Career
She was considered Pakistani equivalent to Marni Nixon of Hollywood for giving voice to featured actresses in movie musicals. Zubaida also acted as a supporting actress in a handful of films including Patay Khan (1955) and Dulla Bhatti (1956). However, she earned a name for herself as the most melodious film playback singer of Punjabi and Urdu films in the 1950s.
She recorded over 250 songs, predominantly solo but also in duets with other playback singers.
Her career lasted only for 8 years but her realistic voice and convincing super-hit film songs emerged as remembrance to the golden period of Pakistan"s film industry. Some of her hit films were
Billo (1951)
Shehri Babu (1953)
Pattan (1955)
Heer (1955)
Patay Khan (1955)....She acted in this movie.
Chann Mahi (1956)
Dulla Bhatti (1956)....She acted as a supporting actress. Guddi Gudda (1956)
Mahi Munda (1956)
Saat Lakh(1957)
Yakke Wali (1957)
Zulfan (1957)
Chhoo Mantar (1958)
Mukhra (1958)
Kartar Singh (1959)
Raat Ke Rahi (1960).
The family migrated to Lahore after independence in 1947.
Zubaida did not belong to any traditional gharana of classical music and never received any formal music lessons. She was given a head-start as a child when she was given an opportunity to sing at the Lahore station of Radio Pakistan. Renowned Pakistani Swaran Lata and her film producer husband Nazir took a liking to her singing on the radio station and signed her up for their upcoming film Shehri Babu (1953) in which she sang many super-hit film songs.
Zubaida Khanum died on 19 October 2013 due to cardiac arrest at her home in Lahore at age 78.