Over the years, there have been innumerable talented Pakistani artists, who have worked in India and made a permanent place in the hearts of millions of Indians. Be it a Pakistani actor, lyricist or singer, many talents of Pakistan have mesmerised the Indian audience, and we still cannot get over them.
Be it Ali Zafar’s peppy dance number, Sun Re Sajaniya, Adnan Sami’s soulful track, Kabhi To Nazar Milao or Shafqat Amanat Ali’s melodious track, Mitwa, Pakistani artists have proved their versatility. However, over the years, many popular Pakistani celebrities have accepted Indian citizenship and are residing in India.
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Nasir Khan was the younger brother of the legendary actor, Dilip Kumar. Born in Peshawar, Nasir stayed in Lahore after the partition, unlike his elder brother, Dilip Kumar, who preferred to stay in Mumbai. Nasir starred in the first-ever Pakistani film, Teri Yaad, in 1948. He also acted in the film, Shahida in 1949.
After the two films failed, Nasir returned to India and acted in films like Nagina, Aagosh, Gunga Jumna and a few other films. Nasir also played cameos in Yaadon Ki Baraat and Bairaag. Though he worked in many Indian films, Nasir failed to attain the fame achieved by his elder brother, Dilip Kumar. Nazir first got married to Suraiya Nazir, and his second marriage was with actress, Begum Para. Their son, Ayub Khan is also an actor. In 1974, Nasir passed away at the age of 50.
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Born as Zubeda Ul Haq in Jhelum, Begum Para stayed back in Mumbai after the partition. She later appeared in many films like Sohni Mahiwal, Neel Kamal, Mehendi, Meherbani and a few others. Begum Para was considered the glamour girl of Bollywood in the 1950s and also did a few bold photoshoots. In 2007, Begum Para made an appearance in Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s film, Saawariya, which was her last film.
Begum Para got married to actor Nasir Khan, and they had three children, Lubna, Nadir and Ayub. After Nasir’s death, Begum Para moved to Pakistan in 1975 but came back to India in 1977. In 2008, she bid adieu to the world at the age of 82.
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One of the founding fathers of the modern state of Pakistan, Jogendra Mandal was also the country’s first law and labour minister after Independence in 1947. He also served as the chairman of the first constituent Assembly of Pakistan. He worked for the betterment of the lower cast of the Hindu community.
After the death of Muhammad Ali Jinnah in 1948, Jogendra Mandal resigned from the cabinet and returned to India. After his return, he continued to work to rehabilitate Hindu refugees from Pakistan. After leading a low-profile life in India, Jogendra Nath Mandal passed away in 1968.
Popular Urdu novelist, short story writer and journalist, Qurratulain Hyder was one of the most influential names in Urdu literature. Born in Aligarh, Quarratulain’s parents were popular Urdu writers. After the partition in 1947, she, along with her family moved to Pakistan. In Pakistan, she served in a government post in the writers guild.
It was in 1959 when her popular novel, Aag Ka Darya was published in Pakistan. Soon after the publication, Qurratulain moved to India and worked as a journalist along with her literary works. Qurratulain received many accolades for her works in Urdu literature which also includes a Padma Bhushan. In 2007, the prolific writer bid adieu to the world.
Born as Abdul Hayee and popularly known by his pen name, Sahir Ludhianvi was one of the most popular poets and lyricists, whose work greatly influenced Hindi cinema. Born in Ludhiana Punjab, Sahir was regarded as the greatest and revolutionary film lyricist. After completing college, Sahir moved to Lahore in 1943, where he published his first Urdu work, Talkhiyaan and edited many Urdu magazines.
After the partition, Sahir left Pakistan and moved to Bombay. Sahir’s poetry was influenced by noted Pakistani poet, Faiz Ahmed Faiz. In India, Sahir became one of the most sought-after lyricists and penned songs like Abhi Na Jao Chhodkar, Ae Meri Zohra Jabeen, Main Pal Do Pal Ka Shayar Hoon, Kabhie Kabhie and many more. On his 92nd birth anniversary, a commemorative stamp was issued in his honour. Sahir never got married and passed away at the age of 99.
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One of the greatest names in classical music, Ustad Bade Ghulam Ali was born in Kasur, which became a part of Pakistan after the partition in 1947. After the partition, Bade Ghulam Ali went to Pakistan but later moved to India in 1957 and also acquired Indian citizenship.
After returning to India, Ustad Bade Ghulam Ali Khan got wide recognition for his work and was awarded Padma Bhushan in 1962. Ustad Bade Ghulam Ali Khan stayed away from singing in films, but after a lot of requests from producer, K Asif, he sang two songs for the cult film, Mughal-e-Azam. It was reported that the pioneer received a whopping amount of Rs. 25,000 for each song. In 1968, Bade Ghulam Ali Khan passed away in Hyderabad.
Faisal Qureshi is a Pakistani golfer, who got married to Indian golf player, Nonita Lall in the 1990s. After their marriage, Faisal and Nonita lived in Sri Lanka for a few years and then came back to India. The couple has been residing in Delhi for many years now, and Nonita Lall is a professional coach in the city.
Nonita had established the National Golf Academy of India, the country’s first accredited program for teaching professionals. She is also the Vice President of the Women’s PGA of India. Faisal and Nonita are living happily in India with their son.
Adnan Sami was born and raised in London. Though his father served in a key position in Pakistani bureaucracy, his mother was an Indian from Jammu. Since childhood, Adnan has been inclined towards music and played piano since the age of five. Due to his interest in music, Adnan came to Pakistan and began his music program on a Pakistani channel.
In 1991, Adnan released his first music album, which didn’t receive huge success. Later, he signed a film, Sargam, opposite Zeba Bakhtiar. The film was not commercially successful. Adnan then composed the music for the film, Mausam, which had songs like Kabhi To Nazar Milao, Mujh Ko Bhi To Lift Kara De.
But it did not get him any fame. However, when Adnan re-released the album in India in 2000, it proved to be a massive hit. Adnan continued his stay in India and composed a few albums and songs for Bollywood films. He applied for Indian citizenship in 2015, and on January 1, 2016, he was granted Indian citizenship by the Indian Home Ministry.
These Pakistani artists have made a name for themselves in India and have won millions of hearts with their exceptional talent.
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