LAHORE: The 11th death anniversary of famous film star Muhammad Ali will be observed on Sunday (March 19).
The widow of Muhammad Ali, Zeba, has arranged Quran Khawani for the departed soul at her residence in DHA here.
He was born in Rampur, India on April 19, 1930 and died on March 19, 2006 in Lahore.
He was known as Shahenshah-e-Jazbaat, means The Emperor of Emotions. He had starred in over 250 movies played heroes and villains. He was included among 25 greatest actors of Asia (all time) by CNN survey (On 4 March 2010). Along with Waheed Murad and Nadeem, he remained one of the leading actors of Pakistan film industry.
Muhammad Ali joined Radio Pakistan Hyderabad station as a broadcaster in 1956, where his elder brother Irshad was already working as a drama artist. Ali’s initial wage was set Rs. 10 per drama. After a while, he moved to Bhawalpur station and finally moved to Radio Pakistan, Karachi.
Zulfiqar Ali Bukhari, director-general Radio Pakistan, became his mentor for acting. Muhammad Ali used to call him his spiritual father. Later, he introduced Ali to his friend, poet and film producer Fazal Ahmed Kareem Fazli, as a hero for his new movie Chiragh jalta raha. But instead of being hero, Ali accepted the role of villain in the movie. Besides Ali, this was also the first film for Zeba, Deeba, Kamal Irani, and the director Fazli. This was the only Pakistani film in which Indian singer Talat Mehmood worked as a singer.
Chiragh jalta raha was premiered by Fatima Jinnah on March 9, 1962 at Nishat Cinema, Karachi. He then appeared as villain in director Munawwar Rasheed’s film Bahadur, director Iqbal Yusuf’s film Daal mein kala, and director Javed Hashmi’s film Dil ne tujhay maan liya. His first film as hero was Shararat (1963). Later, he moved to Lahore and worked in Khandan (1964). He got breakthrough from Khamosh raho (1964). In 1989, he starred in Hindi film Clerk. His last movie screened in 1995 titled Dum Mast Qalandar.
Mohammad Ali had total 277 films (248 Urdu, 17 Punjabi, 8 Pashto, 2 Double version, 1 Hindi and 1 Bengali). He had 28 films as guest appearance and 1 documentary film.
He won 10 Nigar awards in total — one for best supporting actor (Khamosh Raho, 1964) and another special award for Doorian and Bobby in 1984. Others include best actor awards for Kaneez (1965), Aag Ka Darya (1966), Saiqa (1968), Wehshi (1971), Aas (1973), Aaina Aur Soorat (1974), Insaan Aur Aadmi (1975) and Haidar Ali (1978).
Former president Zia ul Haq conferred Pride of Performance on Mohammad Ali in 1984 in recognition of his life-long services to the entertainment industry of Pakistan.
He is the only actor who was awarded by Tamgha-e-Imtiaz.
He was also awarded Noshad Award of India.
Weekly Nigar published Muhammad Ali Yadgar number in March 2010 that contained essays about his personality.
Mohammad Ali died on March 19, 2006 due to heart attack in Lahore.
