Tribute paid to Waheed Murad at Lok Virsa

Islamabad

Lok Virsa Film Club Mandwa paid tribute to Waheed Murad with screening of his film ‘Mastana Mahi’ on Saturday. Special guest included Waheed Murad's son Adil Murad.

Waheed Murad was son of Nisar Murad, owner of well-known and leading film distribution concern Pakistan Films in Karachi. Along with J.C. Annand's Eveready Pictures and G.A. Gul's Evernew Pictures, Nisar Murad's Pakistan Films played a lead in the production, distribution and exhibition of films in the Sindh circuit.

Waheed Murad received the very best schooling in Karachi and later earned his M.A. in English Literature. He was perhaps the only film star with this literary distinction at his time. After completing his education, Waheed made his acting debut with two films at Lahore; ‘Daaman’ and ‘Aulad.’ His real passion laid in film making. That came with setting up of his own production banner Film Arts. He joined hands with director Pervaiz Malik (who had just returned with a degree in Film Studies from the prestigious University of southern California). Waheed Murad's other partners included composer Sohail Rana and writer-lyricist Masroor Anwar. The four of them brought back Karachi on the film map. Karachi, which earlier was our first, and later second film capital, had then been deserted for a while. Film activities were pretty much monopolised by Lakshmi Chowk in Lahore.

Film Arts taking the lead with titles likes ‘Insan Badalta Hai’ and ‘Jab Sey Dekha Hai Tumhey’ (both directed by Munawar Rasheed), moved on with smash hits ‘Heera Aur Pather’ and ‘Armaan.’ This platinum jubilee was followed by ‘Ehsan and Doraha.’ Waheed Murad had now become the most popular and bankable personality of film trade. For the young boys and girls, he had become an instant icon. With pointed shoes, tight pants and narrow neck ties, Waheed Murad was the only male film lead around. His pairing first with Zeba and later with other major heroines (Shamim Ara, Deeba, Rani, and Shabnam) became successful box office casting chemistry. Waheed Murad's forte apart from his acting abilities, was his charm with the leading ladies (particularly in filming songs) and many a time he would become intimate and dangerously close to them. This of course was resented by director Hassan Tariq (married to Rani) and composer Robin Ghosh (married to Shabnam). It did not take long before Rani and Shabnam were discreetly directed by their husbands not to work with Waheed and that was that. It was heartbreak both for Waheed Murad and millions of film goers around Pakistan.

Waheed Murad won awards for ‘Heera Aur Pather,’ ‘Armaan,’ ‘Andaleeb’ and his first Punjabi film ‘Mastana Mashi’ (which he also produced in 1971). By early-seventies, Nadeem and Shahid in Urdu films had taken over. Sultan Rahi lead the vendetta and violence in Punjabi actioners. There was nothing else in between. Waheed again went for production with film Hero (this time with Babra Sharif) to regenerate his sagging career but it did not work for the box office. He passed away in November 1983.

‘Mastana Mahi,’ directed by Iftekhar Khan and scripted by Hazeen Qadri, came with popular score by Nazir Ali (‘Sio ni mera mahi’ and other melodies). With Waheed in double lead, Naghma and Aliya were his female companions. Seen in his first Punjabi film, Waheed Murad clicked well both with the Urdu and Punjabi film goers and ‘Mastana Mahi’ was a smash.

The author can be reached at aijazzgul@gmail.com