Indian Artists and their contribution to Pakistani Film Industry
By Azhar Iqbal
Apart from geo-political problems and core issues, Pakistan and India have strong ties in the fields of art and culture. When we look on both sides of the line, the people of two different nations are connected through literature, poetry, music and art. Indian film industry especially Bollywood has a key role to get Pakistani and Indian people together through common language, poetry, music and comedy.
The largest film industry in the world belongs to India. According to UNESCO Institute for Statistics, India is at the top position in order to produce most number of feature films per year. Bollywood and Indian Punjabi feature films are as popular in Pakistan as in India. Due to common features and language many of Pakistani artists have been a part of Indian industry. This is a very long list of the actors and singers who have been working in Bollywood for decades.
From Zeba Bakhtiar to Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan,Mohsan Hassan Khan, Javed Sheikh to Rahat Fateh Ali Khan, Atif Aslam, Mahira Khan, Fawad Khan, Ali Zafar, Asad Amanat Ali Khan, Arif Lohar, Meera, Moammar Rana, Ali Azmat, Saba Qamar, Meera, Sara Lorrain, Mawra Hassan, Veena Malik and Imran Abbas have been a part of Indian film Industry. Many of them got fame and they feel proud to be called Bollywood stars. Legendary comedian Omar Shareef and Amaan Ullah also naseem Vicky, Zafri Khan and Shakeel Siddiqui also have won the hearts of Indian Audience. This list doesn’t end here because many of other artists have entertained Indians.
Pakistani Artists and their place in Indian film industry are well recognized by the audience from both countries. But the fact of the matter is that that there are many Indian film stars and popular singers who contributed to Pakistani Film industry and played an important role in its revival. This is a fact that Indian actors and playback singers are popular and always a sign of attraction to Pakistani audience to come and watch Pakistani films. The list of Indian artists who worked in Pakistani Film Industry is also very long like Pakistani counter parts. Here we are telling you some of the popular actors and singers who worked in Pakistani film Industry.
Om Prakash Puri
Om Prakash Puri
Padma Shri and Filmfare Lifetime Achievement Award holder Legendary late Om Puri played the role of “Rafaqat Mirza” the father of the hero “Shan Mirza” (Fahad Mustafa) in a Pakistani film “Actor in Law” directed by Nabeel Qureshi. “Actor in Law” was released on Eid-ul-Azha and was a big hit. It received Best Film Award in 16th Lux Style Awards.
Naseeruddin Shah
Bollywood senior star Naseeruddin Shah has played the leading role in “Zinda Bhaag” in 2013. It was first Pakistani film selected in over 50 years, Pakistani entry for The Best Foreign Language Film at the 86th Academy Awards. Naseeruddin Shah also appeared in Shoaib Mansoor’s “Khuda Kay Liye” as a religious scholar and his small cameo was highly appreciated by the audience.
Johny Lever
Bollywood Comedy King Johny Lever has also worked in a Pakistani movie. He was starred in Reema Khan’s production “Love Mein Ghum” in 2011. His role as “Sukhia” was liked by Pakistani audience. This film was also successful.
Neha Dhupia
Neha Dhupia performed in Pakistani film “Kabhi Pyar Na Karna” in 2008. In this film the song “Kurti Lai Rajasthan Se” was filmed on Neha Dhupia with Moammar Rana.
Vinod Khanna
Deceased former Minister of Indian Lok Sabha and Bollywod legend Vinod Khanna played a lead role of Abdullah Khan (an underworld gangster) in a Pakistani film “Godfather” in 2007. It was his first appearance in Pakistani cinema.
Arbaaz Khan
Superstar Salman Khan’s brother Arbaaz Khan was also starred in Pakistani movie “Godfather” with Vinod Khanna as Shaakir. This film was made with a great collaboration with Indian artists and received a pleasant response by audience in Pakistan.
Many other Indian actors have worked in Pakistani Films. Shweta Tiwari, Govind, Aaray Babbar, Shilpa Shukla and Kiron Kher are the names that can be listed with the actors told above.
Alka Yagnik
Many songs have been recorded in the melodious voice of Alka Yagnik in different Pakistani films. 4 songs including title song of super hit film “Koi Tujh Sa Kahan” were recorded by Alka in 2005. She also sang title song of Javed Shaikh’s “Khulay Aasman Kay Neechay”. She sang Suno Piya in “Main Ek Din Laut ke Aon Ga” .
Shreya Ghoshal
Shreya Ghoshal has been a part of numerous box office hits, as a playback singer in Pakistan. Shreya sang the melodious song “Main jeena Tere Naal” and 3 other songs including title song of the hit Punjabi film “Mohabbataan Sachiyaan”. Shreya also sang “Meri Aankhain” and 2 other songs in “Koi Tujh Sa Kahan”. Reema Khan’s “Love Mein Ghum” had 2 songs by Shreya Ghoshal including “Kitni Haseen Hai Zindagi”. She also sang in many other Pakistani films like “Kabhi Pyar Na Karna”, “Tarap”, “Armaan” and “Janaan”.
Kumar Sanu
Kumar Sanu has sung as playback singer in Pakistani hit films. Title song of super hit Pakistani film “Yeh Dil Aap Ka Hua” and another song “Wo Ladki Hai Ya Jado” were sung by Kumar Sanu in 2002. Later on he sang “Wada Hai Wadon Ko” in a blockbuster Pakistani Film “Salakhain” in 2004.
Sonu Nigam
Sonu Nigam is one of those playback singers who sung in many of Pakistani Films. He sang “Haath Se Haath Kia Gaya” in diamond jubilee film “Tere Pyar Mein” in 2000. He also sang “Barish” in Golden jubilee “Slakhain” in 2004. Sonu sang “Falak se Sitara” and “Wo Ladki Hai” in “Yeh Dil Aap Ka Hua”. Sonu Nigam has sung many other songs in different Pakistani movies i.e. tilte songs of “Khulay Aasman Kay Neechay”, “Mohabbataan Sachiyaan”.
Udit Narayen
Udit Narayen is also one of those Bollywood playback singers who have worked for many Pakistani films as a playback singer. Udit sang “Dil kay Badlay Dil” and “Meray Sanam Dilruba” in blockbuster “Ghar kab Ao Gay”. Later on he sang couple of songs in “Kabhi Pyar Na Karna”, “Koi Tujh Sa Kahan”.
Many of the other than above playback singers have sung melodious songs in different Pakistani movies and also many of the TV serials have their OTS’ in the voices of Indian playback singers and were touched by high success among Pakistani audience. Asha BhosleRam, Kavita Krishna Moorti, Kelash Kher, Sukhwindar Singh, Mika Singh, Sunidhi Chohan, Jaspindar Naraula, Richa Sharma and many others have contributed to Pakistani Film Industry.
Where Indian artists took part in the revival of Lollywood Industry, they also spread the fragrance of culture and love from India to Pakistan. If this collaboration in film production continues, it will not only help Pakistani Film industry to meet the international standards of film making but also will be helpful to melt the sense of hatred from both sides of the borders.
Azhar Iqbal is an International Graduate fellow from Pakistan. He studies cross-cultural communication in Ural Federal University,Yekaterinburg, Russia.