Veteran Actor Farukh Jaffar Passed Away At 88 in Lucknow

Popular Hindi Actress Farukh Jaffar passed away on Friday. She was 88. She did nearly a dozen films in last 20 years. Including Shoojit Sircar Directorial Gulabo Sitabo.

Veteran Hindi film actor Farukh Jaffar passed away in Lucknow on Friday, October 15, due to a brain stroke, her grandson said. She was 88.

Jaffer’s grandson Shaaz Ahmad took to Twitter to share the news. He tweeted, “My grandmother and wife of Freedom fighter, Ex MLC Mr S.M.Jaffar and Veteran Actress Mrs Farrukh Jaffar passed away today at 7 pm in lucknow.”

Shaz Ahmed, Jaffar’s grandson, told a leading daily, "My grandmother died today at around 7 pm at Gomti Nagar residence following a brain stroke. Her last rites will take place on Saturday at the Aishbagh Kabristan."

He said Jaffar started her acting career with Bollywood film Umrao Jaan in 1981, in which she played the role of veteran actor Rekha's mother. He further added she played the role of Fatima Beghum in the Amitabh Bachchan starrer Gulabo Sitabo.

The actor was born in Chakesar Village in Shahganj area of Jaunpur district and she then came to Lucknow after finishing her studies. She married S M Jaffar, Former MLC and ex-UP Congress Chief.

Screenwriter Juhi Chaturvedi took to Instagram to mourn the demise of the veteran actor. Sharing a photo, she wrote, “begum gayiin. Farrukh ji…na aap jaisa koi tha aur na hoga.. dil se shukriya jo aapne humko aapse rishta jodne ki ijaazat di… ab allah ki uss duniya mein hifaazat se rahiyega…RIP #FarrukhJaffar #Begum #FattoBi #FatimaBegum #GulaboSitabo. (Begum is gone! Farrukh ji, there was no one, and there will be no one like you. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for allowing us to connect with you. Please stay safe in the other world of Allah. RIP #FarrukhJaffar #Begum #FattoBi #FatimaBegum #GulaboSitabo)”

Following her Actor Ayushmann Khurana Condoling her death, wrote, "Begum gayin. Rest in peace Farrukh Jaffar ji."

Jaffer graduated from Lucknow University and soon landed a job at the All India Radio. She went on to become one of the first female voices at AIR, Lucknow. But she quit the job in 1966 to help her widowed mother to take care of their agricultural lands in Jaunpur. She eventually moved to Delhi after her husband’s posting there, and joined AIR’s Urdu service, while also attending acting workshops by Ebrahim Alkazi.

Farrukh Jaffer made her film debut with Muzaffar Ali’s classic Umrao Jaan (1981), in which she played Rekha’s mother. Her second film Swades (2004) came after 23 years, followed by Peepli Live, Chakravyuh, Sultan and Tanu Weds Manu. She also played the lead role in Narayan Chauhan’s Ammaa ki Boli (2019).

At 88, she won the Best Supporting Actress Filmfare Award for the Shoojit Sircar directorial, becoming the oldest winner in the acting category.