Sultana (actress)

Sultana, also known as Sultana Razaaq, was one of the earliest film actresses from India and acted both in silent movies and later in talkie movies. She was a daughter of India’s first female film director, Fatima Begum.[1] Zubeida (leading actress of India's first talkie film Alam Ara (1931)) was a younger sister of Sultana.[2]

Sultana
Sultana or Sultana Razaaq
Born
Sultana

Surat, Bombay Presidency, British India
OccupationFilm actor, producer
Years active1922–1937
Spouse(s)Seth Razaaq
Children1
Parent(s)Fatima Begum
Nawab Sidi Ibrahim Muhammad Yakut Khan III
RelativesJamila Razaaq (daughter)
Waqar Hasan (son-in-law)
Zubeida (sister)
Rhea Pillai (great-niece)

She was among the few girls who entered films at a time when it was not considered an appropriate profession for girls from respectable families, let alone Royalty. Born in the Surat city of Gujarat in western India, Sultana was a stunningly beautiful Muslim princess, the daughter of Nawab Sidi Ibrahim Muhammad Yakut Khan III of Sachin State and Fatima Begum. She had two sisters, Zubeida and Shehzadi, both actresses. However, there is no record of a marriage or a contract having taken place between the Nawab and Fatima Bai or of the Nawab having recognised any of her children as his own, a prerequisite for legal paternity in Muslim family law.

Career

Sultana was a popular actress in the silent movie era, usually cast in romantic roles. She started her career as actress in Veer Abhimanyu (1922)[1] film and later performed in several silent films. Later, she also acted in talkie movies. When India was partitioned in 1947, she migrated to Pakistan with her husband, a wealthy man named Seth Razaaq. Her daughter, Jamila Razaaq, was also encouraged by her to act in Pakistani films and she produced a film in Pakistan, named Hum Ed hain (1961), written by famous scriptwriter, Fayyaz Hashmi. The film was partly shot in colour, which was rare those days, but it failed miserably and Sultana stopped producing any films afterwards. [2]

Sultana's daughter, Jamila Razaaq, married the well known Pakistani cricketer Waqar Hasan, who is the brother of filmmaker Iqbal Shehzad. He runs a business under the name National Foods at Karachi.[2]

Filmography

Silent Movies
Year Title Producer Role Notes
1922 Veer Abhimaniyu Star Films Uttari[1] Debut Movie
1924 Gul Bakavali Kohinoor & Imperial
Kalyan Khajina Kohinoor & Imperial A Fair Maiden [3]
Kala Naag Kohinoor & Imperial
Manorama Kohinoor & Imperial
Prithvi Vallabh Ashoka Pictures
Sati Sardarba Saraswati Film Company
1925 Indra Sabha Kohinoor & Imperial
1928 Chandravali Victoria Fatima Film Company
1929 Kanak Tara Fatima Film Company
Young India Indulal Yagnik
1930 Brand Of Fate Imperial Film Company
Glory Of India Ranjit Film Company
Revence Imperial Film Company
The Comet Surya F. Co.
1931 Wages of Sin Sharda Mysore Pictures Corporation

Talkie Movies
Year Title Producer Role Notes
1931 Milkmaid Ranjit Film Company First Indian Talkie Movie of Sultana
Kamar-Al-Zaman Maimoonah
1933 Intekam Amar Mallick
Shan-e-Subhan Brahma Film Company
1934 Afghan Abla Kumar M.
Amirzadi Kumar M.
Saubhagya Laxmi Kumar M.
1935 Behan Ka Prem Prosperty Films
Bidrohee East India Film Company
Kamroo Desh Ki Kamini Kumar M.
Maut Ka Toofan All India Movie
Step Mother East India Film Company
1936 Hoor-E-Samundar Vishnu Cine
Sagar Ki Kanya Vijay Pictures
Devdas Parvati
1938 Talwar Ka Dhani
1939 Indramalati
1940 Usha Haran Popular Pictures
1949 Girdhar Gopal Ki Mira

Producer
Year Title Notes
1961 Hum Ek Hain Pakistani Movie

References
  1. "Sultana-actress". IMDb.com. amazon.com/IMDb.com. Retrieved 13 September 2012.
  2. "sultana". Cineplot.com. Retrieved 13 September 2012.
  3. Garga, Bhagavan Das (1996). So Many Cinemas. Eminence Designs. p. 32,43,52. ISBN 9788190060219. Retrieved 18 September 2012.
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