Neelo

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Pakistani actress (1940–2021)

title: "Neelo" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["1940-births", "actresses-in-pashto-cinema", "2021-deaths", "pakistani-film-actresses", "nigar-award-winners", "people-from-sargodha-district", "20th-century-pakistani-actresses", "recipients-of-sitara-i-imtiaz", "21st-century-pakistani-actresses", "pakistani-former-christians", "converts-to-sunni-islam-from-catholicism", "actresses-in-urdu-cinema", "actresses-in-punjabi-cinema"] description: "Pakistani actress (1940–2021)" topic_path: "arts" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neelo" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::summary Pakistani actress (1940–2021) ::

::data[format=table title="Infobox person"]

FieldValue
nameNeelo

| | birth_name | Cynthia Alexander Fernandes | | birth_date | | | birth_place | Bhera, Punjab, British India | | death_date | | | death_place | Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan | | othername | The Queen of Romance The Princess of Romance Abida Riaz | | occupation | Film actress | | years active | 1955 – 2005 | | spouse | | | children | Shaan Shahid (son) | | awards | Sitara-i-Imtiaz (2022) | ::

| name = Neelo

| image = | caption = | birth_name = Cynthia Alexander Fernandes | birth_date = | birth_place = Bhera, Punjab, British India | death_date = | death_place = Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan | othername = The Queen of Romance The Princess of Romance Abida Riaz | occupation = Film actress | years active = 1955 – 2005 | spouse = | children = Shaan Shahid (son) | awards = Sitara-i-Imtiaz (2022)

Neelo Begum (born Cynthia Alexander Fernandes; née Abida Riaz; 30 June 1940 – 30 January 2021) was a Pakistani veteran film actress. She made her film debut in 1956 with a Hollywood film Bhowani Junction. She was known as The Queen of Romance and The Princess of Romance for her portrayal of romantic roles. She worked in more than 134 Pakistani films including Urdu and Punjabi language films.

She was the recipient of numerous awards, including Nigar Awards, she first gained recognition after appearing in a song "Aaye Mausam Rangilay Suhanay" from Saat Lakh and achieved critical and commercial success with the title role role in Zarqa.

Early life

Born into a Catholic family, she adopted a Muslim name, Abida Riaz after marrying a Pakistani filmmaker, Riaz Shahid in 1965.

Neelo was born in Bhera, British India. She did her primary schooling at Kinnaird High School, Lahore.

Controversies

In 1965, at the peak of her popularity, she was summoned by Nawab Malik Amir Mohammad Khan, then Governor of West Pakistan, to dance on stage for the Shah of Iran during his official visit to Pakistan; but she refused to do it for her own reasons. Harassed and threatened, Neelo faced dire consequences for refusing to obey official orders. She was allegedly gang molested and attempted suicide on the way to the Governor's House and was taken to a hospital instead, where the doctors saved her life.

News of the incident generated widespread public backlash against the Nawab. The renowned leftist poet Habib Jalib, on hearing of the incident, expressed his anguish in his poem over her attempted suicide: "Tu kay nawaqif-e-aadab-e-ghulami hae abhi...raqs zanjeer pehan ker bhi kya jata hae" (meaning: "unaware art thou yet of the rites of enslavement...dance can be performed even while enchained".) Later this poem was used in the film Zarqa (1969) with slight changes in the words and ended up becoming a super-hit film song in Pakistan. The film song became much more relevant, effective, and popular because it was picturised on Neelo herself and was based on similar real-life events in Neelo's life. She also won the Best Actress Nigar Award for film Zarqa (1969). It had superb music by Wajahat Attre and was sung by Mehdi Hassan.

Personal life

Born Cynthia Alexander Fernandes, Neelo was the only Pakistani actress to feature in a major Hollywood film, "Bhowani Junction," starring Ava Gardner and Stewart Granger, which also marked her film debut. She later entered the Pakistani film industry as an extra, worked her way up to second lead roles, and eventually became a leading lady due to her exceptional talent.

"Zarqa" became Pakistan's first diamond jubilee film and marked the pinnacle of Neelo's career, being hailed as a milestone in Pakistani cinema.

The couple named their first child Zarqa in honor of the film followed by two sons Sarosh and Armaghan as known as Shaan . Riaz Shahid died from blood cancer in October 1972. She is the mother of film actor Shaan Shahid.

Illness and death

She died from blood cancer on 30 January 2021 in Lahore.

Filmography

Tribute and honour

Actress and model Iqra Aziz held a tribute in her memory on International Women's Day and described her a very fine actress, successful individual, an amazing wife, and a wonderful mother. The Government of Pakistan named a street and intersection after her in Lahore on August 16, 2021.

Awards and recognition

::data[format=table]

YearAwardCategoryResultTitleRef.
1959Nigar AwardBest Supporting ActressKoel
1963Nigar AwardBest Supporting ActressAman
1969Nigar AwardBest ActressZarqa
1999Nigar AwardSpecial Millennium AwardHerselfurl=https://www.desimoviesreviews.com/index.php/2017/11/24/pakistans-oscars-nigar-awards/
2022Sitara-i-ImtiazAward by the President of PakistanHerself
::

References

References

  1. (2021-01-30). "Legendary film star Neelo passes away".
  2. (March 25, 2022). "Rohail Hyatt receives Hilal-e-Imtiaz, thanks partners in Vital Signs, Coke Studio journey".
  3. (February 2, 2021). "Neelo: The Defiant Screen Starlet".
  4. (December 12, 2021). "Shaan shares adorable pictures with mother Neelo".
  5. (2021-02-01). "Famous Pakistani actor Neelo dies, 'happiest moment' says Bilawal Bhutto on sister's marriage".
  6. (2021-01-31). "Veteran film star Neelo passes away".
  7. (2019-05-29). "Neelo - the iconic filmstar of yesteryears".
  8. (February 27, 2022). "IN MEMORIAM: NEELO'S UNCHAINED SPIRIT".
  9. (27 September 2009). "Profile of actress Neelo".
  10. [https://www.dawn.com/news/1141556 Socialist cinema: Habib Jalib and Riaz Shahid in Neelo's film Zarqa (1969) on Dawn (newspaper)] Published 5 November 2014, Retrieved 18 July 2018
  11. (2021-01-30). "Veteran actress Neelo Begum dies of cancer".
  12. (January 30, 2021). "Vetreran Pakistani actress Neelo Begum passes away".
  13. Gazdar, Mushtaq. (1997). "Pakistan Cinema, 1947-1997". Oxford University Press.
  14. Gazdar, Mushtaq. (1997). "Pakistan Cinema, 1947-1997". Oxford University Press.
  15. Gazdar, Mushtaq. (1997). "Pakistan Cinema, 1947-1997". Oxford University Press.
  16. Gazdar, Mushtaq. (1997). "Pakistan Cinema, 1947-1997". Oxford University Press.
  17. (November 17, 2021). "Iqra Aziz pays tribute to Neelo Begum on Women's Day".
  18. (September 21, 2021). "Lahore streets, intersections to be named after famous personalities".
  19. (24 November 2017). "Pakistan's "Oscars": The Nigar Awards".
  20. (January 2, 2022). "126 people to get civil awards for their distinguished work".

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1940-birthsactresses-in-pashto-cinema2021-deathspakistani-film-actressesnigar-award-winnerspeople-from-sargodha-district20th-century-pakistani-actressesrecipients-of-sitara-i-imtiaz21st-century-pakistani-actressespakistani-former-christiansconverts-to-sunni-islam-from-catholicismactresses-in-urdu-cinemaactresses-in-punjabi-cinema