Nadeem (Pakistani actor)

Mirza Nazir Baig (born 19 July 1941), best known by his screen name Nadeem (Urdu: ندیم ), is a Pakistani actor, singer and producer. He is regarded as the best all-time Pakistani actor in a heroic role. He has appeared in over two hundred films (mostly as a main lead) during his 56-year-long career. It is said that Lollywood's history is incomplete without Nadeem's name. He has also been honored with the Pride of Performance award in 1997. He has also won a record 16 Nigar Awards as an actor.

Early life

Nadeem was born on 19 July 1941 in Vijayawada, which at the time was part of the Madras Presidency in British India. Nadeem migrated to Dhaka, East Pakistan along with his family after the independence of Pakistan in 1947. He finished high school at Sindh Madrasa-tul-Islam and attended some years of college at Government Islamia Science College, Karachi before he entered the Pakistani film industry.

Nadeem, and artists Talat Hussain, M. Zaheer Khan, Aftab Azeem, Saleem Jafry, and TV producer Iqbal Haider, were all discovered at a club in Karachi in the 1960s. He and his friends, Ameer Ahmed Khan and Qasim Siddiqui, won several music competitions. At one of those musical competitions, he was noticed by singer Ferdausi Rahman. She was impressed by his singing talent and encouraged him to try playback singing in Dhaka's film industry.

Career

Nadeem's film career spans more than 50 years. He started his career in 1967 and appeared in his first film Chakori (1967) in a leading role with actress Shabana. The film was produced and directed by Captain Ehtesham, who, in real life, became his father-in-law in 1968 when Nadeem married Farzana, Ehtesham's daughter. The film did well in both circuits of Pakistani film industry, i.e., West and East Pakistan. He won a Nigar Award in the best actor's category for Chakori. Nadeem's films include Nadan (1973), Anari, Pehchan (1975), Talash (1976), Aina (1977), Hum Dono (1980), Lajawab, Qurbani (1981), Sangdil (1982), and Dehleez (1983). He made a popular screen pairing with actress Shabnam with whom he acted in most of his films. Besides acting, Nadeem has sung many songs for films. Nadeem has worked with veteran film directors of Pakistani film industry including Pervez Malik, Nazrul Islam, S. Suleman, Shamim Ara, Sangeeta and Samina Peerzada. Among the well-known actors, he has worked with Santosh Kumar, Darpan, Waheed Murad, Allauddin and Syed Kamal over his long career.

Playback singers

In his career, Nadeem has been mostly voiced by Ahmed Rushdi and later Akhlaq Ahmed provided his voice. He acknowledged that songs in Rushdi's voice made his work easier and played a significant role in his success.

Selected filmography

• Chakori (1967) (Nadeem's debut film)
• Behan Bhai (1968)
• Diya Aur Toofan (1969)
• Daman Aur Chingari (1973)
• Aina (1977)
• Bandish (1980)
• Dillagi (1974)
• Shama (1974)
• Phool Mere Gulshan Ka (1974)
• Anari (1975)
• Jab Jab Phool Khile (1975)
• Pehchan (1975)
• Umang
• Naadan
• Chote Sahab
• Daagh
• Mutthi Bhar Chawal (1978)
• Amber (1978)
• Pakeeza (1979)
• Dehleez (1983)
• Doordesh (1983) - Bollywood film
• Mukhra (1988) - a film produced by Nadeem Baig also
• Bulandi (1990)
• Anhoni (1993)
• Sargam (1995)
• Jeeva (1995)
• Jo Darr Gaya Woh Mar Gaya (1995)
• Umar Mukhtar (1997)
• Dupatta Jal Raha Hai (1998)
• Inteha (1999)
• Koi Tujh Sa Kahan (2005)
• Mein Ek Din Laut Kay Aaoon Ga (2007)
• Love Mein Gum (2011)
• Main Hoon Shahid Afridi (2013)
• The System (2014)
• Hijrat (2016)
• Sikander (2016)
• Shaan-e-Ishq (2017)
• Superstar (2019)
• Parey Hut Love (2019)
• Zarrar (2020)
• Tere Bajre Di Rakhi (2022)

Television

Awards and recognition

• Nigar Award for a total of 16 times between 1967 and 2002 as an actor including the Nigar Award Millennium Award in 1999
• Pride of Performance Award by the President of Pakistan in 1997

Lux Style Awards

See also

• List of Lollywood actors

References

External links

• Official website
• Nadeem at IMDb (Filmography of Nadeem on IMDb website)