine of the Punjabi films (Anjuman was enjoying fame as the best performer at that time).
Among Chakori’s Urdu movies were “Sheeshay Ka Ghar”, “Hera Pheri” and “Takrao”. She had worked in many films with Kaifi and the two married. Kaifi divorced her after the pair lost its magic on the silver screen. Subsequently, she tied the knot with a businessman.
Towards the twilight of her career she joined Pushto films and bade farewell to the industry in 1990.
Qul will be held on Wednesday (today) at 4:30pm at Iqbal Town’s Huma Block.
