Book by noted Pashto filmstar Aman Khan hits stalls

PESHAWAR: The noted film, stage and drama star Aman Khan’s book, “Main aik flop hero..... Lekin?” (I am a flop hero.... But?) has been published and hit the stalls though it is yet to be launched formally.

The 638-page collection is the autobiography of the famous Urdu and Pashto film actor in which the author sheds light on the ups and downs of film industry besides his 50 years-long experience, observation and history of the showbiz industry.

Born at Mohallah Koocha Risaldar in famous Qissa Khwani Bazaar in 1942, Lal Muhammad aka Lali started his acting career with the screen name of Aman Khan from a Pashto movie, Kala khazan...kala bahar (sometimes autumn, sometimes spring).

His ancestors including his grandfather Muhammad Burhanuddin, who served as inspector police and superintendent in FC, belonged to Bannu. He received education from schools in different parts of the then North-West Frontier Province where his father Muhammad Nawaz being an Assistant Sub-inspector (in police remained posted.

Studying at the Govt High School Lachi in Kohat district up to elementary level, he did graduation from Government Degree College DI Khan before stepping into the showbiz in 1971. Aman Khan has not only very frankly written about his life from childhood to retiring age but enlisted the causes of the downfall of the film industry in Pakistan that started from the decade of 1990s and the golden days of Urdu and Pashto movies.

He also writes about his contemporary actors, including all-time hero Badar Muneer, Asif Khan, Yasmin Khan, Niamat Sarhadi, Surayya Khan, Jamil Babar, Mussarat Shaheen, Humayun Qureshi, Liaqat Major, Bedar Bakht, Ajab Gul, Khyal Muhammad and senior poet Qateel Shifai.

It would be no exaggeration to say that the collection might prove a comprehensive document to those trying to know or doing research on the Pakistani film industry and the causes of the downfall of movies, especially the Pashto films.

Narrating the story how he opted to adopt Aman Khan as his film name instead of Lali or Lal Muhammad, the author has mentioned many top stars and literary figures who instead of using their real names and chose other ones including Dilip Kumar whose real name is Muhammad Yousaf Khan, Qateel Shifai whose name was Aurang Zaib, Pitrus Bukhari real name Syed Ahmad Shah, Jaint real name Zakaria Khan, Madhubala real name Mumtaz Jehan. He has also mentioned the name of noted silent movies handsome hero Gul Hameed of Pirpai who acted in Indian silent movies.

Noted literary figures have commented on the book. Prof Nasir Ali Syed termed it a treasure of rare events and pictures. Prof Dr Abaseen Yousafzai called it a unique collection in literary, artistes and journalistic circles, Asif Khan says he may be a flop hero but a successful actor having to his credit a number of hit films while Mushtaq Shabab lauds his courage of revealing the facts and writing truth even if it was about his personal life or the Lollywood films industry.