Roohi Bano: In and out of darkness
This article was originally published in Dawn in 2015. Roohi Bano passed away on January 25, 2019.
Much has been written about the finest actress of her time, from her outstanding PTV career to her present-day anguish. Perhaps the word that best describes Roohi Bano’s current predicament is ‘unfortunate’ — she has suffered so much at the hands of ill-fate and repeated mishaps that it seems all that remains for her now is pain and agony.
Had Bano’s life been the subject of a film, it would have been quite a tear-jerker. After two failed marriages, her son’s murder in the prime of his youth left her already-tormented soul deeply wounded.
Bano’s sadness also stems from the fact that she suffers from schizophrenia. A ray of hope broke through the gloom when she began to respond well to treatment at the care facility, Fountain House. But the break in medication, the lack of emotional support and now a murderous attack in what seems to be an effort to forcefully occupy the only real asset she has, her house, have undone all of the progress she was making earlier.
She was once a powerhouse performer of Pakistan’s entertainment industry, but now through a series of misfortunes, Roohi Bano has become a symbol of helplessness and grief
The recent threat to her life came last week when Bano was attacked by her son’s friend according to an FIR filed at the Gulberg police station, after she refused to sell her Gulberg residence to him. The suspect had allegedly been pressing her for a couple of months to sell the property to him. Upon her refusal, he attacked her with a sharp object and fled. She sustained injuries on her head and ear, and according to hospital sources, her condition is now stable and she is out of danger.
Images on Sunday got in touch with her therapist, Dr Asim Amjad, who treated her with art and drama therapy at Fountain House, Lahore in 2009-2010. When asked why she had stopped visiting the care facility and if she required constant medication and treatment, Dr Amjad revealed that lack of proper care could lead to a patient’s deterioration and even death under such circumstances.
Dr Amjad has since left the care facility but has two things to say: first, a schizophrenic patient needs round-the-clock medication and care. If such a patient quits taking medication, s/he goes into full relapse. Second, Bano lacks emotional support (family, parents, children etc). Both medication and emotional support are urgently needed in order for Bano to survive.
So why did Roohi Bano stop visiting Fountain House after successful treatments? “Dr Haroon Rasheed, the then Honorary Executive Director, was a very kind-hearted person. He went out of his way to treat her through art and drama therapy and I was her therapist. She made such a remarkable recovery that we did a play with her, Roohi ki Kahani, Roohi ki Zubani at the Alhamra,” added Dr Amjad.
For a whole year, no one was allowed to see her except her sister. Initially, she was in the worst state of mind and would have hallucinations of her son visiting her. Her recovery came only after months of painstaking treatment. After Dr Haroon Rasheed passed away, the treatment sessions were discontinued as Bano could not afford to pay at the time, and have since remained discontinued.