Syed Bilal hailing from Meeruth and having come to Pakistan in 1947..a young talent then, made his way into stardom in 1960 and became one of the most sought after actor of Pakistan Film Industry.
He acted with just about every heroine of Pakistan till late 80’s-early 90’s even.
His movies gauranteed box-office hit and were so endearing that people watched them again and again and again…
To name a few;
ASHIANA, SHABNAM, BEHAN BHAI, SHAREEK-e-HAYAT, AISA BHI HOTA HAI, HONEYMOON, HUM DUNO, JOKER, ZAMANA KIYA KAHEGA…the list goes on and on and on.
Known as Raj Kapoor of Pakistan—Kamal has left us for heavenly abode today some hours back.
INN AL LILLAHE WA’INNA ALEHE RAJEOUN
Please recite a sur’a for the departed soul of SYED BILAL..KAMAL.
Pakistani Raj Kapoor -Syed Kamal , A Legend Dies today ( 27 April 1937- 1st Oct 2009)
Mr. Syed Kamal ( 27 April 1937—1st October 2009) has been rendering his valuable services to the showbiz industry for the last 48 years. A trend setter and a living legend, Kamal is a great source of inspiration for the new generation who are willing to carve a niche in their respective fields. It is rightly said “Dil hona chayeda way jawaan umar which ki rakhya way”, Kamal is eager to revive the dead film industry and striving hard for every possible effort that can be done for its betterment. A Film City project is in the pipe line where all latest facilities would be provided for film making. Kamal is very much optimistic that with the cooperation of Government and the philanthropists he’ll be able to materialize this project in the near future. Let’s have a glance over his journey of almost half century.
Total films with a leading role: 120
Films Directed and Produced: 15
Notable Films: Zamana kia Kahega, Watan, Tauba, Aashiana, Aisa bhi hoota hai, Ek dil do dewane, Behan Bhai, Honeymoon, Road to Swat, Nai Laila naya Majnoo and Siyasat.
Notable TV Performances: Kamal Show, Hartaan hai Deepak, Kashkol, Agar and Hawa ko likhna jo aagaya hai.
Notable TV shows produced and directed: Over 65 episodes of a popular acting challenge program, “Express Challenge” and Single Plays, Zanjeerein, Aap ki Ada and Generation Gap.
Radio Performances: Presented popular film songs on Radio Pakistan in a program called “Hartaan hai Deepak”, also completed a verbal autobiography in “Dastaan-e-Kamal” aired live from Radio Pakistan in 2001.
Awards and Achievements: 3 Nigar awards (Best Director), 4 Graduate Awards (Best Actor/Director), 4 Musavir Awards (Best Film/Best Actor), National Award and a life time achievement award from Nigar Awards.
Social Accomplishments:
• Founder Karachi Film Guild and Pakistan Film and TV academy.
• Ex General Secretary of Film Artists Association.
• Ex President Rotary Club, Karachi Chapter
• Author of autobiography “Dastan-e-Kamal”
• Ex-Managing Director-Kamal Advertising (an advertising agency)-Dubai, 1987.
AN Interview with Syed Kamal Late
Syed Kamal (SK): I was born in Merath, India on 27 April 1937. My father was from Sardhana and my grand father was from Afghanistan; he migrated to India in 1855. He had huge property and land. BBC is making a documentary on my grand father and his property. My grand father was the ruler of Paghmaan, a place near Kabul.
I was educated in Faiz-e Aam School in Merath and graduated from Merath College. The college was affiliated with Aagra University and I got the degree of Bachelors of Arts from Aagra University. When the result was announced my roll number was misprinted and I couldn’t find it in the list. I cried out lot because I had taken a pledge from my mother that she would send me to Bombay to become an actor if I got good result. After the reconfirmation from the University that I had passed in second division, the very next day I went to Bombay with famous distributor from Indra Films. It was my friend’s brother who owned that company. I was introduced to Sohrab Modi and Mehboob Sahab. They took my screen test and offered a role in “Mother India” that was in the making. I worked in 4 films there and stayed at a small hotel room on rent for quite sometime. I met Rajkapoor and he offered me a leading role in “Mitti mai soona” but that film wasn’t made. I was again offered to perform in “Jagtay raho”. In 1956, discrimination started emerging against Gujratis & Marethas and riots & killings had begun all over Bombay so I left for Pakistan.
I came to Pakistan and acquired the nationality. I was warmly welcomed in Lahore and I didn’t have to struggle a lot for seeking role in films. I informed my mother that I had been offered so many roles here and I was staying here. I started working in films here and thought to make film under my own banner; I made about 12 films under Kamal Films. My first film was “Joker” and after that I produced “Insaan aur Gadha”. I received criticism from so many politician including Mr. Bhutto and Mr. Khar etc. Ultimately this film was banned. They thought I was financed by Jamat-e-Islami, I had got nothing to do with Jamat-e-Islami. After the hanging of Mr. Bhutto, the film was allowed to be shown and it ran for so many months successfully in cinemas all over the country. The reason was whatever was shown in the film; it had come true by that time.
My wife is the daughter of the Chief Engineer of Radio Pakistan at that time. My elder brother Major Jalal (late) and my wife’s uncle Major Bukhari were friends. Through this medium our marriage was materialized. I had a close relationship with Rani at that time and I was actually thinking of marrying her but I thank to Allah that it didn’t happen. There was nothing between Husna and I, she was my heroine in “HoneyMoon” that I made and people started making scandals. She was a nice colleague of mine.
Q: Businesses are done jointly in every sector in the world and they are quite successful as the history tells but why is the Pakistani film industry hesitant to join hands with Indian film industry? What are the fears that are creating hurdles in the process?
SK: As far as the business is concerned it has been witnessed that the big fish eat small fish and same will happen if we allow showing Indian movies in cinemas here in Pakistan, it will ruin the Pakistan film industry that is already at its worst. From technical point of view I am the supporter of co-production and this is how our film industry will learn and flourish. A Pakistani private channel has shown Indian movies but if PTV starts showing them nobody will wish to see Pakistani movies because our film industry stands nowhere as compared to giant Indian Film Industry. So there’s no question of business among film industries of two countries. Until we take our film industry to a level where we can talk eye to eye with Indian Film Industry, doing business would be a total loss for Pakistani Film Industry.
Q: With which artist you enjoyed working most?
SK: All of them. Most of them were Shamim Ara, Neelo, Rani and Najma. I had good friendly relations with all. I have written everything about my relations and scandals in my biography “Dastan-e-Kamal” which is the first of its kind by an artist in the subcontinent.
Q: Since when are you the member of Film Censor Board Karachi and what are your responsibilities?
SK: I am the member of Film Censor Board Karachi since 2002. But no films are censored in Karachi now. We did censor 4 or 5 films but we had to face a lot of criticism. Then English movies of a company, released on cassettes, were censored by us but now it has also stopped. The movies made these days in Lahore can’t really be seen with the family. The kind of vulgarity that is shown in these films is not seen anywhere else. In Indian movies they shoot scene of love, romance and dance beautifully but here all is shown is vulgarity.
Q: What qualities should an actor or actress possess to be called a great artist?
SK: He/She must act in such a manner that it shouldn’t look like acting. If he’s a bad actor people will come to know that he’s trying to act. A good actor puts himself in to the shoes of the character that he’s performing. Mohammad Ali is junior to me and a good friend of mine. I used to advice him that whatever role you did you looked Mohammad Ali, not the character. So try to perform the character leaving behind your own personality.
Q: Is script must or is the acting enough?
SK: Actor is nothing without a script; script is a must.
Q: Is acting a well paid profession or should actor try to find other means for earning bread n butter?
SK: Actually fame sells. Once you are famous you can earn a good amount. My son used to say that I have to earn a lot of money; I told him that you must strive to earn a good name; money itself will come to you.
It also depends up on the person. There are so many actors in Lahore and Karachi who have spent their entire lives in showbiz but are still living below the standard of living. When the money comes to some people they involve themselves in gambling, drinking and other wicked stuffs and its not necessary that an actor goes high n high; ups and downs do come in ones life, one has to be intelligent enough to tackle them.
I had made a motto in my life, which Rajkapoor had once written in autograph that “Don’t take success to the head and failure to the heart”. These are the golden words especially for a person in showbiz and I also used to teach it to my students in the academy.
Q: What is your son Ghalib Kamal doing these days?
SK: He’s working in a drama serial and professionally he’s diverted himself in to music. He’s now fully devoted himself for singing and currently working on his album that will be available in market shortly.
Q: Why couldn’t Ghalib Kamal earn name as you did?
SK: A lot of people ask this question. When the child of a celebrity comes in to showbiz, people compare him with the celebrity and make a great deal of expectation out of him. I was basically a comedy hero and people were expecting the same from him. He was struck by bad luck in the very beginning as he did two films in which the directors couldn’t exploit him justifiably. Same happened with the son of Waheed Murad, the directors couldn’t exploit his talent as well and now he’s nowhere. Unlike India when the son of a celebrity appears in film for the first time they properly introduce him so that the masses know. Unfortunately it doesn’t happen in our country.
Q: What are your future-plans?
SK: Mr. Jalil Afghani has asked me to direct a long play that he’s writing these days and I’ll also be performing in it. I am also planning to make a film again. I have all the cameras, entire equipments and valuable experience but the main problem is the attitude of junior actors. They don’t respect their seniors and their behavior towards work is excruciating. I have gone through all this pain of waiting for the actors to come on shoot and I left Lahore 3 times getting disheartened by the behavior of new actors.
I started a new trend in Punjabi films of a light comedy during the time of Sultan Rahi when the movies were full of combats and Mola jutt kind of movies were being made. I made 3 parts of the same Punjabi film with same cast for the very first time in the history of Pakistan. Then I made film “Honey Moon” with 6 persons only. It was shot in Bangkok, Tokyo, Singapore and HongKong. Another film I made in London and USA.
We were shooting last scenes of the film in Disney land and it was the anniversary of Mickey Mouse that day. We were caught by the Disney Land people, they said, ‘even the Hollywood people are not allowed to make a film here, how come you people are shooting without any permission”. We told them that actually we were only shooting a do*****entary to show our people back home the anniversary of Mickey Mouse. This is how they got satisfied but the fact was that we had shot 5 songs there and were caught while shooting last scenes (laughingly).
I have worked in every department of the showbiz. I came as an actor, became producer then director and then rendered my services as a writer and for your surprise I wrote a song too for a film “Thandi Sarak”. I also had setup a distribution company in Karachi and then established a studio, worked for TV, Radio and stage as well.
Q: How much initial budget is required to make a good film?
SK: I made Joker for Rs. 200000, Shehnai for Rs. 300000 and Honey Moon for Rs. 500000. In current times the actors and raw material are very expensive so I think a good film might cost Rs. 1 Carore these days.
Q: What is the agenda of Pakistan Film Producers’ Association (PFPA)?
SK: The main cause of this association is to revive the dead film industry in Karachi and we met Dr. Ishrat ul Ibad, Governor Sindh for the same purpose. We proposed the project of Film City in Karachi which the Governor appreciated a lot. There is a great potential for the film making industry, as the city has a great number of talent and the serious viewers as well. We asked for the tax waiver on import of film equipment. The Governor has assured us of every possible support and we are very much optimistic about it.
Q: What would you like to say about your visit to Kalia Group?
SK: It is a wonderful and very amazing effort. I have a feeling that with such efforts we will not remain behind India. This institution of KalSoft will not only bring good names in Pakistan but will provide lots of jobs to our youth as well. Leaving Facebook… | Facebook is a good effort of Kalia Group. Its importance is confirmed and with the financial and social services it is beneficial to all countrymen under the guidance of Mr. Hanif S. Kalia along with the team of professionals. Hope this institution will be remembered in the industry of IT. I wish you all success.
Q: What message would you like to give to the youngsters of our country?
SK: After visiting Kalia Group’s IT projects KalSoft and Leaving Facebook… | Facebook I would suggest youngsters of our country to acquire IT education and excel in it with full devotion and commitment because this is the only entity that can bring Pakistan to the level of India in first phase and then amongst the developed nations of the world.
Q: How can I become a good artist of film industry?
SK: I winded up an academy 3 years back where I was imparting training to aspiring artist of our country. I ran this academy for 5 years and lots of people that you can see on television these days are basically the products of my academy like Ghalib Kamal, Saima Qureshi, Javeria Abbasi, Shamoon Abbasi, Azra Siddique etc. Now there’s no such institution but if you are willing to become a part of film industry, work on television first which itself is a training academy. If you work hard and give good performance on TV, the film gurus will spot you and can give you the chance to work in Films.
I closed that academy because of no patronage from the Govt. I ran this on my own consecutively for 5 years. The rent of the premises was exorbitant and I used to get only Rs. 500 from each student but by the time I closed my academy there were only 15 students. I had to pay senior artists when I invited them for lectures from Lahore and from Karachi as well. I was facing a huge loss so I had to wrap it up. I also produced 3 dramas during that period and gave chance to the new talent with seasoned artists. Acting Challenge was a super hit program that I did for NTM.
Q: Why is the standard of our films too low and when will we be able to compete on Asian level and then on International level?
SK: This is a fact that the standard of our film industry is very poor. Good films were made in the past because there were educated and literate people in the Film Industry. Now the film industry is controlled by the people who are not educated at all and secondly only Lahore is supposed to be the center of Pakistan Film industry. Films are not being made in Karachi. No good subject is taken while making a film and only vulgarity and warfare are shown in the films. TV is a prominent medium these days and it was the time when big screen artists didn’t go towards TV. I was the first artist from big screen who did TV program in 1973 by the name of “Kamal Show”, it was a hit. When I went to Lahore people used to say that you were from big screen and were going to a comparatively small medium but I said to them that TV would surpass this big screen one day. Now the importance of TV can’t be denied and even the people of film industry from Lahore are moving towards Karachi to work in TV dramas and shows.
Q: How many films have you acted in?
SK: I have acted in 120 films in 48 years. I started my career from Bombay in 1956 after graduation. I performed in 4 films in India and then migrated to Pakistan and acquired Pakistani citizenship. Since then I never went to India again even though my parents and my property was there. After the death of my father the Govt. took the property in to its custody. Before me the heroes were supposed to be serious characters and a comedian was a separate character as their friend. But I started this trend of hero plus comedian.
Q: After failing to be an elected member for NA, do you plan to come back to politics?
SK: I am still associated with the politics but when I contested in the election I didn’t represent any party; I contested as the independent candidate. It was 1985 when I contested from F.B.Area and had the view that no party was worth to be joined for contesting election. In last election I joined Imran Khan’s “Tehrik-e-Insaaf”. The agenda that appealed me most was he was in favor of same education system for all. The rich can send their kids to convent schools but the child of a poor man always goes to Peela School. So I was impressed by this idea of Imran that the level of education should be the same. I contested the national assembly election and got disappointed with Imran Khan because he didn’t do anything to help his candidates and we ourselves spent a lot of money. Now I have joined Pakistan Muslim League because it has become a one party and I am the cultural president of Karachi of PML.
I am also the vice president of Pakistan Producers Association. We met the Governor recently and asked him to setup the film academy here in Karachi. It would be a Rs. 50 Carore budget project but I am very much optimistic that I’ll get the support from the people and people will come from Lahore to Karachi to make films when this project is materialized.
SOME SONGS PICTURIZED ON KAMAL WITH FEMALE LEADS ALSO:
I saw the shoot of this scene at Evernew Studios-Lahore
when my father was visiting Agha G.A.Gul in connection with
the sell off of a plot for Pakistan writers Guild near Punjab Assembly
which belonged to PWG.
Kamal came to know that Aali Sahab is in Aghajee’s office
and he came and paid his respects and I requested to
have a look at the scene he was shooting..where
I also met actor Habib and actress Samia Naz…who
played a vamp in “ASHIANA” one of the superhit movie of Kamal: