Movies either local or international have a special appeal to almost everyone. Several factors make movies of enormous popularity. The most significant element in any movie is its cast. They act out the scenario and the parts of the characters that are there in the film. Actors of India and Pakistan have been entertaining the people of the sub-continent for decades. Some actors of the region are the souls; people want to act, move and want to be like them. Some of the greatest actors of India and Pakistan are presented below.
Top 3 Actors of India
Male Actors
Dilip Kumar
He was an Indian actor and producer who worked in the Hindi cinema. He has been given the title of “Tragedy King” for his portrayal of sober roles, and retrospectively as “The First Khan” of Bollywood. In the history of Indian cinema, Dilip is regarded as one of the most significant actors. He performed a range of roles in over 65 films throughout his career spanning more than five decades. Over his career, Dilip received eight Film Fare Awards for the best actor with nineteen nominations. He played several unforgettable roles but his role in Mughal e Azam, the epic, can’t be forgotten.
Amitabh Bachan
The Indian film industry is incomplete without mentioning his name. The living legend, Amitabh Bachan. His work in the Indian cinema has made him a renowned Indian actor, film producer and television personality. He is regarded as one of the most important and popular actors in the Indian film history. In a career spanning more than five decades, he has been featured prominently in over 200 Indian films. Bachchan has won several accolades throughout his career, including the Dadasaheb Phalke Award, four National Film medals for best actor, and numerous more awards from international film festivals and award shows. At the Film Fare Awards in 2000, Bachchan has crowned the Superstar of the Millennium.
Amir Khan
Amir is an actor, film director and producer and has been in the industry since mid-eighties. Although, there are two more great Khans (Shahrukh and Salman) exist in his entire career, but his versatile roles make him above them. He has not earned ($$$) as compared to his acting colleagues but he is above them in terms of his acting and roles he played. He is one of the most well-known and successful Indian actors in Bollywood and is also known as the “Mr. Perfectionist of Bollywood”. A
His legendary performances in movies like Andaz Apna Apna, Dil Chahta hai, Lagaan, Ghajini, 3 Idiots, Dangal, and PK helped him and being recognized for his verstaile capabilites. Khan has won various honours, including nine Film Fare Awards, four National Film Awards, and an AACTA Award. He has been presented with the third highest civilian honour Padma Bhushan lately by the government of India. Because of his wide range of roles and his impressive ability to convincingly represent various personas, he is regarded as one of the biggest stars in Bollywood.
Female Actors
Madhubala
Madhubala is regarded as one of the most attractive, gifted and significant figures in Indian film. She is known as the “Marilyn Monroe of Bollywood”. In her 22-year acting career, Madhubala appeared in practically every type of movie, from historical dramas to crime thrillers, romantic musicals to farcical comedies. She was also praised for her unorthodox parts, such as the flirty cabaret dancer in the film “Howrah Bridge”. For her work in “Mughal e Azam”, she received her only nomination for Film Fare Awards for Best Actress.
Rekha
Rekha is recognized as one of the top actresses in India and has appeared in more than 180 movies. She is praised for bucking general norms and portraying strong, independent and ferocious female characters who can stand to the male lead. Rekha has often portrayed complex and strong female roles in both mainstream and independent films, including fictional and literary figures. For her performance in the comedy Khubsoorat, she won her first Film Fare Award for Best Actress. Rekha received the “Outstanding Contribution to Indian Cinema (Female)” award at the 2012 IIFA Awards, held in Singapore. She was referred to as the reigning Queen of the Indian cinema.
Madhuri Dixit
Madhuri is among the most well-known leading ladies in the Hindi cinema; she has acted in more than 70 Bollywood productions. Madhuri’s early career was largely influenced by roles in romantic and family dramas before she expanded her repertoire. She was noted by her critics for her beauty, dancing capabilities, and strong character. Out of her seventeen nominations, Madhuri won six Film Fare Awards. She was awarded a Film Fare Special Award for working in the Indian film industry for 25 years. In 2008, she received the fourth-highest Indian civilian honour, the Padma Shri, from the Indian government.
Top 3 Actors of Pakistan
Male Actors
Waheed Murad
He is one of the most well-known and influential actors in South Asia and has influenced the film industry of the subcontinent. He is known for his endearing expressions, attractive personality, tender voice and extraordinary acting ability. Waheed Murad was died in 1983 (in his mid-40s) and did not have a very long career. However, he proved his acting abilities in this short span. Waheed is the only actor in the film industry to have secured the most platinum, diamond, golden and silver jubilees. In 2019, Murad’s 81st birthday was commemorated on Google’s homepage via a doodle. Furthermore, the Pakistani government dedicated a street and junction in 2021, to him.
Nadeem Baig
He is an actor, singer and producer from Pakistan. He played an ‘Angry Young Man’ in an international film, Doordesh. Nadeem’s films include Nadan, Anari, Pehchan, Talash, Hum Dono, Lajawab, Aina and Dehleez. In 1997, he received the Pride of Performance Award and has appeared in more than two hundred films. As an actor, he has also been honoured with the Nigar Award 16 times between 1967 and 2002, which include the Nigar Award Millennium Award in 1999.
Moin Akhter
He was a successful Pakistani actor, host, writer, singer, director, producer, comedian and impersonator who rose to stardom in the days of Radio Pakistan. He is regarded as the supreme parodist and the King of Urdu humour because of his screen persona “Rosy”. In Shakespeare’s “The Merchant of Venice”, he played the role of Shylock in theatre. He is regarded as a preeminent icon in the history of the film industry of the subcontinent. He received the Pride of Performance Award in 1996, the Best Actor Award in 2000 and Sitara-e-Imtiaz in 2011. Moin died in 2011 at the age of 61. Madame Tussauds (wax museum), London asked his son for his statue, but his son refused due to religious reason as making statues is prohibited in Islam.
Female Actors
Bushra Ansari
Bushra is a comedian, singer and playwright who started her career as a child performer in the 1950s. She additionally had appearances on several of PTV’s most popular programmes. Bushra received numerous honours during her career, including the Presidential Pride of Performance Award in 1989, the 6th PTV Awards for Best Actress in 1986 and Iconic Women from Pakistan at Hum Women Leader Awards. Moreover, she received the Sitara-e-Imtiaz on March 23rd, 2021, from the President of Pakistan in acknowledgement of her services to the arts. Bushra is still working in the drama industry of Pakistan, but she is never seen in the film industry.
Babra Sharef
She is best known for her roles in the mid-1970s to the 1980s. She began her career in Pakistani television. Intezaar, a supporting role for Babra, served as her screen debut. In Pakistan, she enjoyed significant success as an artist in Urdu movies. She played a range of roles, demonstrating her versatility as an actress. She was regarded by several critics as one of Pakistan’s top actresses of her time. Babra also received 8 Nigar Awards for best actress. She was awarded the Lux Icon of Beauty Award in 2003 at the Karachi-based Lux Style Awards.
Reema Khan
Reema is a renowned Pakistani film actress since 1990s. She made her acting debut in 1990 and has since participated in more than 200 films. Pakistan and Indian film critics have praised her for her acting. In 1985, she appeared as a child actress in the film Qismat. The Pakistani director, Javed Fazil first noticed her in 1990 and offered her the lead role in his movie “Bulandi”. She won three Nigar Awards for best actress and one Pride of Performance by the President of Pakistan.
Conclusion
In the last 75 years, both countries have produced dozens of great actors and actresses. Actors of India and Pakistan and loved all around the world, perhaps due to the population of the region. Indian actors are more popular than Pakistani actors, Pakistani know very well about them; on the other hand, Pakistani film actors have not got high international fame due to low quality productions. Pakistani television/stage actors are more popular than the film Industry. Like comedians, Moin Akhtar and Umar Sharef are very popular everywhere, but Indians probably don’t know who Waheed Murad was.
Actors bring anger, feelings of being betrayed, hatred, joy, love, tears and more to the eyes and minds of their audience. People sometimes develop hatred for an actor. These are a few of the actors from both India and Pakistan who bring life to the cinema/television and be a sort of entertainment for their people.