Fawad Khan debuted in Khuda Kay Liye, Ali Zafar�s film Tere Bin Laden releases this July while Atif Aslam is working on Bol.
KARACHI: Over the course of time, one has
seen several Pakistani singers-turned-actors including the late
Noorjehan, Arif Lohar, Adnan Sami Khan, Sajjad Ali and Fawad Afzal
Khan.
This phenomenon is not only seen in Pakistan but all over the globe
with famous singers such as Elvis Presley, Will Smith, Mariah Carey and
Beyonce making it big in the acting business.
Noorjehan
Noorjehan was the adopted stage name of Allah Wasai born September
21, 1926. Noorjehan is one of the most iconic singers of the
subcontinent and was titled Malikae- Tarranum. She began singing when
she was about five years oldand received training in classical singing
under an ustad. Noorjehan was pushed by her parents to follow in their
footsteps and become a singer.
Noorjehan began her acting career with Pind Di Kurhi in 1935 and
played the role of Heer in Heer-Sayyal (1937). She went on to act in
several films with her last being Mirza Sahibaan in 1947.
Arif Lohar
Arif Lohar was born in 1959 and has been awarded the Pride of
Performance award by the Government of Pakistan. He is making his debut
as an actor in a Syed Noor film called Jugni (also the title of one of
his most famous songs). He told The Express Tribune last week, Yes, I
have been cast in the lead role and the film is expected to release
around Eid-ul-Azha this year.
Adnan Sami Khan
Adnan Sami Khan was encouraged by Asha Bhosle to pursue music as a
career. Sami released his first sole album in the early 1990s nd in
1994 composed music for his first film, Sargam. The film was directed
by Syed Noor. This was also Samis acting debut where he played the
lead with his then-wife Zeba Bakhtiar.
Sajjad Ali
Sajjad Ali was born in 1966 in Karachi and gained celebrity stardom
in the early 1980s as a semi-classical singer. He released his first
classical album in 1979 and made his television debut in Aap Janab.
Ali also tried his hand in the film industry and directed his first
telefilm Love Letter in 1989 and performed as an actor and singer in
Munda Tera Deewana directed by Zahoor Husain Gillani.
Fawad Afzal Khan
Fawad Afzal Khan is the lead singer for the Pakistani rock band
Entity Paradigm (which split up and reunited last year). Khan has acted
in several television productions and debuted as a film actor in Shoaib
Mansoors Khuda Kay Liye.
Ali Zafar
Ali Zafar is a musician, model, painter and actor. Zafar graduated
from the National College of Arts in 2002 and released his first album
Huqa Pani in Pakistan in 2003 and internationally in 2005. Zafar plays
the lead role in Tere Bin Laden, an upcoming Bollywood film, which is
expected to release globally on July 16, 2010.
Atif Aslam
Most popularly known for his crooning voice and powerful vocal
belting technique, Atif Aslam has had a number of hit songs such as Aadat,Tere Bin and Pehli Nazar Mein. Aslam was a member of Jal
but soon branched out on his and released his first solo album Jal Pari
in 2004. Currently, the singer is working in Shoaib Mansoor's upcoming
film Bol, which also stars VJ Mahira Khan.
Published in the Express Tribune, May 18th, 2010
