Begum Khurshid Mirza
was born (1918-1989) as Khurshid Jehan to Sheikh Abdullah and Waheed Jahan
Begum, the founders of Abdullah Women’s College of Aligarh Muslim University.
She got her education from the same college.
Her father Sheikh Abdullah, a Hindu by birth and from
Kashmir, was fascinated by Islam and drawn to the progressive ideas of Sir Syed
Ahmed, founder of Aligarh Muslim University.
Thakur Das became Shaikh Abdullah. And with wife
Waheed Jahan Begum, founded in Aligarh Abdullah Women’s College.
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| Renuka Devi–Begum Khurshid Mirza |
Sheikh Abdullah was
a practicing lawyer and philanthropist who was keen to bring education and
enlightenment to Muslim women. Khurshid grew up in Aligarh and married in 1934
to a police officer Akbar Mirza.
Begum
Khurshid was extremely lucky to be born in the best family possible, as both
her parents were not only loving their daughter much but also let her choose
her own career as Sheikh Abdullah was a very well known liberal.
In an interview Begum Khursheed Mirza has said:-
“I was on a vacation with my husband. We were in
Mumbai and visited a studio to see how shooting is done. Himanshu Rai, who was
shooting there convinced my husband that I should act in his film.
My husband consented. That is how it all happened.
Himanshu Rai and his wife treated me like their own daughter. My father was
liberal. He had no issues but he faced lot of criticism on this score.
 |
| Sheikh Abdullah (Founder of Womens College-A.M.U.Aligarh) with family members |
I worked with Ashok Kumar. A perfect
gentleman he was. He would ask the cameraman to focus more on me. You rarely
see such good people.
I played Holi with Ashok Kumar’s wife
Shoba. Renuka Devi was a name given to me by Devika Rani, wife of Himanshu Rai.
Such was the trust
with Himanshu Rai that I never signed any agreement.
 |
| Sheikh Abdullah with wife Waheed Jahan Begum |
When
Ashok Kumar got a monthly salary of Rs950/- ,I was given Rs2000/- for a
film. I acted in films like Bhakti
(1939), Badi Didi (1939), Jeevan Prabhat (1937), Bhabhi (1938), Naya Sansar
(1941), Sahara (1943), Ghulami (1945) and Samrat Chandragupta (1945). “
 |
| Renuka Devi |
About
Renuka Devi, Baburao Patel of Film india (January 1939 issue) magazine declared
that “Bombay Talkies have found another Devika Rani” and that “her
performance has that distinctive grace and poise which can only be associated
with a lady of culture and education.”
Film
Career
Upon graduating,
Begum Khurshid decided to leave Aligarh for Mumbai Film Industry, as she had
set her sights on acting. She moved to Mumbai, looking for work and immediately
started working for Bombay Talkies.
She
made her debut in 1931’s super-hit Shakuntala. Begum Khurshid was given the
name Renuka Devi as her ‘Bollywood’ name.
She debuted in Jeevan Parbat for Bombay Talkies,
continued to work for Devika Rani and Himanshu Rai in Bhabhi; was the young
Ashok Kumar’s co-star in Naya Sansar.
 |
| Abdulla Womens College–A.M.U.Aligarh |
Mostly associated
with Bombay Talkies, she acted in few of their films including Bhakti (1939),
Badi Didi (1939), Jeevan Prabhat (1937), Bhabhi (1938) and Naya Sansar (1941),
under the screen name Renuka Devi.
She moved to Lahore
film industry and played leading roles in box-office hits Sahara (1943),
Ghulami (1945) and Samrat Chandra Gupta (1945). Besides acting, she also used to
sing for her films.
She went on to star in super-hit
movies like Laila Majnu, Rahde Shyam, Hathili Dulhan, Chatra Bakavali, Swarg Ki
Sidhi and many more successful movies.
In 1944, Begum
Khurshid Mirza aka Renuka Devi decided to retire from the acting world. She
moved to Pakistan after partition and left an amazing catalog of legacy.
Several years after
partition, when all was settled and India and Pakistan came back on track as
separate nations, in 1964, Begum decided to return back to acting.
After
the independence of Pakistan in 1947, she migrated to Pakistan.
 |
| Renuka Devi |
Television
Career
Several years later
when Pakistan Television Corporation began its transmission and its drama
serials started earning household fame, there was a need for professionals to
the young media crew.
It was a Haseena
Moin’s serial, entitled Kiran Kahani, which rediscovered Khurshid. Her
performance gained her rave reviews, even though she said in a later interview
that it was slightly off-key.
She
comforted huge praises from both sides of the border and became Pakistan’s
biggest TV star, not that they had many stars, to begin with, but still, Begum
herself being a product of Indian cinema held her own class and became a
legendary figurine.
The next serial she
worked in was Zer Zabar Pesh, also written by Haseena Moin. Her performance was
regarded by many as one of the finest acting performances in that role, and this
set the tone for the rest of her acting career.
She remained a
character actress for Karachi television centre and had a dozen of popular
series on her credit, including Parchhain, Uncle Urfi and a special play Massi
Sherbate written by Fatima Surayya Bajia.
She retired in 1985,
with her last performance coming in Ana. She moved to Lahore permanently to be
with her daughters and their children.
Literature
Begum Khurshid Mirza
penned her autobiography in 1982, which discussed the life of a literary person
in British India, journalism education and work in Lucknow, married life,
Indian film industry, and migration to Pakistan, adjusting to Karachi, and
working on television.
In
an interview Begum Khursheed Mirza has said:-
“I was on a vacation
with my husband. We were in Mumbai and visited a studio to see how shooting is
done. Himanshu Rai, who was shooting there convinced my husband that I should
act in his film.
My husband
consented. That is how it all happened. Himanshu Rai and his wife treated me
like their own daughter. My father was liberal. He had no issues but he faced
lot of criticism on this score.
I worked with Ashok
Kumar. A perfect gentleman he was. He would ask the cameraman to focus more on
me. You rarely see such good people.
I played Holi with
Ashok Kumar’s wife Shoba. Renuka Devi was a name given to me by Devika Rani,
wife of Himanshu Rai.
 |
| Renuka Devi with Film HERO Ashok KUMAR |
Such
was the trust with Himanshu Rai that I never signed any agreement.
When Ashok Kumar got
a monthly salary of Rs950/- ,I was given Rs2000/- for a film. I acted in films like Bhakti (1939), Badi
Didi (1939), Jeevan Prabhat (1937), Bhabhi (1938) , Naya Sansar (1941), Sahara (1943), Ghulami (1945) and Samrat
Chandragupta (1945). “
About Renuka Devi,
Baburao Patel of Film india (January 1939 issue) magazine declared that
“Bombay Talkies have found another Devika Rani” and that “her
performance has that distinctive grace and poise which can only be associated
with a lady of culture and education.”
The
memoirs of Begum Khurshid Mirza (Renuka Devi)
The autobiography was originally appeared in Pakistani
monthly magazine Herald as a nine-part serial, from August 1982 to April 1983,
under the title The Uprooted Sapling. Later, the collection was compiled in
2005 as a book under the title A woman of substance: the memoirs of Begum Khurshid
Mirza.
Social
works
After migration,
Khurshid Mirza worked for the All Pakistan Women’s Association (APWA) as a
volunteer helping destitute women. When her husband was transferred to Quetta,
she took charge of an APWA center for healthcare in a rural area called Ismail
Killi. She has also aired programmes on women’s issues on radio. 
Awards
She was awarded
Pride of Performance in 1985.
Dramas
Kiran Kahani
Zer Zabar Pesh
Uncle Urfi 1972
Parchaiyan
Rumi
Dhund
Choti Choti Baatein
Shama
Afshan
Ana
Aagahi
Massi Sherbate
Show Shaa
Panah
Agar Nama Bar Milay
Books
A Woman of Substance
The memoirs of Begum Khurshid Mirza. Edited by Lubna Kazim. Delhi: Zubaan 2005
Sadly she passed
away in 1989.
The
End
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