Darpan's 32nd Death Anniversary Today

KARACHI: Pakistani Famous Film Actor Darpan's death anniversary is being observed today (Thursday). Darpan passed away 32 years ago but his acting is still alive.

Darpan was one of the original Romantic Heroes of the Golden age of the Pakistan film Industry.

His film debut was director Haider Shah's movie 'Amanat'‚ in which he appeared with his real name Ishrat. (1950‚ starring: Ishrat‚ Gulshan Ara) With his dark blue eyes and strikingly sharp features‚ Ishrat was essentially a happy go lucky man of the 1950s.

He died on 8th November, 1980 in Lahore.

Syed Ishrat Abbas better known by his stage name Darpan was one of the original romantic heroes of the "golden age" of the Pakistan Film Industry

Darpan belonged to an educated family originally from Uttar Pradesh‚ India where he was born in 1928.He was the younger brother of Santosh Kumar.
His film debut was director Haider Shah's movie 'Amanat'‚ in which he appeared with his real name Ishrat. (1950‚ starring: Ishrat‚ Gulshan Ara) With his dark blue eyes and strikingly sharp features‚ Ishrat was essentially a happy go lucky man of the 1950s.
In fact‚ he was the opposite of Santosh‚ when it came to sobriety.
In December 1951‚ Ishrat appeared in the role of 'Khadim' in director Amjad Husain's Punjabi film 'Billo'. Najma Malik did the title role of 'Billo'‚ while M.Ismail's forceful role of a phaja meerasi was praiseworthy. Ghulam Mohammad‚ G.N.Butt‚Mehmood phana‚ Abu Shah and Mirza Sultan Baig (Radio Pakistan's famous artist Chaudhry Nizam Deen were also included in the cast) After 'Billo'‚ Ishrat performed a role in director Malik Sharif's movie 'Mehbooba'.

Soon after 'Mehbooba'‚ Ishrat went to India‚ changed his name to Darpan (Darpan is a Hindi word meaning Aa'ena or mirror) and worked in a few movies. Prominent among them were 'Baarati' and 'Adal-e-Jehangiri'. In 'Adal-e-Jehangiri‚ Darpan worked opposite Meena kumari.
He went back to Pakistan and restarted his movie career with director Jafar Malik's first film 'Baap ka gunah' (producer: Anwar Kamal Pasha‚ composer: Rasheed Attre‚ starring: Darpan‚ Musarrat Nazeer‚ Saleem Raza‚ Fazal Haq‚ Asif Jah).

This icon of the '60s and hero of the most popular films of his generation‚ worked opposite Sauran Lata in director Nazeer's movie 'Noor-e-Islam'.
Next he teamed up with Musarrat Nazeer in director Fazal's film 'Rukhsana'. Events unfolded rapidly as he developed as an artist. In 1959 he joined hands with director A.Rauf and Musarrat Nazeer in the film 'Sahara'.

Darpan prided himself in marvelous movies and he accepted a lead role opposite Yasmeen in the film 'Khul ja sum sum' (based on the story of 'Alif Laila'‚ Ali Baba chaleese chore‚ released under the banner of Zeenat films‚ director: Siqlain Rizvi‚ cast: Darpan‚ Yasmeen‚ Zeenat‚ Nazar‚ Naeem Hashmi‚ Sheikh Iqbal‚ Shahnawaz‚ Rajni‚ composer: Tufail Farooqi).

Darpan‚ who had a large audience‚ worked in the film 'Shama' (1959 director:Nazeer‚ starring: Darpan‚ Sauran Lata‚ composer: Hasan Lateef Malik).
Destined for glory‚ Darpan produced the film 'Saathi' (1959 starring: Darpan‚ Neelo). 'Saathi 'was highly successful and it paved the way for high quality movies in the future. At that time‚ Darpan was entering the golden part of his career‚ when almost every day brought new triumphs.
Producer Iqbal Shehzad launched his own production studio‚ Montana films and produced his first film 'Raat kay rahi' under its banner. It was also Iqbal Yusuf's first film as director. (starring: Darpan‚ Rehana).

Darpan did not mold himself upon Santosh‚ he was influenced by him. But he was his own man‚ always. Afterwards‚ Darpan worked in the film 'Saheli' which was a touchstone for all his fans. The scope of the story was vast. 'Saheli 'had all the ingredients for a sure-shot success.
Enter visionary director S.M.Yusuf‚ who seemed to have been born to direct the film 'Saheli' Darpan‚ Nayyar Sultana and Shamim Ara were among the movie's passionate cast.
Indeed‚ Darpan‚ Shamim Ara and Nayyar Sultana worked together as conceptual artists. The results moved audiences greatly. Moreover‚ Darpan's reputation among his admirers was so solid that the role and the real person became one.

'Saheli' was followed by the film 'Insaan badalta hai' (Producer: Waheed Murad‚ director: Munawwar Rasheed‚ starring: Darpan‚ shamim Ara) and 'Jab say dekha hai tumhain' (producer: Waheed Murad‚ director: Munawwar Rasheed‚ starring: Darpan‚Zeba).

Darpan's productivity was awe-inspiring. Darpan produced and his younger brother S.Sulaiman (salo) directed the following movies: 'Dulhan'‚'Baaji'‚'Ik tera sahara'‚'Qaidi'‚ 'Yahudi ki larki'‚'Payal ki jhankar' and 'Gulfam'.

His performance in the films 'Shabab'‚ 'Koh-e-Qaaf'‚ 'Jawab do'‚ 'Ik musafir ik haseena'‚ 'Azmat'‚ 'Meray mehboob'‚ 'Aanchal' and 'Naila' spoke volumes.
In a succession of movies‚ Darpan had developed a persona as the superstar of his era: 'Shola aur shabnam'‚ 'Al-Hilal'‚ 'Shikari'‚ 'Jalwah'‚ 'Maujiza'‚ 'Bahadur'‚ 'Sham sawera'‚ 'Baalam'‚ 'Fasana-e-dil'‚ 'Meri bhabi'‚ 'Hamjoli' and 'Saza'.

The film 'Lakhoan afsanay' was Darpan's crowning achievement. (director: Sheikh Hasan‚ starring: Darpan‚ Suzy Daniel and Indian actress Yamla Kumari.Suzy Daniel was the younger sister of singer Deborah Daniel).

Darpan received both the presidential and the Nigar award for best actor for the film 'Saheli'. At the pinnacle of his movie career‚ he married Nayyar Sultana. Darpan changed a lot after marrying Nayyar. Much of his wit and smiles were replaced by his life partner's pensive personality.
Age had not slowed him. Smart as he was‚ Darpan had the uncanny ability to foresee future events. He knew the 1970s were changing times and that time had come for change of guards: New actors were fast replacing the old ones.

Before he was pushed out of the limelight by younger actors‚ he took a bold initiative by launching his recruiting agency in the commercial area of defense society and dedicated himself to his new business. Darpan died on November 8‚ 1980 in Lahore‚ Pakistan.