Habib-ur-Rehman ( ur, حبیب الرحمان; 26 November 1929 – 25 February 2016), better known by his screen name Habib, was a Pakistani film actor, director, producer and a television actor. He was one of the busiest heroes of the
Pakistani film industry
Cinema of Pakistan, popularly known as Lollywood ( ur, ), refers to the filmmaking industry in Pakistan. Pakistan is home to several film studios centres, primarily located in its three largest cities – Karachi, Lahore, and Faisalabad.
...
and established himself as one of the most successful actors of Pakistani cinema, acting in almost 600 movies in a career spanning 60 years.M. Saeed Awan (13 March 2016 "In memoriam: An actor and a gentleman" Dawn (newspaper), Retrieved 27 June 2022 He appeared in both Punjabi and
Arain
Arain (also known as Raeen) are a large Punjabi agricultural tribe with strong political identity and organisation, found mainly in the Pakistani provinces of Punjab and Sindh with a small population in parts of Indian Punjab, Uttar Pradesh a ...
tribe, in Basi village not far from
Sirhind-Fategarh
Sirhind-Fategarh is a town and a municipal council in the Fatehgarh Sahib district in the Indian state of Punjab.
Demographics
In the 2011 census Sirhind-Fatehgarh had a population of 60852. Males constituted 54% of the population and female ...
in the
Patiala State
Patiala State was a self-governing princely state
A princely state (also called native state or Indian state) was a nominally sovereign entity of the British Raj, British Indian Empire that was not directly governed by the British, but ra ...
,
Punjab, British India
Punjab was a province of British India. Most of the Punjab region was annexed by the East India Company in 2 April 1849, and declared a province of British Rule, it was one of the last areas of the Indian subcontinent to fall under British co ...
. His father worked in the railways, and the family had to move to
Gujranwala
Gujranwala ( ur, , label=none; ) is a city and capital of Gujranwala Division located in Pakistan. It is also known as "City of Wrestlers" and is quite famous for its food. It is the 5th most populous city proper after Karachi, Lahore, Faisala ...
after the
independence of Pakistan
The Pakistan Movement ( ur, , translit=Teḥrīk-e-Pākistān) was a political movement in the first half of the 20th century that aimed for the creation of Pakistan from the Muslim-majority areas of British India. It was connected to the per ...
in 1947, where he was educated, earning three master's degrees in
English literature
English literature is literature written in the English language from United Kingdom, its crown dependencies, the Republic of Ireland, the United States, and the countries of the former British Empire. ''The Encyclopaedia Britannica'' defines E ...
, Urdu and Persian from the
Govt. M.A.O College Lahore
Government Muhammadan Anglo Oriental College (abbreviated to Govt. M.A.O. College Lahore; ur, ;) is a public college located adjacent to Civil Secretariat Lahore. It is among the oldest educational institutions in Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan. I ...
.
He married fellow film actress
Naghma
, background = solo_singer
, image = Naghma 2010-3.jpgborder
, caption = Naghma singing during the 2010 Nowruz celebration at Fairplex in Pomona, California
, birth_name = Shaperei (''Fairy'')
, birth_date ...
in 1972, but later separated and got divorced from her in 1988. Habib was the father of two sons and four daughters from his first wife who had died some years ago, and another daughter later from his second wife, actress Naghma. He then married Shaheen Habib and they lived together for 36 years until his death in 2016.
Khalid Tabassum, journalist & writer, wrote his film memories which were published in Daily Nawa-i-Waqt in 1986.
Career
As an actor
He made his debut in film ''Lakhat-e-Jigar'' (1956), then some of his films flopped till ''Aadmi'' (1958). He received an important role in the film ''Aadmi'' (1958), breaking through obscurity and first became well-known as a film actor, and soon took other roles in
Zehr-e-Ishq
''Zehr-e-Ishq'' is a Pakistani romantic musical film released in 1958. Following ''Intezaar'', ''Zehr-e-Ishq'' is the second film featuring Masood Parvez as a director, Khwaja Khurshid Anwar as a producer, music composer and writer, Qateel Sh ...
'' (1958), ''Surayya'' (1961), ''Saperan'' (1961), '' Aulad'' (1962), ''Mehtab'', ''Maa Ke Aansoo'', ''Khandan'', ''Aashiyana'' (1964), ''Fashion'', ''Dil Ke Tukrey'', ''Basheera'' (1972), ''Eid Mubarak'' (1965), ''Dil Aur Duniya'', ''Haar Geya Insaan'' and ''Waqt''.
Among his Punjabi films, ''Mouj Mela'' (1963) was a super-hit musical
Golden Jubilee
A golden jubilee marks a 50th anniversary. It variously is applied to people, events, and nations.
Bangladesh
In Bangladesh, golden jubilee refers the 50th anniversary year of the separation from Pakistan and is called in Bengali ''"সু ...
film. He took the role of a side-hero in
Platinum Jubilee
A platinum jubilee is a celebration held to mark an anniversary. Among monarchies, it usually refers to a 70th anniversary.
The most recent monarch to celebrate a platinum jubilee is Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom and the other Co ...
film, ''Jeedar'' (1965), but he could not repeat this success until 1967. ''Dil Da Jani'' (1967), ''Yaar Maar'', ''Babul Da Wehra'' (1968), ''Chann Makhna'' (1968), ''Do Mutiyaran'' (1968), ''Chann Veer'' (1969), ''Mukhra Chann Warga'', ''Genterman'' (1969), ''Waryam'', ''Att Khuda Da Vair'' (1970), ''Chann Puttar'' (1970), ''Taxi Driver'' (1970), ''Rangu Jatt'' (1970), ''Duniya Paise Di'' (1971), ''Sajjan Be-Parwah'', ''Ik Doli Do Kahar'', ''Basheera'' (1972), ''Do Pattar Annaran Dey'' (1972), ''Zaildar'' (1972), ''Khushiya'' and " Malanga (1986)" are his Punjabi films.
In television, his most famous role was in the PTV drama ''Rahain'', in the late 1990s.
As a director
He directed and produced two Sindhi films, ''Baaghi'' and ''Allah Bachayo'', but without much success.
As a producer
He was not successful as a film producer. ''Pardes'' and ''Haar Gaya Insaan'' were average box office films. Some other films he had produced had also flopped at the box office.
Death
Habib-ur-Rehman suffered a brain haemorrhage a week before his death. At that time, he was admitted to
Ittefaq Hospital
Ittefaq Hospital is a private hospital Trust located near H Block Model Town, Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan
Pakistan ( ur, ), officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan ( ur, , label=none), is a country in South Asia. It is the world's List ...
, Lahore for treatment where he died on 25 February 2016.
Ashiana
''Ashiana'' is a 1952 Hindi language romantic movie produced by B. Swinder Sabharwal. The film is directed by B. Trilochan. The film stars Raj Kapoor and Nargis in lead roles along with Iftekhar, Randhir and Shivraj. The film's music was compose ...
'' (1964)
* ''
Devdas
''Devdas'' ( bn, দেবদাস, transliterated as ''Debdās'') is a Bengali romance novel written by Sarat Chandra Chatterjee. The story pivots a tragic triangle linking Devdas, an archetypal lover in viraha (separation); Paro, his forbidden ...
'' (1965)
* ''
Dil Ke Tukre
''Dil Ke Tukre'' is a Pakistani drama film directed, produced and written by Nazir Ajmeri. It stars Shamim Ara, Muhammad Ali and Habib in lead roles. Music was composed by Safdar Hussain. The film was released on 7 May 1965, and became a silver ...
'' (1965)
* ''
Eid Mubarak
Eid Mubarak is an Arabic term that means “Blessed feast/festival'”. The term is used by Muslims all over the world. Internationally Muslims use it as a greeting on the feast. In the social sense, people usually celebrate Eid al-Fitr after Ram ...
'' (1965)
* ''
Taj Mahal
The Taj Mahal (; ) is an Islamic ivory-white marble mausoleum on the right bank of the river Yamuna in the Indian city of Agra. It was commissioned in 1631 by the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan () to house the tomb of his favourite wife, Mu ...
Ik Madari
''Ik Madari'' ( Punjabi: ) is a 1973 Pakistani Punjabi language Family drama movie.
Directed by Chodhary Sagheer Ahmad and produced by Malik Mohammad Rafiq. Film starring actor Allauddin in the lead role and with Naghma, Habib, and then as ...
'' (1973)
* ''
Naukar Wohti Da
''Naukar Wohti Da'' (Punjabi language, Punjabi: ﻧﻮﮐﺮ ﻭﻭﮨﭩﯽ ﺩﺍ) is a 1974 Pakistani, Punjabi film, starring Munawar Zarif in the lead role, opposite actress Aasia. The film tells the story of a hired husband. It was remade ...
'' (1974)
* ''
Dara Baloch
''Dara Baloch'' (Punjabi: ) is a 1983 Pakistani, Action film and a musical film directed by Masud Butt and produced by Abbas Asghar. Film starring actor Sultan Rahi, Iqbal Hassan, Mustafa Qureshi, and Ilyas Kashmiri.http://www.citwf.com/film7977 ...
'' (1983)
* ''
Rustam Tey Khan
''Rustam Tey Khan'' (Punjabi: ) is a 1983 Pakistani action film, directed by Altaf Hussain, produced by Chaudhry Mohammad Ismail.The film starring Yousuf Khan Sultan Rahi, Anjuman, Mustafa Qureshi.
Cast
* Yousuf Khan
* Sultan Rahi
* A ...
'' (1983)
* ''
Gernail Singh
''Gernail Singh'' ( Punjabi: ) is a 1987 Pakistani Punjabi language film, directed by Yunus Malik and produced by Fayyaz Khan. It stars Sultan Rahi, Anjuman, Mustafa Qureshi, Kaifee, Ghulam Mohiuddin, and Chakori.
Synopsis
''Gernail Singh'' d ...
'' (1987)
Awards
*1958 –
Nigar Award
The Nigar Awards ( ur, , translit=Inʿām Negār, lit=Picture Awards) were presented in an annual award show to recognize outstanding achievement in Pakistani cinema. The honors are awarded by Nigar Magazine founded in 1948. The Nigar Awards a ...
for Best Actor - film ''Aadmi''
*1961 –
Nigar Award
The Nigar Awards ( ur, , translit=Inʿām Negār, lit=Picture Awards) were presented in an annual award show to recognize outstanding achievement in Pakistani cinema. The honors are awarded by Nigar Magazine founded in 1948. The Nigar Awards a ...
Nigar Award
The Nigar Awards ( ur, , translit=Inʿām Negār, lit=Picture Awards) were presented in an annual award show to recognize outstanding achievement in Pakistani cinema. The honors are awarded by Nigar Magazine founded in 1948. The Nigar Awards a ...
Lifetime Achievement Award
*2011 –
Pride of Performance
The Pride of Performance ( ur, ), officially known as Presidential Pride of Performance, is an award bestowed by the Islamic Republic of Pakistan to recognize people with "notable achievements in the field of art, science, literature, sports, an ...