Roohi Bano () (10 August 1951 – 25 January 2019) was a Pakistani actress who was known for her roles in television dramas Kiran Kahani, Zard Gulab, Darwaza and Dehleez. She along with Uzma Gillani, Tahira Naqvi and Khalida Riyasat dominated Pakistan's television screens from the 1970s, to the 1990s. She was known as the Queen of Melancholy because of her portrayal of mournful and pessimistic roles in dramas and films.

Early life Roohi Bano was born in Karachi on 10 August 1951. She was the daughter of Alla Rakha, a noted tabla player of India and half-sister of Indian music virtuoso Ustad Zakir Hussain.

Career Roohi joined television when she was doing her Masters in Psychology from the Government College, Lahore.

She is reported to have "witnessed the birth of the television industry in Pakistan...". Bano's first major breakthrough came in 1973 with her performance as the cheerful Kiran in PTV's Kiran Kahani. Her next performance was of an elite class girl in Zair Zabar Paish. She then portrayed Simi in the television adaptation of Altaf Fatima's Dastak Na Do, which broadcast from PTV's Lahore center. Throughout the 1970s and 1980s, she appeared in nearly 150 TV dramas, including celebrated works like Zard Gulab, and Darwaza. In 1981, she was conferred the Pride of Performance award by the President of Pakistan. She also earned many PTV awards, notably Nigar Award, Graduate Award and Lux Lifetime Achievement Award.

Personal life Roohi married twice but both of her marriages were unsuccessful. She had one son.

Later life and death In 2005, her 20-year-old only son was murdered by unidentified killers near his residence in Gulberg III, Lahore. His body was dumped alongside a fence where a passerby spotted it. After her son's murder, Roohi had abandoned her acting career, led a lonely life in Lahore and she never fully recovered from this tragic event in her life. In her later life, she was diagnosed with schizophrenia. She also spent some years at the well known rehabilitation centre Fountain House in Lahore. Her sister had her admitted to the rehabilitation centre in 2005.

Roohi died in Istanbul on 25 January 2019. She had had kidney disease and a mental disorder. She had been on a ventilator for 10 days before she died. According to her sister, Rubina Yasmeen, her family had travelled to Istanbul, Turkey to be with her in her last days.

Filmography Television series YearTitleRoleNetwork 1971 Dastak Na Do Simi PTV 1973 Kiran Kahani Kiran Asim 1974 Zair Zabar Paish Sabeen1975 Dastan-e-Habib Mumtaz Ishtebah-e-Nazar Feroza Maraat-e-Muhabbat Shahida 1979 Pakki Haveli Reshma Kacha Sheesha Saima 1980 Karwan Mina 1981 Darwaza Zareena Chaudhry Kaanch Ka Pul Shahida Dehleez Saeeda Naseem 1982 Zard Gulab Jeevni Dhund Bella Sarab Nashi1983 Adhay Chehray Bushra Silver Jubilee Herself 1984 Gardish Saba1985 Bazgasht Nasreen Apnay Loag Irene 1987 Gardish Begum Sahiba 1989 Neelay Hath Zainab 1990 Kache Pakke Rang Sakeena 1991 Kala Diara Angie 1992 Nasheman Parveen 1994 Sood-o-Zea Muneeza 1996 Qila Kahani Rubina 2010 Aik Aur Aurat Azra Hum TV

Telefilm YearTitleRoleNetwork 1990 Aakhri Geet Reshma PTV

Film Year Film Language1975 Umang Urdu Palki1976 Insan Aur Farishta Goonj Uthi Shehnai Rastay Ka Pathar 1977 Tipu Sultan1978 Khuda Aur Mohabbat Dushman Ki Talash 1980 Zameer Samjhota Aazmaish 1981 Dil Ek Khilona Kiran Aur Kali Bara Aadmi 1983 Kainat 1984 Aaj Ka Insan

Tribute and honours In 2019 on 3 February Pakistan National Council of the Arts paid tributes to her and described her a dignified, refined and polished artist. In 2021 on August 16 the Government of Pakistan named a street and intersection after her in Lahore.

Awards and recognition Year Award Category Result Title Ref. 1974 PTV Award Best Actress Zair Zabar Paish 1976 Nigar Award Special Award Insan Aur Farishta 1978 Film Graduate Awards Best Actress Khuda Aur Mohabbat 1981 Pride of Performance Award by the President of Pakistan Herself 1981 Film Graduate Awards Best Actress Kiran Aur Kali 1982 PTV Award Best Actress Karwan 1983 Film Graduate Awards Best Actress Kainat 1983 PTV Award Best Actress Zard Gulab 2010 9th Lux Style Awards Unilever Chairman's Lifetime Achievement Award Herself 2011 1st Hum Awards Lifetime Achievement Award Herself

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