Veteran actress Shyama, best known for her hit Bollywood film Barsaat Ki Raat, Aar Paar and the like passed away earlier today at the age of 82. Often seen in most old Hindi songs, she was perhaps one of the most beautiful actresses that Indian cinema had ever known. Originally named Khurshid Akhtar, the Indian beauty got her stage name, Shyama, from filmmaker Vijay Bhatt. Her daughter Shirrin told Indian Express that her mother succumbed to an acute lung infection, which she had been suffering from since quite many days. The cremation reportedly took place at 2.30 pm at Marine Lines in Mumbai today.
The deceased actress was part of 175 films during her acting career. In one of her earlier interviews the iconic personality had an interesting story to narrate about her tryst with the showbiz industry. “I had gone with my friends to watch Noorjehan shoot for a film in Dadar. The director Shaukat Hussain (Noorjehan’s husband) asked us, `Does anyone of you want to work?’ I put my hand up and said, ‘Main karoongi (I will)’. My parents were not well off. Yet, Abba didn’t want me to work in films. I said, ‘What’s the harm?’ I was always interested in acting. During the lunch break in school, I’d stand on the table and dance. Later, I even learnt singing and dance. I watched every film.” Now doesn’t it sound like she was born to be an actress!
