Veteran artist Durdana Butt passed away in Karachi on Thursday. The actress, 83, had been on the ventilator for the past eight days after contracting COVID-19. She was already in poor health due to cancer for the past few years.
Condolences poured in for the actress on social media as government dignitaries, celebrities and Pakistani social media users expressed condolence and paid rich tributes to her unmatchable services for the art industry of Pakistan.
Inna Lillahi Wa Inna Ilayhi Raji'un
We are extremely sorry to hear about the passing away of veteran actress Durdana Butt.
May Allah grant her the highest rank in Jannah and give her family sabr to bear the irreparable loss. pic.twitter.com/07f00XrHJP
— HUM TV (@Humtvnetwork) August 12, 2021
Sad to read the passing of Durdana Butt. Was a part of so many timeless dramas. She had a gift for being so funny, even in scenes where she didn't have dialogue. Few people with that kind of aura, a charisma parlayed into some of the funniest scenes ever to grace terrestrial TV pic.twitter.com/FaqwoJ9boG
— Fasi Zaka (@fasi_zaka) August 12, 2021
Last week, news of her being hospitalized was reported on media. Prayers and warm wishes had poured in for the legendary actress. People believed that she would recover. According to her doctors, she was fighting well against COVID-19, however, her health deteriorated.
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Durdana Butt’s acting career
The legendary actress had added value to Pakistan’s budding art and entertainment industry through her flawless performance. She was among the pioneers who had diligently contributed to establishing the industry. It is due to the powerful performances of Durdana Butt and other actors that PTV had a golden era. She was recognized for her roles in Fifty Fifty, Aangan Terha, and Tanhaiyaan.
She was born in Lahore in 1938 and completed her studies at Kinnaird College. After completing her Ph.D., she started her career in acting. She began from commercials. She got into theatre play after the director offered a role in a comedy-drama.
In 1978, she acted in Fifty-Fifty alongside late actor Moin Akhtar. The actress was praised for her natural expressions in comic roles. In 1980, she bagged the role of Sultana Sahiba in the serial Aangan Terha, alongside Bushra Ansari and Shakeel.
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She again appeared with Moin Akhtar in Naukar kay Agay Chakar in 1982. Then, in 1985, she appeared in the serial Tanhaiyaan with Marina Khan, Shehnaz Sheikh, and Badar Khalil.
Earlier, actress Nayla Jaffry had passed away in Karachi. She was battling cancer since 2016 and had appealed to the production houses to pay for her royalties for her shows at she was struggling to fund her chemotherapy.