# Asha Posley

Sabira Begum better known as Asha Posley (Punjabi, Urdu: آشا پوسلے) (1927 – 25 March 1998) was the first heroine of Pakistani films.

## Early life

Asha Posley was born as Sabira Begum in Patiala, Punjab, British India in 1927.
Asha Posley was the daughter of music composer Inayat Ali Nath, who worked with HMV in Delhi, and the sister of renowned film playback singer Kausar Parveen and another sisters Rani Kiran and Najma Begum. She started singing at the age of four and used to sing in children's radio programmes at All India Radio in Delhi. Asha's younger brother Shamsher Ali was a musician. She started performing in theatres plays and dramas in Urdu and Punjabi. During that time her theatres dramas became very popular and she was trained in singing by her father Inayat Ali Nath. She was skilled in singing ghazal, geet, tappe, thumri and dadra.
In 1940 she moved from Delhi to Lahore along with her family. She accompanied her father to the studios to watch the shooting of director B. R Sethi's 1942 film Gawandhi and he offered her a role in the film which she accepted.

## Career

She made her debut as a supporting actress in Lahore-made Punjabi film Gawandi (1942), then the lead role in Hindi film Champa (1945), filmed in British India. She was given her professional name Asha Posley by the renowned music director Ghulam Haider. After the independence of Pakistan in 1947, she migrated with her family to the newly created Pakistan.
She was the heroine of the first-ever released film in Pakistan in Urdu language, Teri Yaad (1948). She played the female lead opposite Nasir Khan, famous Indian actor Dilip Kumar's brother, who played the male lead in the film. After playing the female lead role in films during 1940s, 1950s and 1960s then she was cast mainly in supporting roles especially opposite comedian actors Nazar and Asif Jah in most of her films. She acted in 143 films during her film career spanning over 4 decades.
In 1982 she was honored with Nigar Award For 30 Years of Excellence which was given to her by Ilyas Rashidi for her contributions towards the film industry.
Later she transitioned to television and worked in numerous drama serials by appearing in various character roles in television dramas. In 1995 she appeared in drama Red Card which was written by Rimsha it aired on both PTV and STN.

## Personal life

Posley's younger sister Kausar Parveen was playback singer in 1950s and 1960s. Her other younger sister Najma was the leading actress of Urdu and Punjabi films in 1970s. Asha's younger brother Shamsher Ali was a musician.

## Death

Asha Posley died on 26 March 1998 at Lahore, Pakistan at age 70.

## Filmography
### Television series

| Year | Title | Role | Network |
| 1976 | Asha Tamasha | Asha | PTV |
| 1983 | Silver Jubilee | Herself | PTV |
| 1995 | Red Card | Nani | PTV |

### Film

| Year | Film | Language |
| 1942 | Gowandhi | Punjabi |
| 1945 | Champa | Hindi / Urdu |
| 1946 | Shehar Say Door | Hindi / Urdu |
| 1946 | Aai Bahar | Hindi / Urdu |
| 1946 | Badnami | Hindi / Urdu |
| 1946 | Kamli | Punjabi |
| 1946 | Khamosh Nigahen | Hindi / Urdu |
| 1946 | Paraye Bas Mein | Hindi / Urdu |
| 1947 | Ek Roz | Hindi / Urdu |
| 1947 | Roop Lekha | Hindi / Urdu |
| 1947 | Arsi | Hindi / Urdu |
| 1947 | Papiha Ray | Hindi / Urdu |
| 1947 | Barsat Ki Ek Raat | Hindi / Urdu |
| 1947 | Visakhi | Punjabi |
| 1948 | Papiha Re | Hindi |
| 1948 | Teri Yaad | Urdu |
| 1950 | Ghalt Fehmi | Urdu |
| 1952 | Shola | Urdu |
| 1953 | Awaz | Urdu |
| 1953 | Shehri Babu | Urdu |
| 1953 | Barkha | Urdu |
| 1953 | Mehbooba | Urdu |
| 1954 | Sassi | Urdu |
| 1954 | Parvaz | Urdu |
| 1955 | Pattan | Punjabi |
| 1955 | Noukar | Urdu |
| 1955 | Bulbul | Punjabi |
| 1955 | Jheel Kinaray | Urdu |
| 1955 | Toofan | Urdu |
| 1955 | Nazrana | Urdu |
| 1955 | Khizan Kay Baad | Urdu |
| 1956 | Dulla Bhatti | Punjabi |
| 1956 | Morni | Punjabi |
| 1956 | Kismet | Urdu |
| 1956 | Chhoti Begum | Urdu |
| 1956 | Peengan | Punjabi |
| 1956 | Intezar | Urdu |
| 1956 | Pawan | Urdu |
| 1956 | Wehshi | Urdu |
| 1956 | Hatim | Urdu |
| 1956 | Guddi Guddi | Punjabi |
| 1957 | Aas Pas | Urdu |
| 1957 | Ishq-e-Laila | Urdu |
| 1957 | Seestan | Urdu |
| 1957 | Pholay Khan | Punjabi |
| 1957 | Sardar | Urdu |
| 1957 | Noor-e-Islam | Urdu |
| 1957 | Pasban | Urdu |
| 1958 | Sheikh Chilli | Punjabi |
| 1958 | Changez Khan | Urdu |
| 1958 | Mukhra | Punjabi |
| 1958 | Neya Zamana | Urdu |
| 1958 | Anarkali | Urdu |
| 1958 | Tamanna | Urdu |
| 1958 | Ghar Jawai | Punjabi |
| 1959 | Alam Ara | Urdu |
| 1959 | Muskarahat | Urdu |
| 1959 | Pardesan | Punjabi |
| 1959 | Lukkan Meeti | Punjabi |
| 1959 | Naghma-e-Dil | Urdu |
| 1960 | Noukari | Urdu |
| 1961 | Son of Ali Baba | Urdu |
| 1961 | Gul Bakavli | Urdu |
| 1961 | Ham Ek Hayn | Urdu |
| 1961 | Muftbar | Punjabi |
| 1963 | Maa Kay Aansoo | Urdu |
| 1964 | Ishrat | Urdu |
| 1964 | Ashiana | Urdu |
| 1964 | Malang | Punjabi |
| 1965 | Hadd Harram | Punjabi |
| 1965 | Dil Ke Tukre | Urdu |
| 1965 | Zamin | Urdu |
| 1966 | Gowandhi | Punjabi |
| 1966 | Majboor | Urdu |
| 1966 | Jalwa | Urdu |
| 1966 | Goonga | Punjabi |
| 1966 | Ghar Ka Ujala | Urdu |
| 1966 | Aaina | Urdu |
| 1967 | Bahadur | Urdu |
| 1967 | Insaniyat | Urdu |
| 1967 | Wohti | Punjabi |
| 1967 | Mela | Punjabi |
| 1968 | Mehndi | Punjabi |
| 1968 | Meri Dosti Mera Pyar | Urdu |
| 1968 | Ashiq | Urdu |
| 1968 | Main Zinda Hun | Urdu |
| 1968 | Ghar Pyara Ghar | Urdu |
| 1968 | 5 Darya | Punjabi |
| 1969 | Run Murid | Punjabi |
| 1969 | Pak Daaman | Urdu |
| 1970 | Afsana | Urdu |
| 1970 | BeQasoor | Urdu |
| 1970 | Gul Bakavli | Punjabi |
| 1970 | Insan Aur Aadmi | Urdu |
| 1970 | Bahadur Kissan | Punjabi |
| 1970 | 2 Baghi | Urdu |
| 1970 | Dera Sajna Da | Punjabi |
| 1971 | Sher Puttar | Punjabi |
| 1971 | Yaaden | Urdu |
| 1971 | Insaf Aur Qanoon | Urdu |
| 1971 | Parai Aag | Urdu |
| 1971 | Des Mera Jeedaran Da | Punjabi |
| 1971 | Mastana Mahi | Punjabi |
| 1971 | Aansoo Bahaye Pathron Nay | Urdu |
| 1972 | Khan Chacha | Punjabi |
| 1972 | Dil Naal Sajjan Day | Punjabi |
| 1972 | Sohna Jani | Punjabi |
| 1972 | Changa Khoon | Punjabi |
| 1972 | Nizam | Punjabi |
| 1973 | Sehray Kay Phool | Urdu |
| 1973 | Daku Tay Insan | Punjabi |
| 1973 | Wichhria Sathi | Punjabi |
| 1973 | Ghairat Meray Veer Di | Punjabi |
| 1973 | Rangeela Aur Munawar Zarif | Urdu |
| 1974 | Sohna Daku | Punjabi |
| 1974 | Chakkarbaz | Urdu |
| 1976 | Raja Jani | Urdu |
| 1976 | Insan Aur Farishta | Urdu |
| 1976 | Kharidar | Urdu |
| 1976 | Jatt Kurian Tun Darda | Punjabi |
| 1976 | Mafroor | Punjabi |
| 1976 | Goonj Uthi Shehnai | Urdu |
| 1976 | Zaroorat | Urdu |
| 1977 | Ajj Dian Kurrian | Punjabi |
| 1978 | Nidarr | Punjabi |
| 1978 | Aali Jah | Punjabi |
| 1978 | Ghazi Ilmuddin Shaheed | Punjabi |
| 1978 | Santri Badshah | Punjabi |
| 1978 | Curfew Order | Punjabi |
| 1979 | Ham Sab Chor Hayn | Urdu |
| 1979 | Chaltay Chaltay | Urdu |
| 1980 | Takkar | Punjabi |
| 1981 | Sala Sahib | Punjabi |
| 1981 | Yeh Zamana Aur Hay | Urdu |
| 1982 | Ek Din Bahu Ka | Urdu |
| 1982 | Wohti Jee | Punjabi |
| 1984 | Shanakhti Card | Punjabi |
| 1984 | Kalyar | Punjabi |
| 1984 | Dil Maa Da | Punjabi |
| 1985 | Khuddar | Punjabi |
| 1986 | Insaf | Punjabi |
| 1996 | Raju Ban Geya Gentleman | Urdu |

## Awards and recognition

| Year | Award | Category | Result | Title | Ref. |
| 1982 | Nigar Award | For 30 Years of Excellence | Won | Contribution to Cinema | |