Music fans might remember the song Aap Jaisa Koi from the 1981 movie Qurbani. It featured Zeenat Aman and became a big hit. However, not many know that the song was sung by a 15-year-old girl from Pakistan named Nazia Hassan.
When the song came out, it was a hit in both India and Pakistan. Nazia Hassan became an overnight star and, at just 15, won the Filmfare Award for Best Playback Singer in 1981, making her the youngest winner and the first Pakistani to win the award.
After the success of Qurbani, Nazia Hassan was offered a role in the 1982 film Star, but she declined and chose to work on the soundtrack instead. Raj Kapoor also asked her to star opposite Rajiv Kapoor in Henna, but she turned down the offer. Nazia preferred to focus on social work, singing, and her studies, and did not have time for acting.
Early life:
Nazia Hassan was born in Karachi, Pakistan, and raised in both Karachi and London. She was the daughter of businessman Basir Hassan and social worker Muniza Basir, and the sister of singers Zoheb Hassan and Zara Hassan.
Supported social causes
Nazia Hassan used her talents to support social causes, working with underprivileged children, youth, and women in Karachi. She supported various organisations, including the Inner Wheel Club of India, and co-founded the BAN (Battle Against Narcotics) organization in Pakistan.
Hassan also helped raise funds for children in Tharparkar and Rajasthan, distributed toys, and promoted social awareness. She worked with the UN Security Council and UNICEF, earning a scholarship to Columbia University's Leadership Program, though she couldn't attend due to cancer. In 2003, her parents established the Nazia Hassan Foundation to continue her efforts, including opening schools for street children.
Personal life:
Nazia Hassan married Karachi-based businessman Mirza Ishtiaq Baig on March 30, 1995, in an arranged marriage. Their relationship was troubled, and she divorced him three months before her death.
Hassan accused Baig of physical abuse and poisoning in a UK High Court testimony, and in a 2000 interview, she revealed his refusal to fund her cancer treatment. Baig's previous marriages, to Hazel, a Filipina dancer, and Pakistani actress Shazia, were kept secret from Hassan’s family. Nazia and Baig had a son, Arez, born April 7, 1997. Her brother Zoheb later spoke about the personal struggles she faced.
Death:
Nazia Hassan passed away from lung cancer in London on August 13, 2000, at the age of 35. She had been admitted to the North London Hospice three days, although she showed some signs of recovery the day before, she experienced a heavy coughing episode and died within minutes from a pulmonary embolism.
After a Namaz-e-Janaza at Hendon Mosque, she was buried at Hendon Cemetery, London, on September 5, 2000, according to Islamic rites. Her brother Zoheb later shared in an interview with The Express Tribune, "She died an unhappy person, she died in pain."
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