Legendary Pakistani actor Agha Talish, known for his portrayal of character actors and villain roles, was remembered on his 23rd death anniversary on Sunday.
Agha Ali Abbas Qizilbash, more commonly known as Agha Talish was a legendary Pakistani actor who was widely recognised for his portrayals of character actors and villain roles. Talish was born in Ludhiana, British India in 1926 and went on to have a prolific career in the Pakistani film industry. Talish made his debut in 1947 and his on-screen performance in the hit song “Yaaro Mujhe Maaf Rakho Mein Nashe Mein Hoon” from Saifuddin Saif’s 1957 film Saat Lakh, was widely admired.
His biggest hit film was Shaheed, released on 5 January 1962. The highlight of the film was the instant hit song “Uss bewafa ka shehr hai aur hum hain dostau” by renowned poet Muneer Niazi, with music also by Rasheed Attre. Talish’s 40-year-long film career earned him six Nigar Awards, in 1961, 1962, 1965, 1972, 1975, and 1994.
He was also awarded the Pride of Performance Award by the President of Pakistan in 1989. Despite his success, Talish faced a long illness towards the end of his life and passed away on 19 February 1998, in Lahore. Even after his death, his contributions to Pakistani cinema have not been forgotten, and his work continues to inspire generations of actors and filmmakers in the country.