Uzra Butt
Encyclopedia
Uzra Butt was a theatre personality of the Indian sub-continent, who moved to Pakistan
in 1964. She was the sister of theatre and Bollywood
film actress Zohra Segal, who, unlike her, lived in India
.
Starting in 1937, breaking traditional barriers, she and her sister joined with Uday Shankar
ballet company
as actors and dancers and toured through Europe and the United States. When World War II
ended their tour, she joined IPTA
and subsequently remained the leading lady with Prithvi Theatre
in the 1940s and 1950s. She migrated to Pakistan in 1964, where she joined Ajoka Theatre in 1984.
Pathan
s, of Mumtazullah Khan and Natiqua Begum, belonging to Rampur, Uttar Pradesh. She was fourth of her seven siblings - Zakullah, Hajrah, Zohra (Zohra Sehgal
), Ikramullah, Anna and Sabira, and grew up in Chakrata
, near Dehradun
.
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She began her stage career with Uday Shankar
's ballet company
in 1937 and went on to become the leading lady of the famous Prithvi Theatre
in 1940s and 50s.
She entered Uday Shankar's ballet troupe as a dancer and also taught dance before joining the Indian People's Theatre Association
(IPTA) in 1944 as an actress. Here Khwaja Ahmad Abbas
cast her as the lead in the play Zubeda. Prithivi Raj Kapoor was impressed by her role and chose her as his lead heroine, Zohra too joined her. In the coming years, she played leading lady opposite Prithviraj Kapoor in Prithvi Theatre productions. She played a heroine's part in Sakuntala in 1944, partnering her sister in Ghaddar in 1948 and taking the lead role in Kisan and performed in 100 towns and cities all over India. Uzra Butt was also an art director of Prithvi theatre and worked for Prithvi theatre, till 1960, when it wrapped up.
In 1964 she migrated to Pakistan with her husband, to Pakistan with her husband Hameed Butt. Here she formed a dance troupe in Rawalpindi
, acted on stage and television from time to time and served the Pakistan National Council of the Arts
.
Later she moved to Lahore
and became the leading lady of Ajoka Theatre in October 1985. Her first play with the group was 'Chaak Chakkar', subsequently she went on to act in plays like, Barri, Dukhini, Dukh Darya, Takey Da Tamasha, Talismati Tata, Teesri Dastak, Kali Ghata, Adhuri and Surak Gulaban Da Mousam and later began chairperson of the group. In 1993, she did the play, Aik Thi Nani, with her sister Zohra Segal after 40 years. The leading roles of play were performed by the two sisters, along with their grand niece, Samiya Mumtaz
and niece, Salima Raza. The play first opened in Lahore, in 2003 ubsequently performed across India, Pakistan and Britain, including a performance at the Prithvi theare in 2004.
Uzra was awarded the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award
in Acting (Urdu) in 1994 by the Sangeet Natak Akademi
, India's National Academy of Music, Dance & Drama. It is the highest Indian recognition given to practicing artists.
Her last performance on stage was in 2008. She died in Lahore
at the age of 93.
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
in 1964. She was the sister of theatre and Bollywood
Bollywood
Bollywood is the informal term popularly used for the Hindi-language film industry based in Mumbai , Maharashtra, India. The term is often incorrectly used to refer to the whole of Indian cinema; it is only a part of the total Indian film industry, which includes other production centers producing...
film actress Zohra Segal, who, unlike her, lived in India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
.
Starting in 1937, breaking traditional barriers, she and her sister joined with Uday Shankar
Uday Shankar
Uday Shankar , the pioneer of modern dance in India, and a world renowned Indian dancer and choreographer, was most known for adapting Western theatrical techniques to traditional Indian classical dance, imbued with elements of Indian classical, folk, and tribal dance, thus laying the roots of...
ballet company
Ballet company
A ballet company is a group of dancers who perform ballet, plus managerial and support staff. Most major ballet companies employ dancers on a year-round basis, except in the United States, where contracts for part of the year are the norm...
as actors and dancers and toured through Europe and the United States. When World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
ended their tour, she joined IPTA
Ipta
IPTA can refer to:* Indian People's Theatre Association* International Pulsar Timing Array...
and subsequently remained the leading lady with Prithvi Theatre
Prithvi Theatre
Prithvi Theatre is one of Mumbai's best known theatres. It belongs to the Kapoor family, one of the most influential actor/director families in Bollywood. The theatre is named after Prithviraj Kapoor who first founded 'Prithvi Theatres', a travelling theatre company in 1944. The company ran for...
in the 1940s and 1950s. She migrated to Pakistan in 1964, where she joined Ajoka Theatre in 1984.
Early life
She was born as Uzra Mumtaz in Rampur, India in a land-owning family of RohillaRohilla
The Rohilla are a community of Hindi-speaking Pashtun also known as Pathan, historically found in the state of Uttar Pradesh, in North India. Most are now also found in Pakistan where they are now part of the Mohajir community. At one time, they form one of the largest Pashtun diaspora community...
Pathan
Pashtun people
Pashtuns or Pathans , also known as ethnic Afghans , are an Eastern Iranic ethnic group with populations primarily between the Hindu Kush mountains in Afghanistan and the Indus River in Pakistan...
s, of Mumtazullah Khan and Natiqua Begum, belonging to Rampur, Uttar Pradesh. She was fourth of her seven siblings - Zakullah, Hajrah, Zohra (Zohra Sehgal
Zohra Sehgal
Zohra Segal is an Indian stage and film actress, who started her career as dancer with dancer Uday Shankar in 1935 and worked with him for the next eight years. She has appeared in many Bollywood films as well as English language films and television series...
), Ikramullah, Anna and Sabira, and grew up in Chakrata
Chakrata
Chakrata or Chakrauta is a cantonment town in Dehradun district in the state of Uttarakhand, India.It is situated between the Tons and Yamuna rivers, at an elevation of 7000–7250 feet, 92 km from state capital, Dehradun, it was originally a cantonment of British Indian Army...
, near Dehradun
Dehradun
- Geography :The Dehradun district has various types of physical geography from Himalayan mountains to Plains. Raiwala is the lowest point at 315 meters above sea level, and the highest points are within the Tiuni hills, rising to 3700 m above sea level...
.
Career
Uday Shankar
Uday Shankar , the pioneer of modern dance in India, and a world renowned Indian dancer and choreographer, was most known for adapting Western theatrical techniques to traditional Indian classical dance, imbued with elements of Indian classical, folk, and tribal dance, thus laying the roots of...
's ballet company
Ballet company
A ballet company is a group of dancers who perform ballet, plus managerial and support staff. Most major ballet companies employ dancers on a year-round basis, except in the United States, where contracts for part of the year are the norm...
in 1937 and went on to become the leading lady of the famous Prithvi Theatre
Prithvi Theatre
Prithvi Theatre is one of Mumbai's best known theatres. It belongs to the Kapoor family, one of the most influential actor/director families in Bollywood. The theatre is named after Prithviraj Kapoor who first founded 'Prithvi Theatres', a travelling theatre company in 1944. The company ran for...
in 1940s and 50s.
She entered Uday Shankar's ballet troupe as a dancer and also taught dance before joining the Indian People's Theatre Association
Indian People's Theatre Association
Indian People’s Theatre Association was an association of leftist theatre-artists and others mostly based in Kolkata, West Bengal, Mumbai and Assam, India. Its goal was to bring cultural awakening among the people of India. It was the cultural wing of the Communist Party of India...
(IPTA) in 1944 as an actress. Here Khwaja Ahmad Abbas
Khwaja Ahmad Abbas
Khwaja Ahmad Abbas , popularly known as K. A. Abbas, was an Indian film director, novelist, screenwriter, and a journalist in the Urdu, Hindi and English languages...
cast her as the lead in the play Zubeda. Prithivi Raj Kapoor was impressed by her role and chose her as his lead heroine, Zohra too joined her. In the coming years, she played leading lady opposite Prithviraj Kapoor in Prithvi Theatre productions. She played a heroine's part in Sakuntala in 1944, partnering her sister in Ghaddar in 1948 and taking the lead role in Kisan and performed in 100 towns and cities all over India. Uzra Butt was also an art director of Prithvi theatre and worked for Prithvi theatre, till 1960, when it wrapped up.
In 1964 she migrated to Pakistan with her husband, to Pakistan with her husband Hameed Butt. Here she formed a dance troupe in Rawalpindi
Rawalpindi
Rawalpindi , locally known as Pindi, is a city in the Pothohar region of Pakistan near Pakistan's capital city of Islamabad, in the province of Punjab. Rawalpindi is the fourth largest city in Pakistan after Karachi, Lahore and Faisalabad...
, acted on stage and television from time to time and served the Pakistan National Council of the Arts
Pakistan National Council of the Arts
Pakistan National Council of the Arts is based in Islamabad, Pakistan. It is situated in sector F-5/1 and regularly hosts events to promote the arts through various means:* Gallery of Arts* Drama Festivals* Musical Nights* Puppet Shows...
.
Later she moved to Lahore
Lahore
Lahore is the capital of the Pakistani province of Punjab and the second largest city in the country. With a rich and fabulous history dating back to over a thousand years ago, Lahore is no doubt Pakistan's cultural capital. One of the most densely populated cities in the world, Lahore remains a...
and became the leading lady of Ajoka Theatre in October 1985. Her first play with the group was 'Chaak Chakkar', subsequently she went on to act in plays like, Barri, Dukhini, Dukh Darya, Takey Da Tamasha, Talismati Tata, Teesri Dastak, Kali Ghata, Adhuri and Surak Gulaban Da Mousam and later began chairperson of the group. In 1993, she did the play, Aik Thi Nani, with her sister Zohra Segal after 40 years. The leading roles of play were performed by the two sisters, along with their grand niece, Samiya Mumtaz
Samiya Mumtaz
- Pakistan television :She is currently working as an actress in Pakistan television dramas. She has been worked in following dramas:* Meri Zaat Zara-e-Benishan* Yariyan* Haal-e-dil* Maye Ni*- External links :* at the Internet Movie Database...
and niece, Salima Raza. The play first opened in Lahore, in 2003 ubsequently performed across India, Pakistan and Britain, including a performance at the Prithvi theare in 2004.
Uzra was awarded the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award
Sangeet Natak Akademi Award
Sangeet Natak Akademi Puraskar is an award given by the Sangeet Natak Akademi, India's National Academy of Music, Dance & Drama. It is the highest Indian recognition given to practicing artists. The award consists since 2003 of Rs. 50,000, a citation, an angavastram , and a tamrapatra...
in Acting (Urdu) in 1994 by the Sangeet Natak Akademi
Sangeet Natak Akademi
Sangeet Natak Akademi is the national level academy for performing arts set up by the Government of India.-History:...
, India's National Academy of Music, Dance & Drama. It is the highest Indian recognition given to practicing artists.
Her last performance on stage was in 2008. She died in Lahore
Lahore
Lahore is the capital of the Pakistani province of Punjab and the second largest city in the country. With a rich and fabulous history dating back to over a thousand years ago, Lahore is no doubt Pakistan's cultural capital. One of the most densely populated cities in the world, Lahore remains a...
at the age of 93.