When the opening credits of Ik Gunah Aur Sahi flash on screen, they declare that Sabiha Khanum’s character is inspired by Saadat Hassan Manto’s short story “Mummy”.
It’s hard to imagine that Saadat Hassan Manto and Sabiha Khanum would ever be uttered in the same sentence together.
She was revered as the doting wife, the innocent heroine and the caring mother of the Pakistani silver screen. Her roles in “Devar Bhabhi”, “Moseeqaar” and “Do Aansoo” were a testament to that.
And Saadat Hassan Manto was one of the pillars of the Urdu Afsaana; shedding light on the darkest parts of our society. Who’d ever have thought they were a perfect match.
However, it’s perhaps her performance in “Ik Gunah Aur Sahi” which may arguably be her best. It’s not often that an actor makes the towering Mohammad Ali feel small on screen, but Sabiha Khanum had the acting chops.
“Ik Gunah Aur Sahi” sheds light on the evils of prostitution yet humanizes the prostitutes as its main characters. Hassan Tariq’s lens shows Afshaan/Masooma, played by Rani, as a victim and has the audience sympathize with her. He does the same with Sabiha Khanum’s “Mummy”.
The song “Aa Dekh Mohenjo Daro Mein” explores this point further by highlighting the exploitation of women across time. Noor Jahan’s voice and Nisar Bazmi’s music along with Saifuddin Saif’s lyrics make this the crowning achievement of the soundtrack.
“Ik Gunah Aur Sahi” received critical acclaim in the form of the Nigar Awards for Best Screenplay, Art Direction and Cinematography. Sabiha Khanum received a Special Award for her incredible performance, and even won a Best Actress award at the Tashkent Film Festival.
According to an interview, the Russian press kept calling her “Mummy” and made sure she was present at the award ceremony to receive the award.
