Agha Sikandar was a Pakistani television and film actor.[2] He appeared in classic dramas Waris and Dehleez.[3][2] He also appeared in Urdu and Punjabi films Mian Biwi Razi, Faslay and Jatt Te Dogar.[2]

Agha Sikandar
Born
Agha Sikandar Abbas

1953
Died28 May 1993(1993-05-28) (aged 39–40)
EducationUniversity of Lahore
OccupationActor
Years active1979 – 1993
SpouseRubina Sikandar (wife)
ChildrenAagha Ali (son)
Ali Sikandar (son)
ParentAgha Saleem Raza (father)[1]
RelativesSaba Hameed (cousin)
Huma Hameed (cousin)
Inayat Hussain Bhatti (father-in-law)
Shahida Bano (mother-in-law)
Waseem Abbas (brother-in-law)
Kaifee (uncle)
Ali Abbas (nephew)
Hina Altaf (daughter-in-law)
Ramsha Khan (niece)

Early life edit

Agha was born on 1953 in Lahore, Pakistan and he completed his studies from University of Lahore.[2]

Agha's father Agha Saleem Raza (d. 1965) was an actor in Urdu and Punjabi cinema, mainly known for his roles as villain during the 30s and the 40s.[4]

Career edit

Agha was interest in acting and made his debut as an actor in late 1970s on PTV dramas and he did a number of roles in dramas in the late 1970s.[5][2][6] He appeared in drama Waris written by Amjad Islam Amjad he portrayed as Farrukh an emotionally son of a widow which was a massive hit.[7] Agha then appeared in philosophical telefilm written by Ashfaq Ahmed called Cinderella Aur Sakina with Saba Hameed.[2][8] Then in 1981 he appeared in drama Dehleez as Abid Khan a villain role which was also written by Amjad Islam Amjad.[9] Agha also appeared in films and he was offered many films from filmmakers.[2][10]

In 1981 Agha appeared in film Faslay with famous actress Shabnam and actor Muhammad Ali which was a Silver Jubilee.[11][12] The following year in 1982 he appeared in film Mian Biwi Razi with actresses Kaveeta, Tahira Naqvi and actor Nadeem Baig which was box-office hit in which he did a comic role with alongside Sangeeta.[2] Agha was offered more offers from directors, they saw him to be a naturally romantic hero.[2] In 1983 he appeared in film Jatt Te Dogar with Sultan Rahi, Mustafa Qureshi, Adeeb and Bahar Begum.[2] Agha was known an emotionally fragile and romantic person and he usually did the roles of characters which were emotional and fragile in dramas quite close to his life depiction of the characters he was given to play.[2]

When Pakistan Urdu Cinema fell into decline and was replaced by Punjabi films, he felt emotional due to some problems and he stopped working in both dramas and films in 1985 his output on both mediums began to decline.[2]

Agha began to use heroin drugs and became addicted to it which made him unpredictable and even more emotionally fragile then he was already.[2] He was sent to Rehabilitation Centre to recover but he was in and out of rehabilitation centres on numerous occasions.[2] Agha tried to rekindle the fame he had between 1970s, 1980s and 1990s, he couldn't find any offers from both dramas and films which droved him into depression.[2]

He completely disappeared from television in early 1993 but Agha become more addicted to drugs and used the drug then Agha was emotionally battered, haunted and taunted by his addiction and failing to come to terms with the loss of fame he once had and friends.[2]

In 1993 Agha was found dead which was announced and according to his contemporaries he had utilised only a small portion of the talent.[2]

Personal life edit

Agha married Rubina, the daughter of actor Inayat Hussain Bhatti and Shahida Bano.[13]

Agha's sons Aagha Ali and Ali Sikandar are both actors.[14]

Agha's son Agha Ali is married to actress Hina Altaf.[15]

Illness and death edit

Agha died of a heroin overdose on 28 May 1993 in Lahore. He was 40 years old. Although some of his co-stars initially suspected that he died from a heart attack, it was later revealed he had overdosed. He was laid to rest at Mominpura Cemetery in Lahore.[2]

Filmography edit

Television edit

Year Title Role Network
1979 Waris Farrukh PTV[16]
1981 Dehleez Abid Khan PTV
1983 Ragon Mein Andhera Farhan PTV[17]
1985 Asaan Se Baat Murad PTV
1986 Hazaroon Khwahishan Sir PTV
1988 Malika-e-Alam Safi PTV
1990 Kahani No: 10 Anjam PTV

Telefilm edit

Year Title Role
1980 Cinderella Aur Sakina Nisar[18][2][19]

Film edit

Year Film Language
1981 Faslay Urdu[12][20]
1982 Mian Biwi Razi Urdu[21]
1982 Zara Si Baat Urdu[11]
1983 Jatt Te Dogar Punjabi[22]
1985 Shah Behram Punjabi[11]

References edit

  1. ^ "پاکستانی فلموں کیلئے فنکار گھرانوں کی خدمات". Daily Jang News. 26 June 2022.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s "Crazy Diamonds – III". Dawn News. 29 November 2012. Archived from the original on 21 August 2015. Retrieved 8 December 2021.
  3. ^ "Stay indoors, relive the classics". The News International. 20 August 2021.
  4. ^ "Saleem Raza: He was a famous villain actor from the pre-partition era". Pakistan Film Magazine. 7 January 2022.
  5. ^ "List of PTV Old Actors". Pakistan Television Corporation. Archived from the original on 14 April 2019. Retrieved 24 December 2021.
  6. ^ "Agha Sikandar". Archived from the original on 3 December 2012. Retrieved 22 May 2021.
  7. ^ "Mian Bivi Razi". Pakistan Film Magazine. 8 March 2021.
  8. ^ South and Southeast Asia Video Archive Holdings, Issue 5. Madison, WI : General Library System, University of Wisconsin--Madison. p. 82.
  9. ^ "ادکارہ طاہرہ نقوی کی34 ویں برسی آج منائی جائے گی". Daily Pakistan. 14 June 2021.
  10. ^ Newsletter - Afghanistan Council, Volumes 8-10. New York, Asia Society. p. 8.
  11. ^ a b c Gazdar, Mushtaq (1997). Pakistan Cinema, 1947-1997. Oxford University Press. ISBN 0-19-577817-0.
  12. ^ a b "Faslay". Pakistan Film Magazine. 22 October 2021.
  13. ^ "Agha Ali talks about his dad in a candid conversation with Samina Peerzada". Daily Pakistan. 23 January 2021.
  14. ^ "Pakistani Actors Who Are Following In Their Fathers Footsteps". Pro Pakistan. 11 April 2021.
  15. ^ "Hina Altaf and Aagha Ali Abbas Make an Elegant Appearance Together". Pro Pakistan. 8 July 2021.
  16. ^ "Best Pakistani Dramas of All Time". Masala. 6 March 2021.
  17. ^ Accessions List, South Asia, Volume 9, Issues 7-12. Library of Congress Office, New Delhi. p. 654.
  18. ^ "Cinderella Aur Sakina". Archived from the original on 17 December 2012. Retrieved 27 February 2021.
  19. ^ "ٹی وی ڈراموں کی چند مقبول مائیں". Daily Jang News. 20 June 2022.
  20. ^ Gazdar, Mushtaq (1997). Pakistan Cinema, 1947-1997. Oxford University Press. p. 300. ISBN 0-19-577817-0.
  21. ^ Gazdar, Mushtaq (1997). Pakistan Cinema, 1947-1997. Oxford University Press. p. 301. ISBN 0-19-577817-0.
  22. ^ "Jatt Te Dogar". Pakistan Film Magazine. 12 September 2021.

External links edit