Known primarily for his romantic presence on the big screen, Waheed Murad was just as convincing as an action hero.
Whenever the name of superstar Waheed Murad comes to mind, it brings along memories of romantic songs, poetic dialogues and tragic scenes.
However, his most underrated films had nothing to do with these elements. In truth, in a career spanning softer roles, Murad was just as convincing playing action roles.
After making his debut as a leading man in Heera Aur Pathar (December 1964), he went on to act and produce ten more films. Of those, Samandar and Hero saw him venturing into action.
Although, he was rebellious and vocal as one of two brothers in his debut production with Ibrahim Nafees essaying the other brother, he was seen throwing punches for the first time in Joshh (April 1966). It released at a time when Armaan was running to packed houses.
Actor and director Iqbal Yousuf merged Seven Brides for Seven brothers (1954) with The Magnificent Seven (1960) to make Joshh. The film featured an ensemble cast that had him along with Hanif and Asad Jaffery, playing brothers to Waheed and Sudhir. Even though the movie went on to celebrate its silver jubilee in theatres no less, it succumbed to the charms of ‘Akele Na Jaana’ and ‘Ko ko Ko Rina’.
Waheed was presented as the angry, young man in Rafiq Rizvi’s Phir Subah Hogi (September 1967). In the film, his character hates his father for abandoning his mother. Waheed is pitted against his brother from the ‘other’ mother, Iqbal Yousuf. His love interest, Deeba, becomes the reason for the clash and the father’s awakening brings a ‘promised’ morning.
United Pakistan started to deteriorate in 1968. The East and the West wings were not on talking terms as the former blamed the latter for exploitation. In such a scenario, Waheed’s production house came up with Samandar (March 1968) that had a ‘hero’ from West Wing and a ‘heroine’ from the East. The hero was aptly singing to his ladylove: “yoon routh na gori mujhsay, dil tooth gaya tu tujh say, jora na jaayega”.
Shabnam, a popular actress from East Pakistan, was cast for her first role in the West. The story was set in a peaceful fishing village, where outsiders threatened the unity of the residents. Waheed Murad in a fisherman’s role, Raja, thwarted the plan by challenging the rivals and emerging victorious in the end.
A film shot in Karachi, Ik Nagina (September 1969) featured Waheed as a thief. Directed by S.A. Hafiz, it became the biggest hit from the pair of Waheed Murad-Deeba. With music from Amjad Hussain, later known as Amjad Bobby and the presence of Ahmed Rushdi, the score did exceedingly well.
Waheed played Anwar, a bad guy coaxed out by his ladylove. The scene where Anwar escapes on a train by jumping from a window is still remembered by those who have seen it on the big screen.
In the next three years, Waheed appeared in at least five films with ‘dual roles’.
In Afsana (August 1970), directed by veteran Luqman and written by the legendary Dr. Anwar Sajjad, Waheed (playing the character of Nasir) was the shy son of a businessman, Kamal Irani, and a thug. Nasir dies in a road accident after returning from his wedding with Deeba. On the deathbed, Nasir’s father names his daughter-in-law as the heir, and here enters Zafar, the dead son’s lookalike.
Iqbal Yousuf joined hands with Waheed Murad and Shamim Ara for the suspense movie, Hill Station (March 1972). Having similarities with Raj Khosla’s Woh Kaun Thi (1964), the roles of Karachi-born Sadhana were switched with another Karachiite, Waheed Murad, and instead of Manoj, it was Shamim Ara who remained perplexed with ‘two men’ throughout the film.
Khalifa Nazir’s Doulat Aur Duniya (April 1972) had Waheed in another double-role. Anwar was a god-fearing painter while Akhtar, after being sent to jail for a crime he didn’t commit, is the extreme opposite - the diabolical ‘Dilber Daku’.
Waheed Murad was paired with Aliya in Iqbal Akhtar’s Anhoni (December 1973). Iqbal was the editor of Samandar and Phir Subah Hogi, and when he was making his first action film, he knew who he had to cast. Based on the story of Anastasia, Anhoni has Waheed playing a con man, who presents a nautch girl, Aliya, as an heiress to an enormous estate.
From 1974, Pakistani cinema began experimenting with multi-starrers. Iqbal Akhter also jumped on the bandwagon and came out with Jub Jub Phool Khile (November 1975) which also had Nadeem and Muhammad Ali, on equal footing. As Shahzada, the right hand of a gangster, Waheed outshone them in a film, cleverly inspired by Bollywood’s Yadoon Ki Baraat (1973).
Jan Muhammad Jumman, the cinematographer in Hill Station and Anhoni, turned to production in 1976. The first action film he directed was Parakh (April 1978) where Asif Khan was the villain. Usman Peerzada, the side hero, was paired with the rising star of PTV, Navin Tajik. Waheed, the lead hero, was cast as the long lost son of Qavi. Popular actress Rani was paired opposite him in a film which had a song where both accidentally appear at a film shoot. The result was a hilarious song where they dance as ‘Waheed Murad’ and ‘Rani’.
Asif Khan and Waheed played brothers in Kaala Dhanda Goray Log (May 1981) which was exclusively shot in UK. It was a revenge saga in which co-producer Asif Khan plays the elder brother, despite being couple of years junior. The film was a good experiment; it had excellent music by Mehboob Chauhan, a London-born musician and singer. The songs are still popular on ‘YouTube and one can never miss the similarity Mehboob had with his teacher, the legendary Muhammad Rafi.
Waheed Murad’s dream project, Hero, was the seventh and the last film when he was seen in a double role. Written, produced and originally directed by him, it had Fattu and Jani. One, a master at picking locks while the other, a simpleton. Waheed Murad’s death on November 23, 1983, halted the production for some time. Iqbal Yousuf was roped in as director and the remaining shots were completed with a body double. Hero was eventually released in January 1985.
Waheed Murad delivered a smashing performance as an ‘action’ hero more than ‘once’ in an enduring career. Unlike many others, he enveloped himself in the characters he played, which earned him admiration across the board.
In the end, he was a complete actor and those labeling him as a ‘chocolate hero’ must watch these movies. He was as much an action star as an actor could be. That is the only reason why his roles are still remembered, 34 years after his death.