Nazir Ahmed Khan

{{short description|Founding Father of Pakistan film industry (1904–1983)}}

{{Infobox person

| name = Nazir

| image =

| birth_date = 1904

| birth_place = Lahore, Punjab, British India

| death_date = 26 August 1983 (aged 78–79)

| death_place = Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan

| occupation = Actor, film director, film producer

| spouse = {{plainlist|

Sikandara Begum
Swaran Lata}}

| children = Afzal Nazir, Akhtar Nazir (Cooki), Suraiya Nazir (w/o Nasir Khan), Aslam Nazir, Ismat Nazir and 2 others

Asif Nazir Khan (Grandson, CEO Nazir Asif Arts)

| othername = Baau Jee (a popular nickname for him in the Pakistani film industry)

| awards = Nigar Award 'Special Nigar Award for 30 years of Excellence' in Pakistani film industry in 1982

}}

Nazir Ahmed Khan (1904 {{endash}} 26 August 1983) ({{langx|ur|{{Nastaliq|نذیر احمد خان}}}}) was one of the founding fathers of Pakistan film industry. He was a versatile filmmaker, actor, director and producer.

Personal life

Nazir was born in 1904 in a Kakazai Pathan family in Lahore, Punjab, British India.{{cite news|url=https://www.nation.com.pk/27-Aug-2013/bao-jee-s-anniversary-goes-unnoticed|archive-date=12 November 2023|url-status=dead|access-date=18 March 2025|title=Bao Jee's (Nazir Ahmed Khan) anniversary goes unnoticed|date=27 August 2013|author=Arshad Bhatti|newspaper=The Nation newspaper|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231112014720/https://www.nation.com.pk/27-Aug-2013/bao-jee-s-anniversary-goes-unnoticed}} He had at least three wives over the years. He was first married to his cousin Sikandara Begum (who was the sister of K. Asif, the legendary director of 1960 film Mughal-e-Azam). He later had a very short marriage with Sitara Devi, the legendary Kathak dancer. After their divorce, Sitara Devi married none other than Nazir's cousin K. Asif himself. In other words, she married first the husband and then the brother of Sikandara Begum. Nazir's last wife was film actress Swaran Lata.{{cite web|url=http://pakfilms.net/artists/details.php?pid=2760|title= Profile of Nazir Ahmed Khan|website=Pakfilms.net website|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170701090843/http://pakfilms.net/artists/details.php?pid=2760 |date=2 June 2016|archive-date=1 July 2017|url-status=dead|access-date=18 March 2025}}

Nazir was the father of several children. He gave one of his daughters in marriage to actor Nasir Khan, (brother of Dilip Kumar).

Awards and recognition

Nigar Award 'Special Nigar Award for 30 years of excellence' in Pakistani film industry in 1982.{{cite web |title=Pakistan's "Oscars"; The Nigar Awards (1957 - 2002) |url=https://www.desimoviesreviews.com/index.php/2017/11/24/pakistans-oscars-nigar-awards|website=The Hot Spot Film Reviews website|access-date=17 March 2025|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150722111654/https://www.desimoviesreviews.com/index.php/2017/11/24/pakistans-oscars-nigar-awards|archive-date=22 July 2015|url-status=dead}}

Career

In 1929, Nazir left the city of Lahore to go to Calcutta to achieve his dream of making movies.

His first film role, as an actor, came from another Lahori friend, veteran film producer/director A. R. Kardar in the 'Silent-era' film Sarfarosh (Brave Heart) in 1929. Then he acted in several films including the notable Baghban (1938 film) which was a success at the box-office as well.{{cite web|title=Baghban (1938 film)|url=http://www.citwf.com/film27234.htm |website=Complete Index To World Film (CITWF) website |author=Alan Goble |access-date=17 March 2025|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150402093243/http://www.citwf.com/film27234.htm |archive-date=2 April 2015|df=dmy}}{{cite journal|last1=Patel|first1=Baburao|title=Bombay Calling (page 256)|journal=Filmindia|date=September 1938|volume=4|issue=4|pages=256|url=https://archive.org/stream/filmindia193804unse#page/n83/mode/2up/search/baghban|access-date=17 March 2025|ref=Bombay Calling}} Nazir then started producing and directing films under the banner of "Hind Pictures' and also established a film studio in Bombay.

In 1947, Nazir decided to migrate to newly-independent Pakistan and settled in Lahore. After making some mediocre films with meager resources, he made the first silver jubilee film of Pakistani cinema in Punjabi language, Pheray (1949 film).

During his career spanning 55 years, Nazir had done more than 200 films.

Death

Nazir Ahmed Khan died on 26 August 1983.{{cite web |url=http://www.urduwire.com/people/Nazir-Ahmed-Khan_510.aspx|title=Nazir Ahmed Khan's Profile| publisher=Urduwire.com website|access-date=17 March 2025|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190306060959/http://www.urduwire.com/people/Nazir-Ahmed-Khan_510.aspx|archive-date=6 March 2019}}

Filmography

Sawaal (1966)
Azmat-e-Islam (1965)
Haveli (1964)
Billo Jee (1962)
Shama (1959)
Noor-e-Islam (1957)
Sabira (1956)
Soteeli Maa (1956)
Wehshi (1956)
Hameeda (1956)
Nagin (1955)
Naukar (1955)
Heer (1955)
Shehri Babu (1953){{cite web|url=http://www.mpaop.org/mpaop/pak-film-database/chronological-of-films/53-2/shehri-babu/ |url-status=dead|title=Shehri Babu (1953 film)|website=Motion Pictures Archive of Pakistan (Mpaop) website|archive-date=29 August 2017|access-date=17 March 2025|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170829072554/http://www.mpaop.org/mpaop/pak-film-database/chronological-of-films/53-2/shehri-babu/}}
Khatoon (1952)
Bheegi Palkain (1950)
Anokhi Dastan (1950)
Humari Basti (1950)
Ghalat Fahmi (1950)
Laraay (1949)
Pheray (1949){{cite web|url=http://pakfilms.net/actors/Nazir.php|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170428050555/http://pakfilms.net/actors/Nazir.php |date=1 March 2016|archive-date=28 April 2017|website=PakFilms.net website|title=Filmography of Nazir Ahmed Khan|access-date=18 March 2025}}
Sachchai(1947)
Heer (1946)
Wamaq Azra (1946)
Gaon Ki Gori (1945)
Laila Majnu (1945)
Naatak (1944)
Aabroo (1943)
Ghar Sansar (1942)
Maa Baap (1941)
Swami (1941)
Taj Mahal (1941)
Apni Nagariya (1939)
Joshe Islam (1938)
Baghban (1938)
Bhabi (1938)
Sitara Tanzi (1937)
Dukhiyari (1936)
Pratima (1935)
Delhi Ka Thug (1934)
Iraq Ka Chor (1934)
Chandragupta (1934)
''Sultana (1934)
Night Bird (1933)
Abe Hayat (1933){{cite web|url=http://www.citwf.com/person314562.htm |title=Nazir Ahmed Khan's (Nazir) filmography on Complete Index To World Film (CITWF) website|url-status=dead|author=Alan Goble|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170904015859/http://www.citwf.com/person314562.htm|archive-date=4 September 2017|access-date=17 March 2025}}
Lal-e-Yaman (1933)
Zarina (1932)
Farebi Daku (1931){{cite news|url=http://www.pakistantoday.com.pk/2011/08/25/entertainment/a-walk-down-memory-lane-with-legendary-filmmaker-nazir-ahmed-khan/|newspaper=Pakistan Today newspaper|date=26 Aug 2011| access-date=17 March 2025|title=A walk down memory lane with legendary filmmaker Nazir Ahmed Khan|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200621040400/https://www.pakistantoday.com.pk/2011/08/25/a-walk-down-memory-lane-with-legendary-filmmaker-nazir-ahmed-khan/|archive-date=21 June 2020|url-status=dead}}
Sarfarosh or (Brave Heart) (1929) (A Silent-era film) (Producer: A. R. Kardar)