''Sona Chandi'' () is a classic Pakistani comedy-drama

television Television (TV) is a telecommunication medium for transmitting moving images and sound. Additionally, the term can refer to a physical television set rather than the medium of transmission. Television is a mass medium for advertising, ...

serial that produced 48 episodes but released only 32 episodes by PTV . The story of the drama, written by Munnu Bhai, revolves around a couple who comes to a city in search of work so that they can pay off their debts. The role of ''Sona'' is played by TV actors Hamid Rana and Chandi ( Sheeba Hassan). This simple, innocent couple, while performing their domestic-help jobs in different homes, ends up helping many people in solve their problems.Transition: Sona Chandi star Ghayyur Akhtar passes away
The Express Tribune (newspaper), Published 7 February 2014, Retrieved 4 December 2020

Play's background and inspiration

The play was inspired by a real couple named Sona (male) and Chandi (female) from Kallurkot, a Tehsil city in the

Bhakkar District Bhakkar District (), is a district in the province of Punjab, Pakistan. The district was created out of parts of Mianwali in 1982, and has the city of Bhakkar as its headquarters. Part of its area consists of a riverine tract along the Indu ...

Punjab, Pakistan Punjab (, ) is a Administrative units of Pakistan, province of Pakistan. With a population of over 127 million, it is the Demographics of Pakistan, most populous province in Pakistan and the List of first-level administrative divisions by popu ...

. Munnu Bhai (the writer of the play), who was educated in Kallurkot during his father's posting there as the railway

station master The station master (or stationmaster) is the person in charge of a Train station, railway station, particularly in the United Kingdom and many other countries outside North America. In the United Kingdom, where the term originated, it is now lar ...

North Western Railway (British India) The North Western State Railway (NWSR) was formed in January 1886 from the merger of the Scinde, Punjab & Delhi Railway, the Indus Valley State Railway, the Punjab Northern State Railway, the eastern section of the Sind–Sagar Railway and the ...

in the city before 1947, has mentioned his inspiration for these roles in his numerous interviews. Sona is still alive and lives in Kallurkot. During one of his visits to Kallurkot a few years back, Munnu Bhai got to meet the real Sona, who is portrayed in the 1983 film version of the same play, 'Sona Chandi' (1983). The credit for its popularity goes to the whole team: Munnu Bhai's script, direction by Rashid Dar, and performances by the actors, especially the leading characters of this PTV drama. Sona and Chandi.Life and works of Munnu Bhai celebrated
Dawn (newspaper), Published 27 February 2014, Retrieved 4 December 2020

Cast

Main cast

* Sheeba Hassan as Chandi * Hamid Rana as Sona * Ghayyur Akhtar as Bhai HameedYoung artists urged to work with devotion
Dawn (newspaper), Published 9 March 2016, Retrieved 4 December 2020 * Ayub Khan as Mama Yaqoob * Tashfeen as Baji Rukhsana * Munir Zareef as Chacha karmoo * Atiya Sharaf as Massi Barkate * Munna Lahori as Diver of Nawab Farasat Ali Khan

Supporting cast

* Khursheed Shahid as Mehtab Begum * Asim Bukhari as Shams * Farooq Zameer as Abbas Ali Khan * Durdana Butt as Kako Dhoban * Arifa Siddiqui as Choti Bibi *

Tauqeer Nasir Tauqeer Nasir ( Punjabi, ) is an actor from Pakistan. He has mostly worked in television, in Urdu as well in Punjabi. He has served as Director General (DG) of Pakistan National Council of Arts (PNCA) for two years. Early life and education ...

as Popa * Neelofar Abbasi as Begum Akhtar * Aurangzeb Leghari as Bao Naseeb *

Tamanna Begum Tamanna Begum (1944 – 20 February 2012) was a Pakistani film and television actress. Early life Tamanna Begum was born in 1944 at Aligarh, Uttar Pradesh during British India. Career Tamanna Begum started her media career as a presenter ...

as Ruqaya * Reena as Zaib *

Jamil Fakhri Jamil Fakhri (Urdu: ; 15 September 1946 – 9 June 2011) was a veteran Pakistani film, TV and stage artist. He gained popularity from Pakistan Television Corporation's TV drama serial '' Andhera Ujala'', in which he played the police inspector J ...

as Munawar *

Sajjad Kishwar Sajjad Kishwar (; 6 July 1933 – 24 May 2022) was a Pakistani film, radio and television actor. Awards *2006 Lifetime Achievement Award, Radio Pakistan *2010 Lifetime Achievement Award, National Development Council of Pakistan * Tamgha-e-Im ...

as Tafazzal *

Abid Kashmiri Abid Kashmiri (; 4 May 1950 – 11 October 2024) was a Pakistani film, television and stage actor, known for his career as a comedian. He worked in Pakistani Urdu films and dramas as well as working in stage dramas. Life and career Kashmirir ...

as Ghafoor * Yasmeen Tahir as Mrs. Tafazzul * Samina Khalid as Batool *

Tani Begum Khursheed Begum, also known as Tani Begum is a Pakistani actress and singer. She acted in both Urdu and Punjabi films and is known for her roles in films ''Sangdil'' (1968), ''Dard'' (1969), ''Heer Ranjha'' (1970), ''Insaf Aur Qanoon'' (1971), ...

as Basheera *

Talat Siddiqui Adeeba Nazeer, also known as Talat Siddiqui (18 February 1939 - 9 May 2021), was a Pakistani actress and singer. She acted in both Urdu and Punjabi films and is known for her roles in films ''Ishq-e-Habib'' (1965), ''Kon Kisi Ka'' (1966), ''Lor ...

as Begum Abbas Ali * Shakila Qureshi as Pinky * Ismat Tahira as Hameeda *

Masood Akhtar Masood Akhtar may refer to: * Masood Akhtar (cricketer) * Masood Akhtar (actor) * Masood Akhtar (politician) {{hndis, Akhtar, Masood ...

as Chaudhry Afzal * Najma Mehboob as Frasat Ali Khan's mother * Muhammad Sharif as Basheer

References

External links

Sona Chandi on IMDb website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Sona Chandi 1980s Pakistani television series Pakistani television sitcoms Pakistani drama television series Pakistan Television Corporation original programming