Waheed Murad film festival in city from September 3

By Shoaib Ahmed

LAHORE: A seven-day festival of films starring the legendary Waheed Murad, popularly known as Chocolate Hero, will open at a local cinema in the city on September 3.

The festival is being organised by the All Waheedi Club, a community of Waheed Murad fans from all over Pakistan.

Seven films by Waheed Murad – Armaan, Awaz, Perkh, Anjuman, Andleeb, Dil Mera Dharkan Teri and Phool – will be screened ticket-free. The festival will later be held in Islamabad and Karachi. Three shows of a film will be run every day.

Waheed Murad’s style of acting, especially in songs, was unique and has been copied by several Indian actors.

Waheed Murad was born on October 2, 1938 in Karachi. He did his masters in English from the Karachi University in 1963 and then took over his father Nisar Murad’s business – a film production house by the name of the Film Arts Karachi. He started his film career in SM Yousaf’s film Aulad. His second film was Daman in which he played the role of a second hero opposite Neelo. He appeared as a lead hero in Heera Aur Pathar opposite Zeba.

Waheed Murad performed in several other films opposite Zeba, Shamim Ara, Rani, Shabnam, Deeba, Babra Sharif, Naghama Aaliya, Sangeeta, Kaveeta Aasia, Rukhsana, Bahar, Neelo and Rozina. He performed while Lollywood was at the height f its popularity.

In the late 70s, he faced a bad patch in the film industry and retired it. He died on November 23, 1983, disheartened by Lollywood. His death created such a vacuum in the Pakistan’s film industry that could not be filled. His career and life has striking similarity to American star Elvis Presley. Both Murad and Presley enjoyed early success, the status of being the most mesmerising personalities, great fame and then a sudden fall and tragic death.

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