Shaan Shahid’s surprise birthday bash last week, thrown by longtime friends and film industry colleagues Sahiba and Afzal Khan (aka Rambo), also a real-life couple, turned out to be a little reunion of the long lost Lollywood stars. From Reema Khan, one of the most successful actresses of the 1990s whose debut film Bulandi (1990) was opposite Shahid and who went into hiatus after her marriage to Dr Shahab in the US; to Resham and Baber Ali, both of whom had an enviable start in movies with Jeeva (1995); and Moammar Rana, once considered Shahid’s arch competitor, you saw a bevy of them.
Perhaps, the most surprising appearance was made by Anjuman, considered the face of Punjabi cinema of the ’80s. From the more contemporary lot, you had Imran Abbas, Sara Loren, and Rahat Fateh Ali Khan. The stars seemed to enjoy each other’s company; there was no trace of any rivalry — professional or otherwise — that may have been between them in their heydays.
Take Reema and Resham, for instance. At the peak of their careers, both these ladies were known to avoid seeing eye to eye; but here they were a happy twosome, sitting next to each other, chatting endlessly, and also posing for shutterbugs. After Shahid cut the cake, there was an informal music session, with Abbas too pitching in, much to everyone’s delight.
