Durdana Butt (9 May 1938 – 12 August 2021) was a Pakistani actress known for her roles in dramas '' Ruswai'', ''

Intezaar ''Intezaar'' () is a Pakistani Urdu-language family drama series, produced by A-Plus. The drama airs weekly on A-Plus Entertainment every Thursday on Prime time. It stars Anum Fayyaz, Mikaal Zulfiqar and Sana Javed in lead roles. Intezaar is a st ...

'' and '' Rani''. She was best known for her role in dramas ''

Tanhaiyaan ''Tanhaiyaan'' ( ur, , English: The loneliness) is a 1985 Pakistani drama serial which is now considered a cult classic. ''Tanhaiyan Naye Silsilay'' telecast in 2012 is the sequel of 27-year-old serial ''Tanhaiyaan''. The drama serial was dire ...

'' and ''

Tanhaiyan Naye Silsilay ''Tanhaiyan Naye Silsilay'' (also known as Olper's Tanhaiyaan: Naye Silsilay) is a Pakistani romantic social drama serial directed by Marina Khan aired on ARY Digital and Pakistan Television Corporation. It is the sequel of 27-year-old seria ...

'' as Bibi.

Early life

Durdana was born in

Lahore Lahore ( ; pnb, ; ur, ) is the second most populous city in Pakistan after Karachi and 26th most populous city in the world, with a population of over 13 million. It is the capital of the province of Punjab where it is the largest city ...

Punjab Punjab (; Punjabi: پنجاب ; ਪੰਜਾਬ ; ; also romanised as ''Panjāb'' or ''Panj-Āb'') is a geopolitical, cultural, and historical region in South Asia, specifically in the northern part of the Indian subcontinent, comprising a ...

on 9 May 1938. She studied at

Kinnaird College The Kinnaird College for Women (KCW) is a university located in Lahore, Pakistan. It is a women's liberal arts university. Kinnaird was established in 1913 by the Zenana Bible and Medical Mission. In 1919, Presbyterian Mission Church and the C ...

and later went to the

University of Toledo The University of Toledo (UToledo or UT) is a public research university in Toledo, Ohio. It is the northernmost campus of the University System of Ohio. The university also operates a Health Science campus, which includes the University of ...

, where she achieved a PhD in Ohio educational administration.

Career

She then went on to pursue acting where she worked in commercials and modeling, which she did briefly on PTV Channel. She started working in theater when a director gave her a role in a comedy drama. She accepted the role and she was praised for her natural acting and expressions. Soon after that she performed in many dramas on PTV Channel. In 1978 she had a role in the drama '' Fifty Fifty'' with

Moin Akhtar Moin Akhter (also: "معین اختر" Moin Akhtar), (24 December 1950 – 22 April 2011) was a Pakistani television, film and stage artist, humorist, comedian, impersonator, host, writer, singer, director and producer who rose to fame in the ...

. The drama finished in 1984; she had become well known among the audience. In 1980 she had the role of Sultana Sahiba in the drama ''

Aangan Terha ''Aangan Terha'' ( ur, , ) was a satirical Pakistani drama presented by the PTV network in the year 1984. The show starred Salim Nasir, Shakeel, Arshad Mehmood, Durdana Butt and Bushra Ansari in lead roles. It was directed by ''Qaiser Faroo ...

'' an emotional role for which she was praised. She was paired again with

Moin Akhter Moin Akhter (also: "معین اختر" Moin Akhtar), (24 December 1950 – 22 April 2011) was a Pakistani television, film and stage artist, humorist, comedian, impersonator, host, writer, singer, director and producer who rose to fame in the ...

in a comedy drama ''Naukar Ke Aage Chakar'' in 1982. In 1985 she was offered a role in the drama ''

'' which she accepted, appearing with

Marina Khan ''Marina Khan'' (born 26 December 1962) is a Pakistani television and film actress, director and a producer. She was one of the most popular actresses of the 1980s and 1990s. Her television shows include '' Tanhaiyan'' (1986), '' Dhoop Kinare ...

Shehnaz Sheikh Shehnaz Sheikh is a Pakistani television actress, host, and theatre director. She has appeared in the drama serials Tanhaiyaan and Ankahi, as well as the show Uncle Sargam. After her successful television career, she left the industry in the mid ...

and Badar Khalil. She had the role of Bibi, who is a mother figure to the main protagonists who lose their parents in an accident. The drama was successful and she along with other cast members, was recognized for her talent.

Personal life

Durdana was married to her cousin, who died during the 1970s.

Illness and death

Durdana Butt was on a ventilator for twelve days at a hospital in

Karachi Karachi (; ur, ; ; ) is the most populous city in Pakistan and 12th most populous city in the world, with a population of over 20 million. It is situated at the southern tip of the country along the Arabian Sea coast. It is the former c ...

before she died from

COVID-19 Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a contagious disease caused by a virus, the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The first known case was identified in Wuhan, China, in December 2019. The disease quickly ...

complications on 12 August 2021.

Filmography

Television

Telefilm

Film

Tribute and honour

The

Arts Council of Pakistan The Arts Council of Pakistan Karachi is a council for the promotion of arts and culture in Pakistan, and one of the busiest in terms of organizing events. It is the country's oldest NGO (non-government organization) for the promotion and develo ...

held a tribute in her memory. Theatre artist and writer Kulsoom Aftab described her a person who brought smiles to people's faces and in the ceremony Imran Shirvanee, Misbah Khalid, and Zaheer Khan were present to acknowledge her contribution to Pakistani dramas for four decades. The

Government of Pakistan The Government of Pakistan ( ur, , translit=hakúmat-e pákistán) abbreviated as GoP, is a federal government established by the Constitution of Pakistan as a constituted governing authority of the four provinces, two autonomous territorie ...

named a street and intersection after her in

on August 16, 2021.

Awards and recognition

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Butt, Durdana 1938 births 20th-century Pakistani actresses Recipients of Sitara-i-Imtiaz 21st-century Pakistani actresses Actresses from Lahore 2021 deaths Pakistani film actresses Pakistani television actresses PTV Award winners Punjabi people Recipients of the Pride of Performance