Begum gayin, say Lucknow and Bollywood as they mourn the loss of Farrukh Jaffar

Friday ended on a bleak note for Lucknowites and Bollywood as

Farrukh Jaffar

, the popular and much-loved actress of films like

Umrao Jaan

, Swades,

Peepli Live

, Secret Superstar, Sultan and the leading lady of Gulabo Sitabo passed away.

Farrukh Jaffar in Umrao Jaan as Rekha’s mother

Jaffar, 88, was born in Jaunpur in 1933 and moved to Lucknow at the age of 16 when she married freedom fighter and journalist

Syed Muhammad Jaffar

. Always fond of cinema, Farrukh had once told us how she would see films back to back in theatres, sometimes even coaxing her male relatives to accompany her to a film show. Nargis and Dilip Kumar were her favourite actors.

Farrukh Jaffar as amma in Peepli Live

Later in 1963, Jaffar became the first woman announcer of

Vividh Bharti

before making an impressive name for herself in the Indian film industry.
Jaffar’s co-actors, directors mourned the loss of the iconic actress who became the oldest actress to have won a Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actress this year, for her portrayal as Fatto Begum in the film Gulabo Sitabo opposite Amitabh Bachchan.

As Fatima Begum in Gulabo Sitabo with Amitabh Bachchan as her on screen husband

Filmmaker Muzaffar Ali, whose film Umrao Jaan marked Farrukh Jaffar’s debut in acting said of her, “Umme Farwa, as her real name was, was the name she wanted to appear in the credit titles of Umrao Jaan. For all of us in the film, she was Farrukh khala. My friend

Taqi Hasan

of Salempur would tease her with this name and harmless Awadhi digs. She was the behind-the-screen happening of the film and extended her self for everything the film demanded –_from nazar niyaz to coaching people in the ways of belonging to its culture. She was in many of my short films and most recently Jaanisaar. Such people are immortal as they create moments in which we all live and remember them by. She was an important part of my creative work and she would always add immeasurable value to it. I literally have no words to describe this loss, a loss for Lucknow, a loss to our language and culture.”

Ayushmann Khurrana bid his Gulabo Sitabo co-star farewell with this post (@ayushmannk

With Nawazuddin Siddiqui on the sets of Jogira Sara Ra Ra (@kushannandy)

Writer Juhi Chaturvedi, who penned the memorable Fatima Begum character for Jaffar in Gulabo Sitabo, wrote on social media, “Begum gayiin. Farrukh ji. Na aap jaisa koi tha aur na hoga. Dil se shukriya jo aapne humko aapse rishta jodne ki ijaazat di. Ab allah ki uss duniya mein hifaazat se rahiyega. RIP #FarrukhJaffar #Begum #FattoBi #FatimaBegum #GulaboSitabo.

Anusha Rizvi wrote for her Peepli Live Amma (@anusharizvi2018)

Ayuhsmann Khurrana, he co-actor in the film posted, “Begum gayin. Rest in peace Farrukh Jaffar ji.” Director Hansal Mehta also paid his respects by writing, “You will inspire me Farrukh Khala.”
Jaffar has left behind a legacy, few can match in the industry. Her last film Seher with Pankaj Kapur will release posthumously.