Khalid Abbas Dar


Khalid Abbas Dar is an actor, playwright, director, theatre producer, entertainer, mimic, one-man show and a television host in Pakistan.

Personal life

He was born into a Kashmiri family to Abdul Malik Dar, director sports at the Islamia College, who was vehemently opposed to his dreams to join the entertainment industry from the early years, eventually excluding him from his social circle when he did.

Career

Khalid Abbas Dar is an entertainer; who performs on radio, television and theater. He is an actor, mimic, entertainer, theatrical figure, film star, anchor person, stage and theater director and producer. He has worked for over five and a half decades and today Khalid Abbas Dar is recognized as a well-known entertainer in Pakistan.
His career spans from 1955 to date. From his earliest recordings for Radio Pakistan, he prospered onto television, the silver screen, on stage and numerous live performances on leading Award Shows of National & International significance. His achievements are numerous, and can overfill pages. From his early recognition with the Roll of Honor in 1966 by the Government College Lahore for his talents in “mimicry and one man show” – which remains the first and last such award to be presented to an artist in over one and a half century, to another rare distinction of being awarded Presidential Award for Pride of Performance in 1998-99 and another National Award significantly with the Sitara-e-Imtiaz in 2006-07 given by the Government of Pakistan.
Khalid Abbas Dar started his career as a child performer on Radio Pakistan in 1955, and was the first ever “One Man Show” performer of PTV ever since its inception in 1964. Considering his par excellence, Governor West Pakistan, Ameer Muhammad Khan of Kalabagh called him for a show at the Governors House. He was then asked by the GHQ to perform for the Pakistan troops after the ceasefire of the 1965 war between Pakistan & India with other leading cultural figures such as Mehdi Hassan, Ustaad Amanat Ali, Fateh Ali Khan, Naseem Begum, Fareeda Khanum, Roshan Ara Begum. Khalid Abbas Dar conducted 33 such events for the Pakistan Army, Air Force & Navy at different locations including one on the INS Saraswati which was captured by the Pakistan Navy, adored by the then Vice Admiral A.R. Khan. After half a million troops being entertained, the then President of Pakistan Field Marshal General Ayub Khan honored the show on 20 September 1966 at the Ayub National Park Rawalpindi.
His versatility is such that be it radio, television, cinema or stage, success has followed Khalid Abbas Dar wherever he has ventured. It is the hard work and talent meshed into one that has paved the way all through these decades leading up to the present day.
Numerous personal achievements showcase his career. Be it his innumerable radio & television performances to his on-stage prowess which includes the production of the cultural show presented to 45 Heads of State at the Islamic Conference of 1974 at Lahore, assigned to him by the Prime Minister of Pakistan Shaheed Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto.
He has also worked endlessly for the people of Pakistan in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Health across Pakistan including the Punjab, Sindh, Balochistan, KPK and AJK, stretching over a number of shows to promote awareness on health issues such as Polio, Mother & child, Malayria, Hepatitis, HIV; AIDS.
In 2009, Khalid Abbas Dar was associated with Express News TV Channel for the political satire and comedy one-man -show Darling which has opened to a rousing reception and continues to carve its own niche in the market.

Radio

After he continued his career with Radio Pakistan, Lahore, he was known as a well recognised adult voice in dramas and was associated with the popular radio show named Nizam Din daily for 14 years as an extempore companion and alter ego 'Mehtab Din'.
He was sent by Radio Pakistan, Lahore to the cities and towns to listen to the people's problems and try to resolve those problems highlighted in his radio programme.

Television

His reputation from radio and theatre led to a career in television, where he performed leads in innumerable independent plays and serials, such as Sadhran, Jazeera, Kahani Ki Talash, Zanjeer, Jheel, Fifty Fifty, Panchoon Ghee Mein, Shaadi Key Saath Saath, Parchi and many more. He has performed live on stage shows for the following dignitaries of Pakistan.
Nawab Ameer Mohammad Khan of Kala Bagh, Governor of West Pakistan.
Field Marshal Mohammad Ayub Khan, President of Pakistan.
General Musa Khan, Governor of West Pakistan.
General Yahya Khan, President of Pakistan
Fazal Elahi, President of Pakistan
Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto, Prime Minister of Pakistan.
His Majesty, The Shah of Iran.
General Mohammad Zia ul Haq, President of Pakistan
His Royal Highness, Prince Hassan Bin Talal & Her Royal Highness Princess Sarwat Talal.
Mohammad Khan Junejo, Prime Minister of Pakistan.
Mohammad Nawaz Sharif, Prime Minister of Pakistan.
Ghulam Mustafa Jatoi, Balkh Sher Mazari, Meraaj Khalid.
Dar was responsible for the production of cultural show presented to 45 Heads of Islamic States during Islamic Summit Conference in February 1974 at Lahore Fort.

Theatre

In his late teens, Dar started performing in theatre, later becoming a writer, director and producer. He continues to perform in comedies as well as serious plays, writing on various themes and directing. He has been one of the vanguards in the establishment of theatre in Pakistan.

Performing for Pakistan Armed Forces

After the 1965 ceasefire in the Indo-Pakistani War, he was asked by the Pakistan Armed Forces authorities, in concert with the All Pakistan Music Conference, to go to the front lines with singers including Mehdi Hassan, Ustad Amanat Ali Khan, Bade Fateh Ali Khan, Masood Rana, Ustad Salamat Ali Khan, Ustad Nazakat Ali Khan, Tufail Niazi, Naseem Begum, Malika Moseeqi Roshan Ara Begum, and Shahjahan Begum to entertain the defenders of the country.
The first two concerts were held in hospitals for wounded soldiers. These were followed by 33 more, mostly under field conditions where pitched battles had been fought. One of these was attended by General Musa Khan and the last by the President of Pakistan Field Marshal Muhammad Ayub Khan at Ayub National Park on 20 September 1966. He entertained more than half a million soldiers of Pakistan Army, Air Force & Navy with his performance.
One concert was held on INS Sarswati, where Vice-Admiral Afzal Rahman Khan, Head of The Pakistan Navy, watched the show.
In 2005 Dar established his own production house 'Retreat' and started to produce information and educational plays with the co-operation of the Pakistan Health Ministry. Pakistan Television's drama serial 'SHAADI KAY SAATH SAATH' which could be called a comedy.
Dar also produced a stage play 'ZARA SI BHOOL' which was presented on theatres across the country with also the co-operation of Pakistan Health Ministry. More than 100 shows of this drama was presented in al districts of Punjab, Sindh, Baluchistan, KPK & AJK.
The event attracted a large number of participants ranging from youth to representatives of NGOs working on the issued of HIV & AIDS. In each city almost 4,000 to 7,000 people attended the show, which included Nazims, district health management teams as well as stakeholders.
The MPAs and Ministers of Honourable Baluchistan Provincial Assembly watched the play and admired the performance of actors and the theme of the drama.

Awards and recognition