Waheed Murad

Waheed Murad (Urdu: وحید مراد‎) (2 October 1938 – 23 November 1983) was a legendary Pakistani film actor, producer and script writer. Waheed is considered to be one of the most famous and influential actors of subcontinent. Born in Sialkot, British India (now Pakistan), he was the only child of well-off film distributor Mr. Nisar Murad. He got early education from Karachi Grammar School, Karachi, did graduation from S.M. Arts College Karachi, and then masters in English literature from University of Karachi.

He is well known for his charming expressions, attractive personality, tender voice and unusual talent for acting in films. His romantic style of acting made him popular amongst the young cinema viewers of south asia. One of his blockbuster films is Armaan, which was produced by him, made a pivotal impact on the sub-continental film industry such that the Pakistani film industry was considered as the rising sun and this film made him a superstar overnight. Once, in an interview in 1967, he said that Dilip Kumar, too, was not an immortal actor. Waheed was known as a cheque which could be cashed any where in the country and is the only actor of film industry to secure the highest number of platinum, diamond, golden and silver jubilees.

In November 2010, 27 years after his death, Pakistani president Asif Zardari awarded him the Sitara-e-Imtiaz, the "star of excellence," an honour given for distinguished merit in the fields of literature, arts, sports, medicine, or science.