Shamim was heroine of two dozens pre-partition movies. She was introduced in film Imandar (1939) and her last film in British India was Sindoor in 1947. She was first heroine of legendary film hero Dilip Kumar in his first film Jawar Bhata in 1944. She was heroine of second released Pakistani film Shahida in 1949 which celebrated silver jubilee in Delhi and Lucnow but did an average business in Pakistan.

Shamim was born in a wealthy Lodhi family in Lahore in 1914. She was the niece of famous actress and singer Khursheed Begum and married film director and producer Anwar Kemal Pasha. She died on October 23, 1982 in Lahore.