Shagufta Rafique, the creative mind behind celebrated films such as Aashiqui 2 and Murder 2, has lived a life as intense and turbulent as the stories she scripted. While audiences know her for crafting emotional dramas and suspenseful narratives on the big screen, her personal story carries the weight of survival, heartbreak, and resilience.
A Childhood Marked by Poverty and Uncertainty
In an interview with Filmfare, Shagufta revealed that she never knew her biological parents. She was raised by Anwari Begum, a once-recognized actress from the old film industry. People around them often speculated that Shagufta was actually the child of Anwari’s daughter, born from a relationship before marriage. Some even whispered that she had been abandoned on the streets before Anwari took her in. Despite the rumors, the truth about her parentage remained a mystery throughout her life.
Anwari initially provided for Shagufta alone, but circumstances shifted dramatically when financial difficulties consumed their household. Forced to sell personal belongings such as bangles and utensils to cover basic expenses, the once-comfortable life dissolved into hardship. At the tender age of 12, Shagufta began performing dance numbers at parties to contribute financially.
These events, often held in hidden apartments, carried the ambience of informal brothels where wealthy men brought their mistresses and companions. Shagufta remembered vividly how she would collect currency notes scattered across the floor, unaware of the larger implications of her surroundings.
Entering a Darker World at Seventeen
By the age of 17, the challenges intensified. As Shagufta admitted during a conversation with Pakistan’s Geo TV, she entered sex work, a decision born not from desire but from desperation. Her mother knew of her choice and strongly disapproved, yet the immediate need for money pushed Shagufta forward. With her earnings, she could afford food luxuries like chicken and prawns and even purchased gold bangles for Anwari. She described feeling like the “provider of the house,” making around Rs. 3,000 each night.
For the next decade, this became her way of life. Though it weighed heavily on her spirit, the income secured their survival. Eventually, acquaintances suggested she try her luck in Dubai, where dancing in bars offered another opportunity to earn.
The Dubai Years and a Guardian Angel
Arriving in Dubai, Shagufta began singing and dancing for audiences in bars. She admitted to Geo TV that the environment initially terrified her—the sight of people smoking and drinking unsettled her, and for days, she barely earned anything. Soon after, however, she encountered a 45-year-old man who showered her with generosity and affection. Within a week, he proposed marriage. Though they never married, Shagufta viewed him as her savior, a figure who protected her and gave her the courage to dream of a different future.
Her time in Dubai lasted a few years until tragedy struck back home. In 1999, her adoptive mother Anwari was diagnosed with cancer, prompting Shagufta to return to India to care for her.
Discovering Writing as a Lifeline
After enduring years of pain and loss, a turning point arrived in 2002 when Shagufta met filmmaker Mahesh Bhatt. Speaking to Filmfare, she recalled how she longed to transform her harsh memories into stories. Having endured life in cramped chawls and slept on grimy mattresses used by others before her, she wanted to give voice to the suffering she had witnessed and experienced. Bhatt recognized her potential and gave her the encouragement she needed.
“I had slept in chawls, on dirty pillows; on dirty mattresses, where several girls had slept before and entertained multi millionaires… I wanted to write it all down," she told Filmfare.
Her screenwriting journey formally began in 2006 when she contributed scenes to Mohit Suri’s Kalyug, a film that echoed some fragments of her own past. From there, her career gained momentum as she wrote scripts for notable projects such as Woh Lamhe, Awarapan, Raaz: The Mystery Continues, Murder 2, and eventually, the highly successful Aashiqui 2. Each screenplay reflected her ability to pour raw emotion into fictional characters, creating stories that resonated deeply with audiences.
Later Work and Legacy
Shagufta Rafique later extended her writing talent beyond Bollywood, contributing to television. Her most recent credited work was the Pakistani TV drama Lambi Judai.
Her story, however, remains more compelling than any script she could compose. From the despair of poverty to the harsh realities of sex work, and finally to recognition as a writer in Indian cinema, Shagufta transformed tragedy into art. Through resilience and creativity, she proved that even the most painful beginnings can lead to powerful new chapters.
A Childhood Marked by Poverty and Uncertainty
In an interview with Filmfare, Shagufta revealed that she never knew her biological parents. She was raised by Anwari Begum, a once-recognized actress from the old film industry. People around them often speculated that Shagufta was actually the child of Anwari’s daughter, born from a relationship before marriage. Some even whispered that she had been abandoned on the streets before Anwari took her in. Despite the rumors, the truth about her parentage remained a mystery throughout her life.
Anwari initially provided for Shagufta alone, but circumstances shifted dramatically when financial difficulties consumed their household. Forced to sell personal belongings such as bangles and utensils to cover basic expenses, the once-comfortable life dissolved into hardship. At the tender age of 12, Shagufta began performing dance numbers at parties to contribute financially.
These events, often held in hidden apartments, carried the ambience of informal brothels where wealthy men brought their mistresses and companions. Shagufta remembered vividly how she would collect currency notes scattered across the floor, unaware of the larger implications of her surroundings.
Entering a Darker World at Seventeen
By the age of 17, the challenges intensified. As Shagufta admitted during a conversation with Pakistan’s Geo TV, she entered sex work, a decision born not from desire but from desperation. Her mother knew of her choice and strongly disapproved, yet the immediate need for money pushed Shagufta forward. With her earnings, she could afford food luxuries like chicken and prawns and even purchased gold bangles for Anwari. She described feeling like the “provider of the house,” making around Rs. 3,000 each night.
For the next decade, this became her way of life. Though it weighed heavily on her spirit, the income secured their survival. Eventually, acquaintances suggested she try her luck in Dubai, where dancing in bars offered another opportunity to earn.
The Dubai Years and a Guardian Angel
Arriving in Dubai, Shagufta began singing and dancing for audiences in bars. She admitted to Geo TV that the environment initially terrified her—the sight of people smoking and drinking unsettled her, and for days, she barely earned anything. Soon after, however, she encountered a 45-year-old man who showered her with generosity and affection. Within a week, he proposed marriage. Though they never married, Shagufta viewed him as her savior, a figure who protected her and gave her the courage to dream of a different future.
Her time in Dubai lasted a few years until tragedy struck back home. In 1999, her adoptive mother Anwari was diagnosed with cancer, prompting Shagufta to return to India to care for her.
Discovering Writing as a Lifeline
After enduring years of pain and loss, a turning point arrived in 2002 when Shagufta met filmmaker Mahesh Bhatt. Speaking to Filmfare, she recalled how she longed to transform her harsh memories into stories. Having endured life in cramped chawls and slept on grimy mattresses used by others before her, she wanted to give voice to the suffering she had witnessed and experienced. Bhatt recognized her potential and gave her the encouragement she needed.
“I had slept in chawls, on dirty pillows; on dirty mattresses, where several girls had slept before and entertained multi millionaires… I wanted to write it all down," she told Filmfare.
Her screenwriting journey formally began in 2006 when she contributed scenes to Mohit Suri’s Kalyug, a film that echoed some fragments of her own past. From there, her career gained momentum as she wrote scripts for notable projects such as Woh Lamhe, Awarapan, Raaz: The Mystery Continues, Murder 2, and eventually, the highly successful Aashiqui 2. Each screenplay reflected her ability to pour raw emotion into fictional characters, creating stories that resonated deeply with audiences.
Later Work and Legacy
Shagufta Rafique later extended her writing talent beyond Bollywood, contributing to television. Her most recent credited work was the Pakistani TV drama Lambi Judai.
Her story, however, remains more compelling than any script she could compose. From the despair of poverty to the harsh realities of sex work, and finally to recognition as a writer in Indian cinema, Shagufta transformed tragedy into art. Through resilience and creativity, she proved that even the most painful beginnings can lead to powerful new chapters.
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