Profile

DOB: January 1, 1935
Sign: Capricorn
Occupation: Actress

Recognition

• Shakila was best known for her roles in Guru Dutt's films, Aar Paar (1954) and C.I.D. (1956).

• She is also fondly remembered for performance in hit songs like Babuji Dheere Chalna, Neend Na Mujhko Aaye and Ae Mere Dil Hai Nadaan.

Interesting facts

• Shakila started her career in films with a small role in 1953 with Alibaba which did extremely good business.

• Her career took off with Aar Paar where she had a side role with Shyama and Guru Dutt.

• Guru Dutt was known to be a perfectionist. Her famous song sequence in the film took 30-40 takes before he was satisfied. 

• Shakila was said to be a very jovial yet shy person. In fact, many people thought she was a snob because she didn’t talk to anybody. 

• She and actor-comedian Johnny Walker worked together in Aar Par. On the film’s set, Walker met Shakila’s younger sister Noorjahan, and the two got married.

• She was last seen in Ustadon Ke Ustad (1963).

• Shakila was married twice. She retired from cinema in 1963 when she married and decided to move to the United Kingdom with her husband who was not from the film industry.

• Some of Shakila’s other popular films include Shriman Satyawadi, China Town, Post Box 999, Dastaan, Sindbad the Sailor, Rajrani Damyanti, Aagosh, Shahenshah, Raj Mahal, Armaan, Alibaba Aur Chaalis Chor, Lalpari, Roop Kumari, Hatim Tai and Al-Hilal.