Neelo Begum (born Cynthia Alexander Fernandes; née Abida Riaz; 30 June 1940 – 30 January 2021) was a Pakistani veteran film actress. She made her film debut in 1956 with a Hollywood film Bhowani Junction. She was known as The Queen of Romance and The Princess of Romance for her portrayal of romantic roles. She worked in more than 134 Pakistani films including Urdu and Punjabi language films.
She was the recipient of numerous awards, including Nigar Awards. She first gained recognition after appearing in the song "Aaye Mausam Rangilay Suhanay" from Saat Lakh and achieved critical and commercial success with the titular role in Zarqa.
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Early life
Born into a Catholic family, she converted to Islam and adopted a Muslim name, Abida Riaz, after marrying Pakistani filmmaker Riaz Shahid in 1965.
Neelo was born in Bhera, British India. She did her primary schooling at Kinnaird High School, Lahore.