Iftikhar Thakur (

Urdu Urdu (; , , ) is an Indo-Aryan languages, Indo-Aryan language spoken chiefly in South Asia. It is the Languages of Pakistan, national language and ''lingua franca'' of Pakistan. In India, it is an Eighth Schedule to the Constitution of Indi ...

, ), born Iftikhar Ahmed, is a Pakistani actor ,,

director Director may refer to: Literature * ''Director'' (magazine), a British magazine * ''The Director'' (novel), a 1971 novel by Henry Denker * ''The Director'' (play), a 2000 play by Nancy Hasty Music * Director (band), an Irish rock band * ''D ...

, and host. He first gained attention in stage drama for his roles in

Punjabi drama Punjabi Dramas are semi-improvised comedy stage plays popular in the Punjab region of Pakistan. The plays are scripted but actors and performers are given enough freedom to add humor along the way while staying within boundaries. Punjabi dramas a ...

and has since starred in numerous stage shows and telefilms in different languages, including in Punjabi, most famously in its Pothwari dialect, as well in

. One of Thakur's most prominent current roles is on the comedy talk show, where he plays the character of a humorous portrayal of a Punjab Police officer. Thakur has also directed a play called ''Roti Khol Dayo'', showcasing his talents beyond acting and comedy. In addition to his work in entertainment, Thakur has also been involved in various philanthropic initiatives in

Pakistan Pakistan, officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by population, fifth-most populous country, with a population of over 241.5 million, having the Islam by country# ...

. He has helped raise funds for

healthcare Health care, or healthcare, is the improvement or maintenance of health via the preventive healthcare, prevention, diagnosis, therapy, treatment, wikt:amelioration, amelioration or cure of disease, illness, injury, and other disability, physic ...

and

education Education is the transmission of knowledge and skills and the development of character traits. Formal education occurs within a structured institutional framework, such as public schools, following a curriculum. Non-formal education als ...

projects and has been recognized for his efforts to give back to his community. Thakur's contributions to the entertainment industry have earned him a significant following and made him a household name in Pakistan. His versatility as an actor and comedian, combined with his philanthropic endeavors, have made him a beloved figure in the country.

Early life and education

Thakur was born in Mian Channu, Punjab, Pakistan on April 1, 1958. Thakur did his matriculation from

Karachi Karachi is the capital city of the Administrative units of Pakistan, province of Sindh, Pakistan. It is the List of cities in Pakistan by population, largest city in Pakistan and 12th List of largest cities, largest in the world, with a popul ...

and graduation from

Islamabad Islamabad (; , ; ) is the capital city of Pakistan. It is the country's tenth-most populous city with a population of over 1.1 million and is federally administered by the Pakistani government as part of the Islamabad Capital Territory. Bu ...

and later studied at the

New York Film Academy New York Film Academy – School of Film and Acting (NYFA) is a Private college, private For-profit higher education in the United States, for-profit film school and Drama school, acting school based in New York City, Los Angeles metropolitan ar ...

, being encouraged to join the institution by the late senior actor

Qavi Khan Muhammad Qavi Khan (; 13 November 1942 – 5 March 2023) was a Pakistani film, radio, theatre and television actor, director and playwright. Khan acted in over 200 films and some 1,000 television plays. Khan is best known for his police drama ...

. Before joining theatre Thakur did different jobs, including working in the police, driving 16 wheeler trucks in New York and running a small tyre puncture shop.

Career

Thakur started his career from Pakistan's theatre and adopted the name Iftikhar Thakur based on a character he played in stage dramas.

Controversies

Petition against Indian films

In September 2015, Thakur protested India's 28 August cease-fire violation, by filing a court petition to permanently ban Indian films from Pakistani cinemas. The petition was dismissed, with the court explaining that the

Ministry of Culture Ministry of Culture may refer to: * Ministry of Tourism, Cultural Affairs, Youth and Sports (Albania) * Ministry of Culture (Algeria) * Ministry of Culture (Argentina) * Minister for the Arts (Australia) * Ministry of Culture (Azerbaijan)Ministry o ...

would be the correct agency to petition.

Filmography

Television serials

Television shows

Films

Awards and recognition

Pride of Performance The Pride of Performance (), officially known as the Presidential Pride of Performance, is an award bestowed by the Pakistan, Islamic Republic of Pakistan to recognize people with "notable achievements in the field of art, science, literature, sp ...

Award by the

President of Pakistan The president of Pakistan () is the head of state of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan. The president is the nominal head of the executive and the supreme commander of the Pakistan Armed Forces.

in 2019

References

External links

*
Iftikhar Thakur on You Tube - Archived

Iftikhar Thakur on TikTok
{{DEFAULTSORT:Thakur, Iftikhar Living people People from Khanewal District Pakistani male comedians Pakistani male film actors Pakistani male television actors Pakistani male stage actors Pakistani theatre directors Pakistani philanthropists 1958 births Recipients of the Pride of Performance