Syed Ishrat Abbas

Syed Ishrat Abbas ( ur, ), (1928 – 8 November 1980) better known by his stage name Darpan
( ur, ), was one of the original romantic heroes of the "golden age" of Pakistan's film industry (also commonly known as Lollywood).

Background

Syed Ishrat Abbas was born into a middle-class Shia Muslim family originally from the United Provinces of India, where he was born in 1928. His older brother, Santosh Kumar, was also a film actor. Another brother, S. Sulaiman, is a film director.

Career

Darpan was introduced in the film ''Amanat'' in 1950 and went on to feature in the Pakistani Punjabi film ''Billo'' in 1951. After starring in a few more films produced in Lahore, he decided to try his luck in India, where he only had moderate level of success. Notable films from this period include '' Barati'' (1954), and ''Adl-e-Jehangir'' (1955) opposite Meena Kumari.

Darpan came back to Lahore after a few years, where the film industry was then booming, and he acted in ''Baap Ka Gunah (1957)''. He had a breakthrough with his self-produced film ''Sathi''. '' Raat Ke Rahi (1960)'', ''Saheli'', ''Gulfam'', ''Qaidi'', ''Anchal'', ''Baji'', ''Shikwa'', ''Ik Tera Sahara'' and ''Naela (1965)'' were some big films in which he played vital roles. Critics applauded his lead role performance back in Pakistan's film ''Saheli (1960)'' in which he starred alongside Nayyar Sultana and Shamim Ara.

He won a Best Actor Nigar Award for his performance in ''Saheli (1960)'', as well as a Presidential award. His last big film as hero was ''Payal Ki Jhankar'' in 1966. He was the hero in two of Waheed Murad's produced films ''Insaan Badalta Hai'' and ''Jab Se Dekha Hai Tumhen''. He played the villain in ''Ik Gunah Aur Sahi'', and was a supporting actor in ''Khuda Te Maan'', '' Jub Jub Phool Khile (1975)'' and a few other films.

Family life

Darpan was a good-looking and attractive man with hazel eyes and a rich playboy's smile. At first glance, he seemed like a non-serious flirt and a 'lady killer'. At least, that was his 'professional image as an actor'. He used to play non-serious fun-loving roles in the movies quite unlike his older actor brother Santosh Kumar who used to take serious romantic roles in the Pakistani movies of the 1950s and 1960s.

When it came to marriage, Darpan fell for a shy, typically eastern and a lady-like fellow actress, Nayyar Sultana. They had been paired together earlier in a super-hit Pakistani film ''Saheli'' (1960) which also starred Shamim Ara and was directed by veteran film director S. M. Yusuf.

Death

He died in Lahore on 8 November 1980 at age 52.Darpan's 32nd death anniversary today
Geo News (TV channel), Published 8 November 2012, Retrieved 16 July 2022

Awards and recognition

* Nigar Award for Best Actor for film ''Saathi'' (1959)
* Nigar Award for Best Actor for film ''Saheli'' (1960)

Filmography

Darpan did a total of 67 films - 57 films in Urdu language, 8 in Punjabi language and 2 films in Pashto language.

In India

* Barati (1954 film)
* Adl-e-Jehangir (1955)

In Pakistan

* 1950 ''Amanat''
* 1951 '' Billo''
* 1957 ''Baap Ka Gunah''
* 1957 ''Noor-e-Islam'', with Swaran Lata and Naeem Hashmi
* 1958 '' Mukhra''
* 1958 ''Rukhsana''
* 1959 ''Sahara''
* 1959 '' Khullja Sim Sim'', with Yasmeen and Naeem Hashmi
* 1959 ''Shama'', with Neelo, Swaran Lata and Naeem Hashmi
* 1959 ''Saathi'', with Husna and Naeem Hashmi
* 1960 ''Noukri''
* 1960 '' Saheli''
* 1961 ''Insaan badalta hai''
* 1961 ''Gulfam''
* 1961 ''Lakhon Fasane''
* 1962 ''Qaidi''
* 1962 ''Mousiqaar''
* 1962 ''Aanchal''
* 1963 ''Jab se dekha hai tumhen''
* 1963 ''Yahudi ki larki''
* 1963 '' Baji''
* 1963 ''Shikwa''
* 1963 '' Dulhan''
* 1963 ''Ik Tera Sahara''
* 1963 ''Tange Wala''
* 1964 ''Baap ka Baap''
* 1964 ''Shikari''
* 1964 ''Inspector''
* 1964 ''Shabab''
* 1965 ''Koh-e-Qaaf''
* 1965 '' Naila''
* 1966 ''Al-hilaal''
* 1966 ''Hamrahi''
* 1966 ''Jalwah''
* 1966 ''Mere Mehboob''
* 1966 ''Payal Ki Jhankar''
* 1966 ''Mojza''
* 1967 ''Sham Savera''
* 1967 ''Bahadur''
* 1967 ''Sitamgar''
* 1967 ''Shola Aur Shabnam''
* 1968 ''Baalam''
* 1968 ''Ik Musafar Ik Haseena''
* 1968 '' Saiqa''
* 1969 ''Meri Bhabi''
* 1969 ''Fasana-e-Dil''
* 1970 ''Hamjoli''
* 1973 ''Azmat''
* 1973 ''Khuda Te Maan''
* 1974 ''Jawab Do''
* 1975 ''Izzat''
* 1975 ''Ik Gunah Aur Sahi''
* 1975 '' Jub Jub Phool Khile''

See also

* List of Lollywood actors

References

External links

*

{{DEFAULTSORT:Darpan
1928 births
1980 deaths
Muhajir people
Pakistani male film actors
Nigar Award winners
Pakistani Shia Muslims
20th-century Pakistani male actors
Male actors from Lahore
Male actors in Urdu cinema
People from Lahore