Decades after films such as Armaan and Doraha were released, the debonair Waheed Murad remains a treat to watch. An exceptional actor who had a screen presence that his leading ladies envied, Lollywood’s quintessential chocolate hero died 26 years ago today.
The early death of this educated and talented actor and producer was one of the major blows to an industry that now lies gasping for air. Murad was born on October 2, 1938, in Karachi and news of his death on November 23, 1983, left many eyes brimming with tears.
He starred in 123 feature films and earned 32 awards for his unmatchable performances.
Whether Murad was making a smooth entry in Armaan singing Ko Ko Korina or flirting with Shabnam as he followed her (rather stylishly in a red convertible) crooning Kuch Log Rooth Kar Bhi, songs were an essential part of his image. To pick from his repertoire of immortal melodies is a difficult task.
Here, Dawn.com lists its top 10 favourite Waheed Murad hits. Let us know which one is your favourite?
Ko Ko Korina from Armaan (1966)
Akele Na Jana from Armaan
Jab Pyar Main Do Dil Miltey Hain from Armaan
Kuch Loag Rooth Kar Bhi from Andaleeb (1969)
Haan Isi Mod Par from Doraha (1967)
Bhooli Hui Hoon Dastaan from Doraha
Mujhe Tum Nazar Se from Doraha
Tumhain Kaisay Batadoon from Doraha
Ae Abre Karam Aaj Itna Baras from Naseeb Apna Apna (1970)
Dil Ko Jalana Hum Ne Chor Diya from Mohabbat Zindagi Hai (1975)
The following reader comments do not necessarily reflect the views and policies of the Dawn Media Group.
May Allah rest his soul in peace and pardon him for all sins he committed.
May Allah guide and pardon us all
I would like everyone who still remember waheed murad his special song which I will never forget is from movie (I don’t remember the movie name but the name of singer was nahid niyaji and ahmed rushdi)
raat chali hai joom kay raaho ko tari choomkay, aabhi ja, aabhi ja
I miss you waheed murad
Waheed murad was icon of the era of sixties when our film industry was thriving. People use to go to cinema halls. Middle class had not eroded. More over he was the most educated hero when he started his career and belonged to a very prestegeous family. He wrote produced and directed cinema of interest for more than two decades. He will always be in the hero of history of Pakistani Cinema.
Waheed Murad was a great actor, I miss him so much, I still watch his movie, I live in Miami, Usa.
I have mostly all movies of waheed murad and I watch them when I feel lonely.
My most favorite is jaha tum waha hum and ek nagina and ofcourse dil mera dharkan teri.
My favorite song is usay dekha usay chaha usay bhool gayey from jaha tum waha hum.
Wahid Murad is not a name of an actor but it is a name of an era. He has influenced the lives of generations with his flawless and spontaneous acting and flamboyance style. He has energized millions with his remarkable persona and zestful approach to life.
He was my first child hero and “Ko Ko Korina” was my first song that I grew with. My admiration for him has un-waned over the course of time. After watching timeless Hollywood and Bollywood classics my adoration and respect for him as an actor and a person has further blossomed. His performed brilliantly in keeping view the limited resources of the film industry and lack of creative talent in production and direction.
His spontaneity and style is matchless and could be traced back to the acting style of Cary Grant who ruled the Hollywood for more than three decades.
I would like to pay him my glowing tributes to for his outstanding services to Pakistani Cinema and making our lives cheerful.
Waheed Sahib is an institution.
It is not a coincidence that even after twenty years of his death he has been still remembered with such love and respect.
Undoubtedly, the Sixties were the best and golden days, feel privileged to watch almost all the films of Waheed Murad till 1970, his hair style, his walking style and talking, he is just the best. May he rest in Peace.
This is in response to Mr. Hanief’s comment. People like you who are in abundance in Pakistan, as well as the Pakistani media (newspaper and TV) who are so overly obsessed with the Indian cinema, movies and film stars that it’s shameful. Nadia Khan who has such a huge fan following who can do so much to better the image of Pakistan, but even she talks about Shahrukh Khan and clan as if they are her first cousin or something. It’s not surprising that Waheed Murad has been forgotten.
Honestly, after listening to songs and seeing him, he is not a good actor and nor is he a handsome man. The man singing the songs is not a good singer either and the music is so not good. If Pakistanis have this to offer as their best they are going down. It is quite inferior and Manoj Kumar was a better actor then wahid and jitender was a bad actor. No Manoj Kumar did not copy waheed.
To add on comments of Avinash from Calcutta, he is right, Waheed had similarity in hair style with Jitendra. Furthermore, their dress style, and making certain poses in front of camera are also common. One difference is that, Wahid had a special dialogue delivery in front of camera and tried to make his voice a deep throat with rhythm. While, Jitendra, never paid attention to his dialogue delivery and was spontaneous in speaking. And last thing, is that both dance good and make move good while singing songs in movies, who is great, this is every one call. I grew up in Kasure, in my early twenty in my college watching Wahid movies. I had seen some Indian movies magazines in used book store and saw some Jitendra pictures and noticed both men have same hair style, posing styles and little bit similar face. Later, with Amritsar TV opening, when I watched Jitendra movies, I became convinced that these two gentlemen are in same league. One thing more, they both cater and had a large female fans.
Waheed Murad was an excellent artist but one should also give credit to Ahmed Rushdie who sang most of these songs
Personally I believe that he was a great actor, but noboday knows him outside the pakistan, World is a global village, people from outside world should know him like they know Dilip Kumar, Amitabh Bachan, Shahrukh Khan etc. We do not give respect to our heroes, we dont publicize them, we never pay tribute to them. I feel great dissapointment when I realize the world don’t even know our heroes and great actors.
I want to thank Daily Dawn for taking a lead and remembering our forgotten heroes. It is sad that those who were pillars of our film industry are forgotten. They deserve more than just once a while talk about forgotten. Wahid Murad was a great trend setter/chrismatic chocolate hero. He was like Elvis of the East. However grading him as the best actor of the sub continent is not at all fair. First of all we should not be emotionally attached with one particular actor while comparing with others. They are apple and oranges and they all have their pluses minuses and specialties. We need to be fair in our assessments. In my opinion Dilip Kumar is all time the best of bests and Mohammad Ali is the best actor of Pakistani Film Industry. In fact Mohammad Ali had certain outstanding qualities which no body had in the sub continent.
I will urge the Daily Dawn to continue this program and set a proper question-naire/survey in order to pay respect to our heroes. I strongly believe that the art should not be measured by one’s popularity or changing taste of the people like these days Amitabh is played as God of Indian Film Industry. There is one and only the great Dilip Kumar, nobody can ever come close to great Mohammad Rafi. However there are many big time legend actors/singers. They are like flowers of different colors and they must be recognized. We must not forget, there is a difference between an actor and an artist like there is a difference between a comedian and bhaand but some times a Bhaand is more popular than a true Comedian. It depends who is assessing on what grounds and interests. If it is regarding art, it must be recognized without the the consideration of borders, religion,origin or background. Art speaks itself and it is universal. I believe, if the artists of Indo-Pak had the Hollywood background and their support they would have been all time universally best. Are we proud of them? Thank you Dawn.
Hum Tumhain Bhoole Nahain. This article reminded me with tears the golden days of our country. The 50s and the 60s. Pakistan of Hanif and Fazal, Naseer Bunda and Shahnaz, Hashim and Azam, Santosh and Wahid, Sabiha and Shamim Ara, Zubaida and Noor Jahan, Salim Raza and Ahmad Rushdi, Khurshid Anwar and Suhail Rehna. I can go on and on to remember and also to remind Pakistan of those wonder years. A progressive, secular and secure society with so much hope for the future. Ironically, most of all these achievements were under a dictator named Ayub Khan. So we rememer him too. We, as a new country had started so well with enormous potential but where are we standing now? But we have not lost hope for better days are still to come.
My words will not do justice to Veedu’s caliber and his class. I grew up in 60’s and consider myself fortunate enough to see majority of his movies in theaters. His presence was on screen was empirical almost magical. Even to this date, nobody can surpass his performance and his charisma. I clearly remember the day when he left this world. I remember traffic stopping at several intersections/roundabouts to mourn his death.
Even after 26 years later, his performance is still unmatched.
Born hero and died as a hero.
May Allah bless his soul, Ameen.
Well, He was one of the best hero we ever got. He really performed modern roles in that old days and I can say he was a man of early technology.
MAY ALLAH BLESS HER SOUL.
If Pakistan doesn’t arrest it’s decline into religious fanatacism soon it’s chocolate heroes will be sporting unkempt beards, pot bellies and super baggy trousers rolled all the way upto their knees!!
Waheed and I were Marie Calco in the same class and our teacher was Misses Agustus. This was in 1948/49. I lived just off Pakistan Chawk and he in a building next to Majestic cinema. He use to ride up to my place (both our biscyles rented) and just ride up and down Mclead road on Saturdays and Sundays. We both had a passion playing Cowboys and Red Indians. He had a fancy expensive gun called Peacemake and I had a cheaper version called Rangers. The same roll of firecrackers were used by both of these toy guns purchased in a toy shop near Bori Bazaar. Our common friend Abdul Hamid still lives in Karachi. Last I saw Waheed was either in 1957 or 58.
God rest his soul in peace
Enver.
Waheed Murad was good. Amongst all the Pakistani actors of his time. He was head and shoulder above everybody else.
He brought a style that was marvelous to see.
He was stylish, elegant, debonair and handsome.
Pakistani film industry never recovered from his untimely death.
May he always remain in everybody’s heart.
Waheed Murad is a hero of the film. His style was copied by younger generation. His hair style was very popular among common people. His way of filming romantic songs was very nice. His early death and behaviour of producers in his last years of life both are very sad for all his fans. May Allah bless his soul eternal peace.
Writing just a few lines on great romantic actor Waheed Murad in this newspaper is great unjustice by the author as well as by the publication.
I remember from my memory of my school days that Waheed Murad came to entertain Pakistani movie goers as a very stylish smart, handsome and highly romantic actor. His every movie used to be a superhit. He was one of the well dressed young man with a nice look whenever he appeared in movies. Young people, specially college and University students adored him and tried to copy his style and dressing during late 60’s and 70’s. He produced and acted in several good and clean movies during the era, along with actress Zeba. Finally Mohammad Ali and Nadeem took the Pakistani movies as a better performer and that was an end of the chocolate heros time. Producers stopped offering him movies and it is told that he took shelter on alcohol, being a disheart person.
The author should have covered his Life from 1980 to 1983 period when he got into depression, fell extreme lonely and finally ended his life in a mysterios circumstance. He died when he was only 45, at his prime career life and almost after 20 years of wonderful acting experience. With that, Pakistan lost a very romantic and good actor, an icon of the era. At that time the romance on movie ended and violence came in and finally this violence then invaded the Pakistan society.
I call it ‘A change of Wind’ in Pakistans society.
“Haan Isi Mod Par” is my favorit song. It reminds of Waheed Murad very much and also of Pakistan.
Now there are heroes in the Indo Pak cinema that don’t look and act like hero. Waheed Murad was hero by his looks, acting and personal charm. That’s the reason he is still remembered by his fans so fondly so admirably.
A Chocolate Hero with his great style and one of the great achiver in Pakistani cinema.
I like “Kuch log rooth kar bee laghtay hain kitnay paray’ Thanks for bringing back the old memories.
He’s truly a legend in Pakistan film industry. Nobody can take his place. He’s in our hearts.
My favorite song is Yun Koh Gaay Tere Pyar may Hum Ab Hosh may aana mushkil hay.