Roohi Bano

Roohi Bano was born in Karachi on 10 August 1951.^[7] She was the daughter of Alla Rakha, a noted tabla player of India and half-sister of Indian music virtuoso Ustad Zakir Hussain.^[8][9][4]

Roohi joined television when she was doing her Masters in Psychology from the Government College, Lahore.^[10][11]

She is reported to have "witnessed the birth of the television industry in Pakistan...".^[3] Roohi acted memorably in Kiran Kahani (1973), Zard Gulab, Darwaza and many other famous TV dramas (nearly a 150 TV dramas in all) in the 1970s and 1980s.^[4] She was conferred the Pride of Performance award by the President of Pakistan in 1981.^[2][10] She also earned many PTV awards, notably Nigar Award, Graduate Award and Lux Lifetime Achievement Award.^[2][12]

Roohi married twice but both of her marriages were unsuccessful. She had one son.^[4]

In 2005, her 20-year-old only son was murdered by unidentified killers near his residence in Gulberg III, Lahore. His body was dumped alongside a fence where a passerby spotted it. After her son's murder, Roohi had abandoned her acting career, led a lonely life in Lahore and she never fully recovered from this tragic event in her life.^[3][11] In her later life, she was diagnosed with schizophrenia.^[4] She also spent some years at the well known rehabilitation centre Fountain House in Lahore. Her sister had her admitted to the rehabilitation centre in 2005.^[4][13][11]

Roohi died in Istanbul on 25 January 2019.^[14] She had had kidney disease and a mental disorder. She had been on a ventilator for 10 days before she died.^[15] According to her sister, Rubina Yasmeen, her family had travelled to Istanbul, Turkey to be with her in her last days.^[11][7][16]

• Kiran Kahani (1973)
• Zair, Zabar, Pesh (1974)
• Zard Gulab
• Darwaza
• Dastak Na Do
• Gardish
• Karwan
• Dehleez (1981)
• Sarab
• Kaanch Ka Pul
• Ek Mohabat Sau Afsaney
• Apnay Log
• Neelay Hath (1989)
• Kala Diara
• Qila Kahani
• Bazgasht
• Kache Pakke Rang
• Hairat Kadah
• Pakki Haveli
• Sood-o-Zea
• Adhay Chehray

• Aakhri Geet
• Aik Aur Aurat

• Umang (1975)
• Palki (1975)
• Insan Aur Farishta (1976)
• Goonj Uthi Shehnai (1976)
• Rastay Ka Pathar (1976)
• Tipu Sultan (1977)
• Khuda Aur Mohabbat (1978)
• Dushman Ki Talash (1978)
• Zamir (1980)
• Samjhota (1980)
• Aazmaish (1980)
• Dil Ek Khilona (1981)
• Kiran Aur Kali (1981)
• Bara Aadmi (1981)
• Kainat (1983)
• Aaj Ka Insan (1984)
• Da Dushman Talash (1987)

In 2019 on February 3 Pakistan National Council of the Arts paid tributes to her and described her a dignified, refined and polished artist.^[17] In 2021 on August 16 the Government of Pakistan named a street and intersection after her in Lahore.^[18]

• Roohi Bano at IMDb