Obituary: Durdana Butt passes away

Nothing is ever certain. Death is inevitable and an integral part of the circle of life. Just last week, we had published an article regarding Durdana Butt’s journey in the Pakistani entertainment industry and also wished her a speedy recovery from Covid-19. However, we were shocked beyond belief as the news of her demise came around on Instagram today via actor Khalid Malik’s post. As it turns out, her health was already failing to own to cancer before she was tested positive for Covid-19. A resilient fighter, she fought courageously for straight eight days before succumbing to the deadly virus.

The renowned artist was best known for her roles in TV serials such as Fifity Fifty, Aangan Terha, Ruswai and Tanhaiyaan. Born and raised in Lahore, Butt was a part of the showbiz for more than four decades, blessing our screens with countless top of the line performances.

Most people are not aware that other than being a fine actress, she was also an educationalist holding a PhD degree in Ohio Educational Administration. Durdana, who was always in high spirits, was widely famous for playing paternal and comic relief roles on TV shows, and also gained fame for her stellar performances in movies such as Ishq Positive (2016), Balu Mahi (2017) and Parey Hut Love (2019). While featuring as a guest in The Shareef Show Mubarak Ho, she surprised us by revealing that she was well-trained in firearms, drove through the streets of Lahore on a scooty and flew an aeroplane for 36 hours, which is considered rare for women of her era. When she was battling bravely with cancer, she was invited as a guest in a morning show of Faysal Qureshi and shared that a holy personality appeared in her dreams and since then she knew that she will beat cancer and survive. Furthermore, she also talked about her mission in life which was to serve Allah Almighty in the field of education. After becoming a widow in 1970, she dedicated herself to learning and also served as a Montessori principal.

The heart-breaking news of her passing away has deeply saddened not only her fans but also the whole nation and some of the distinguished names from the showbiz fraternity have come forward to say farewell to the actress’ par excellence. May Allah (SWT) bless her soul with eternal peace and exalted position in Jannah.