Waqt is a legend in cine-folklore and the man who immortalised the song Ae Meri Zohra Jabeen by his prominent screen presence was none other than Balraj Sahni; the Kabuliwallah.
He was born in Rawalpindi on May 01, 1913 and studied in Lahore. After his Masters he returned to Rawalpindi to join his family business. However, that was not enough to feed the actor in him. In ’30s he went to Shantiniketan to join as a teacher for Hindi and English. There he met Mahatma Gandhi and that rendezvous led him to BBC-London where he worked as a radio announcer for Hindi. He returned back in 1943. He was yet to make his debut as an actor.
He stormed into the arena of Indian cinema with stunning performance in Dharti Ke Laal (1946) followed with brilliant performances. However, it was his exceptionally brilliant performances as Shambhu in Do Beegha Zameen and Abdul in Kabuliwallah that established him in the league of Motilal and Gurudutt. His performance in Haqeeqat and Garam Hawa also won accolades in media. Exceptional acting skills and charming voice were two qualities that made his persona unforgettable.
He was a gifted writer and contributed to literature with his works. He was deeply inspired by Russian Revolution and was a proclaimed socialist. He was a highly learned and well-informed person. This trait can be realised by reading his works published across the globe, specially the works on politics. He was one of the founders of IPTA.
He always stood for the poor and what a destiny, he was born on May Day (International Labour’s Day).
He expired in ’73 at age of 60. People remember him as a stylish sophisticated person but when you watch him in Bimal Roy’s Do Beegha Zameen, you will be astonished by the level of method acting.
Written By: Sujoy Ghosh
He was born in Rawalpindi on May 01, 1913 and studied in Lahore. After his Masters he returned to Rawalpindi to join his family business. However, that was not enough to feed the actor in him. In ’30s he went to Shantiniketan to join as a teacher for Hindi and English. There he met Mahatma Gandhi and that rendezvous led him to BBC-London where he worked as a radio announcer for Hindi. He returned back in 1943. He was yet to make his debut as an actor.
He stormed into the arena of Indian cinema with stunning performance in Dharti Ke Laal (1946) followed with brilliant performances. However, it was his exceptionally brilliant performances as Shambhu in Do Beegha Zameen and Abdul in Kabuliwallah that established him in the league of Motilal and Gurudutt. His performance in Haqeeqat and Garam Hawa also won accolades in media. Exceptional acting skills and charming voice were two qualities that made his persona unforgettable.
He was a gifted writer and contributed to literature with his works. He was deeply inspired by Russian Revolution and was a proclaimed socialist. He was a highly learned and well-informed person. This trait can be realised by reading his works published across the globe, specially the works on politics. He was one of the founders of IPTA.
He always stood for the poor and what a destiny, he was born on May Day (International Labour’s Day).
He expired in ’73 at age of 60. People remember him as a stylish sophisticated person but when you watch him in Bimal Roy’s Do Beegha Zameen, you will be astonished by the level of method acting.
Written By: Sujoy Ghosh
1 comment:
That's many things accomplished in one short lifespan... inspirational stuff... I remember for his role in Waqt...
ahh... reminds me to watch "do bigha..." one of these days...
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