From Radio Mic to Bollywood Screen

and People’s Heart

One star of Bollywood film industry was fallen from the limelight sky in October 2021. This star has
brightened the silver screen and reserved a special place in our heart with improvised acting skills in
many real-life based movies. From Bollywood hits of 80s like Umrao Jaan (1981) to modern drama
Gulabo Sitabo (2020) and early 20s heart touching story of a son’s love towards his motherland
Swades (2004) to international MMA fights of Sultan (2016), we had seen and loved her acting skills.
Also best known for making first radio announcements at Akashvani Lucknow, the veteran actress
whose journey we are celebrating today was Farrukh Jaffar.

Wiki/Biography

It was the time of British rule in 1935 when this talented actress was born to a feudal family of
moden Uttar Pradesh (then known as Chakesar village of District Jaunpur). Since childhood, her
heart was into art, literature, and watching movies. She was nothing less than a walking Bollywood
newspaper with daily updates of new releases at that time. After getting married at early of age of
13, Jaffar came to Lucknow, where she lived with her in-laws and give birth to two beautiful
daughters. While doing the regular household works, winning heart of her in-laws with charming
ways, she also graduated from Lucknow University. Despite having a normal life, what made her
different from the rest of girls around her is the spark for performing arts. She take over the
Bollywood as one of the most versatile method actress of India with this passion and spark in her
heart.

Family

Born in a family of Muslim feudal lords of Jaunpur, Farrukh got married in 1948 to a freedom fighter
and eminent journalist, Syed Muhammad Jaffar. He later became a Member of Legislative Council
(MLC) of Congress Party in Uttar Pardesh. Just like Farrukh Jaffar, her two daughter also found their
career in field of arts and education. One of them, Mehru Jaffar is a published author and journalist,
while other, Shaheen, educate people by running a school.

Career

Radio

The beginning phase of Farukh Jaffar’s career life is full of positive coincidences. First, when in early
60s Farukh got her Bachelor’s degree from the Lucknow University, All India Radio Lucknow was
about to start and conducting audition to find Announcers. Second, Jaffar was not there for audition
but to accompany one of her friend, but radio setup — recording room, studio, mic compelled her
and out of nowhere she want to became part of it. Third, one of her family friend, GM Shaw, was the
producer. Fourth, she was selected on the spot to become first announcer of Akashvani Lucknow,
along with Parveen Talha and Mr. Sinha.

Films

The Bollywood journey of this star started with all-time 80’s hit Umrao Jaan, in which she played as
Rekha’s mother. Just like her career in Radio world, she got selected for this role with an unaware,
unplanned, and unintentional audition that happened at her family gathering. She was imitating and
improvising a man named Purdil kaka’s dehati (village person) dialect from her village. While doing
show Muzzaffar Ali spotted her and offered her this role. Despite being skeptical about a career in
Bollywood, her passion and love for films make her decide and rest we all know what happen in the
movie.