Pakistan’s veteran scenarist and novelist, Haseena Moin, passed away on 26th March. With her demise, a golden era has gone too.
Haseena Moin was born in Kanpur, India on November 20, 1941. After the independence, her family settled in Karachi, Sindh. Her fame started evoking as she wrote some monumental plays for Radio Pakistan. She also wrote Pakistan’s first original and authentic script ‘Kiran Kahani’ that aired at the beginning of the 1970s, as before this PTV used to rely on a novel-based script.
Due to the encouragement of director Mohsin Ali, Haseena Moin who was hesitant and nervous took the guts to pen down the script. As the play aired, it became a huge accomplishment and made a mark in history. She was the writer of the first coloured drama of Pakistan, called Parchaiyan, which also was directed by Mohsin Ali.
Haseena Moin penned down many outstanding and eminent plays like Shehrozi, Uncle Urfi, Ankahi, Pal do pal, Tanhaiyaan, Tere aa jane se, Mere Dard ko Jo Zuban Milay, Kaisa Yeh Junoon, Dhundle Raaste, Shayad ke Bahar Aaye, and Guriya. Referring to her illness with breast cancer, Haseena Moin had written a web-series on the subject. It is scheduled to release next month.
Haseena Moin, who received love and support from both sides of the border, also wrote dialogues Raj Kapoor’s blockbuster dream project “Henna”. She was the one who introduced our nation’s icon Zeba Bakhtiar to Raj Kapoor for the movie. She also wrote a play for India called Tanha, and Kash-m-kash.
Haseena Moin wrote the script of the Lollywood film, Yahan se Wahaan tak, starring the chocolate hero of Pakistani cinema, Waheed Murad. She wrote dialogues for Nazdekiyan and Kahin Pyar Na Ho Jaye.
The breast cancer survivor, Haseena Moin won numerous awards and achievements. She received the Pride of Performance Award in 1987. She also won the Woman of the Year Award. Her play Guriya won an award at the Global TV Plays Festival in Tokyo. Her films also gained many prestigious national awards. She had won many awards at Lux Style Award and PTV awards.
During the late 80s, Moin Akhter gave a tribute to her at the PTV Award ceremony.
Haseena Moin created such female roles that inspired our young generation. Before certainly there was no strong and passionate female character in Pakistani Dramas, but Haseena Moin took the courageous step and depicted the strength of women through her writing. In her own words,
“I decided I will never write about feeble, defenceless women who spend their time self-pitying rather than propelling change through their actions or intellect.”
Through her plays, she delivered a message to the women to break the shackles of gender discrimination. Haseena Moin’s empowering female characters were examples of the intellectual individual. Her writing style had defy gender role stereotypes.
Haseena Moin’s sad demise has left a huge void in this country. There’s hardly anyone who can replace her reality portraying characters, possessing intelligence and a strong personality. She is and will be our nation’s treasure.
