Munawar Zarif | |
|---|---|
منور ظریف | |
 Munawar Zarif in 1973 | |
| Born | Muhammad Munawar 2 February 1940 |
| Died | 29 April 1976(1976-04-29) (aged 36) |
Resting place | Bibi Pak Daman Cemetery, Lahore, Pakistan |
| Other name | Shahenshah-e-Zarafat (Urdu: شہنشاہِ ﻇﺮﺍﻓﺖ) |
| Occupations |
|
| Years active | 1961 – 1976 |
| Known for | A versatile comedian |
| Works | Performances |
| Spouse | Bilquis Khanum |
| Children | 3, including Faisal Munawar Zarif who also died in 2019 |
| Relatives | Mohammad Zarif (brother) Munir Zarif (eldest brother) Rasheed Zarif (brother) Majeed Zarif (brother) |
| Awards | Won 3 Nigar Awards during his career |
Munawar Zarif (Punjabi, Urdu: منور ظریف) (25 December 1940 – 29 April 1976) was a Pakistani film actor and comedian. His fans named him Shahenshah-e-Zarafat (Urdu: شہنشاہِ ﻇﺮﺍﻓﺖ), meaning the King of Humor.[1][2]
He was one of the most popular and highest paid actors of the 1970s and is considered one of the greatest comedians of South Asia.[3]
Early life and career
Munawar Zarif was born on 2 February 1940 in Gujranwala, Punjab.[1][4] He started his film career with the Punjabi film Dandian (1961). His breakthrough film was 1964's Hath Jori. After starting as a comedian, he was promoted to playing second leads starting with the film Parday Mein Rehnay Do (1973). Subsequently, he was cast as the lead actor in films such as Banarsi Thug (1973) and Jeera Blade (1973). Possibly his most popular role was in 1974's Naukar Wohti Da, which became a runaway hit.[5]
He received his first Nigar Award in "Special Award" category for his performance in Ishaq Deewana (1971). He won the Nigar Award in the "Best Comedian" category for Baharo Phool Barsao (1972) and Zeenat (1975 film). He appeared in more than 300 films from 1961 to 1976. He was well-known for his Ad-Lib dialogue delivery.[3][6]
Personal life
Munawar Zarif was the younger brother of comedian Mohammad Zarif (1926-1960), famous in the 1950s for being the first comedian in Pakistan's cinema to play lead roles, while his other brothers Rasheed Zarif (1946-1974) and Majeed Zarif (1942-2012) were also comedians in movies.[3] Eldest brother was Munir Zarif (1934 - 2014), a film and TV actor famous for his roles in serials like Sona Chandi, Aalif Laila and Ainak Wala Jin, who died in 2014 at age 75.[7]
He was lifelong friend of fellow comedian Ali Ejaz.[8]
Munawar Zarif got married through a traditional arranged marriage within his extended family.[3] His only son Faisal Munawar Zarif debuted as an actor with Puttar Munawar Zareef Da in 1994, followed by other movies like Puttar Jeeray Blade Da (1996) and Khotay Sikay (1998), but he couldn't find success in the film industry, so he moved to England before relocating to Morocco after marrying a Moroccan woman, where he died in 2019 of cardiac arrest at the age of 44.[9]
Death
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Zarif's family announced his death in Pakistan, on 29 April 1976 at the age of 36.[3][6] He died in Lahore due to cirrhosis of the liver and a sudden heart attack.[3][2] He was laid to rest at Bibi Pak Daman Cemetery, Lahore.[3][4][6]
Legacy
Munawar Zarif is often regarded as one of the greatest comedians ever in Pakistani films.[3] Fellow comedian and friend Ali Ejaz recalled his ability to improvise lines on the spot and called him an 'extempore' comedian.[10]
Radio Pakistan Multan programme manager Asif Khan Khaitran reminisced about the success of Munawar Zarif and said: "There was a time in his career when writers would develop script with Munawar Zarif's personality in mind."[11]
According to a major English-language newspaper of Pakistan, other noted Pakistani comedians Umer Shareef, Moin Akhter and Sohail Ahmed copied his spontaneous and well-timed style before they became famous.[6]
Comedian Umer Shareef called him the "Mount Everest" of comedy and said that "for attaining fame in the field of comedy one must follow Munawar Zarif’s school of thought."[6]
Filmography
1960s
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1961 | Dandiyan[1][3] | ||
| 1964 | Haath Jori[1][2][3] | Beeru | |
| 1965 | Malangi | ||
| 1966 | Bharia Mela | ||
| 1967 | Imam Din Gohavia | Shamaulu | |
| 1968 | Bau Jee | ||
| 1968 | Shahansha-e-Jahangir | ||
| 1968 | Taj Mahal | ||
| 1969 | Diya Aur Toofan | Abdullah |
1970s
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1970 | Heer Ranjha[6] | Saida Khera | |
| Rangeela | Josheela | ||
| 1971 | Dil Aur Duniya | Parwana | |
| Khamosh Nigahen | Munawar | ||
| Ishq Deevana[4] | Maqbool "Qoola" Ahmed | Special Nigar Award | |
| 1972 | Baharo Phool Barsao[4] | Mirza | Nigar Award for Best Comedian |
| 1973 | Ziddi | Shaadi | |
| Parday Mein Rehnay Do[3][6] | Qurban | ||
| Ajj Da Mehinwal | Izzat "Izzy" Baig | ||
| Banarsi Thug[4][2][3] | Sheeda | ||
| Khushia | Khushi | ||
| Rangeela Aur Munawar Zarif[3][6] | Munawar Zarif / Khan Bahadur Ishtiaq Ali | ||
| Jeera Blade[4] | Shafqat / Jeera Blade | ||
| 1974 | Manji Kithay Dahwan | Rahmat | |
| Naukar Wohti Da[3][5] | Bhola / Munawar | ||
| Namak Haram | Jamal / Jameel | Double role | |
| Chakkarbaz | Iqbal "Baala" Hassan | ||
| Hasday Aao Hasday Jao | Mhanna | ||
| 1975 | Pyar Ka Mousam | Munawar | |
| Zeenat | Shaukat | Nigar Award for Best Comedian | |
| Sharif Badmash | Misrri | ||
| Shararat | Sherwani | ||
| Sheeda Pastol | Sheeda Pastol / Jeeda | Double role | |
| Shoukan Melay Di[3] | Bahadar | ||
| 1976 | Hukam Da Ghulam | Jani | |
| Jano Kapatti[3] | Jano / Jani | ||
| Anjaam | Khaleel | ||
| Ustad Shagird | Jani | ||
| Chitra Tay Shera | Boota Singh | ||
| Badtameez | Afzal | ||
| Reshma Tay Shera | Jimmy | ||
| 1977 | Naya Suraj |
Awards and honours
- Nigar Awards 1971 - Special Award for Ishq Deevana[12][4]
- Nigar Awards 1972 - Best Comedian for Baharo Phool Barsao[4]
- Nigar Awards 1975 - Best Comedian for Zeenat (1975 film)[13][4]
See also
References
- (Associated Press of Pakistan) "Munawar Zarif remembered". The News International newspaper. 30 April 2018. Archived from the original on 1 May 2018. Retrieved 27 April 2026.
- "'Remembering Munawwar Zarif', Profile and obituary". ARY News website. 29 April 2015. Retrieved 31 January 2022.
- Khalid Yazdani (28 April 2024). "King of Comedy - Munawar Zarif". Dunya TV News (Sunday Magazine). Archived from the original on 14 January 2025. Retrieved 27 April 2026.
- "In memory of comedian Munawar Zarif on his 42nd death anninversary". Pakistan Today newspaper. 29 April 2018. Archived from the original on 1 February 2022. Retrieved 27 April 2026.
- Yousuf Mehmood (17 May 2019). "9 Most Iconic Films in the History of Pakistani cinema (including Naukar Wohti Da of Munawar Zarif)". Pakistanicinema.com website. Archived from the original on 20 July 2019. Retrieved 28 April 2026.
- Kamran Khamiso Khowaja (29 April 2021). "Remembering Munawar Zareef who had a unique comic disposition". Daily Times newspaper. Archived from the original on 30 April 2021. Retrieved 28 April 2026.
- "Munir Zarif passes away (eldest brother of Munawar Zarif)". Dawn newspaper. 19 February 2014. Archived from the original on 11 March 2023. Retrieved 28 April 2026.
- "Comedian Ali Ejaz passes away (lifelong friend of Munawar Zarif)". Dawn newspaper. Pakistan. 19 December 2018. Archived from the original on 20 December 2018. Retrieved 28 April 2026.
- "Late comedian Munawar Zarif's son passes away in Morocco". Dawn newspaper. 26 August 2019. Archived from the original on 28 August 2019. Retrieved 28 April 2026.
- "Dunya News Special Documentary on Munwar Zareef". dailymotion.com website. 4 May 2014. Retrieved 28 April 2026.
- Chand Shakeel (29 April 2019). "Munawar Zarif Left an Indelible Impression on Film Industry". UrduPoint website. Retrieved 31 January 2022.
- "The Nigar Awards 1957-71". The Hot Spot Online Film Reviews website. Archived from the original on 3 August 2008. Retrieved 27 April 2026.
- "Nigar Awards (1972 - 1986)". The Hot Spot Online website. 5 January 2003. Archived from the original on 25 July 2008. Retrieved 27 April 2026.
External links
- Munawar Zarif at the IMDb