Theatre actress Uzra Butt, sister of Zohra Sehgal, dies at 93

Legendary theatre personality Uzra Butt, sister of Indian actress Zohra Sehgal, has died in Lahore at the age of 93.

Butt, whose last performance on stage was in 2008, had been ailing and bed-ridden for some time, her friends said.

She celebrated her 93rd birthday with friends and family on May 22. She passed away on May 31.

Born in 1917 in Rampur, United Provinces (now Uttar Pradesh), Uzra began her stage career as a dancer with the legendary Uday Shankar's ballet company in 1937 and went on to become the leading lady of the famous Prithvi Theatre in Bombay in the 1940s and 1950s.

She also taught dance before joining the Indian People's Theatre Association in 1944 as an actress.

Uzra acted in Khwaja Ahmad Abbas's play Zubaida in Bombay and appeared as a leading lady opposite Prithviraj Kapoor in the productions of Prithvi Theatre.

During her many years with Prithvi, Uzra appeared in plays like Shakuntala, Pathan, Kisan, Ghaddar and Dewaar with her sister Zohra and travelled across undivided India with the troupe.

Uzra migrated to Pakistan with her husband Hameed Butt in 1964. She led a quiet life in the garrison town of Rawalpindi, deciding to stage a comeback only when the Ajoka Theatre Group introduced alternative theatre in Lahore.

She joined Ajoka Theatre in October 1985 and went on to chair the group.

Butt's first play with Ajoka was Chaak Chakkar. Other plays she acted in with the group were Barri, Dukhini, Dukh Darya, Takey Da Tamasha, Talismati Tata, Teesri Dastak, Kali Ghata, Adhuri and Surak Gulaban Da Mousam.

It was in Aik Thi Nani that Butt finally came together again with her sister Zohra in 1993. "It was inspiring to see Zohra and Uzra performing together with their grandniece Samiya Mumtaz," said Madeeha Gauhar, creative director of Ajoka Theatre. "It was a play
which brought together an extraordinary family of performing artists."

Butt and Sehgal performed together on stage after a gap of almost four decades in the play, which was written by Ajoka's Shahid Nadeem as a tribute to the two grand dames of subcontinental theatre.

Aik Thi Nani was subsequently performed across India, Pakistan and Britain.

Butt was awarded the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award in 1985 by the president of India.

"Uzra lived a full life and had no regrets," said Gauhar. "She was a constant source of inspiration for the entire Ajoka team and her younger colleagues. We will miss her, but her spirit will remain with us forever."

Butt was laid to rest in a graveyard in Lahore's Gulberg area. Her qul will be held on Wednesday, her family said.