Abdur Rashid Kardar

Abdur Rashid Kardar Biography

Abdur Rashid Kardar, also known as A.R. Kardar was a film director and actor who started working before Indian partition. He established the film industry in the Bhati Gate locality of Lahore of British India. Recent photos by a Time Magazine photographer show that he was very much involved in 'Casting Couch'. Husn Ka Daku aka Mysterious Eagle – marked his directorial debut, where he played male lead opposite Gulzar Begum. As a director, his 40 films are released. He is also known as a producer and scriptwriter. Heer Ranjha (1932), Pagal (1940), Dard (1947), Dillagi (1948), Dastan (1950), Deewana (1952), Yasmin (1955), Dil Diya Dard Liya (1966) and Mere Sartaj (1975) are his noted films as a film director.

A.R. Kardar was born in the year 1904. He started his association with the world of art as an arts scholar and a calligraphist making posters for foreign film productions in India. During 1920’s, he started writing for newspapers. When the first silent film, The Daughters of Today was released in Lahore in 1924, G.K. Mehta asked Kardar to assist him as an assistant director on the project. He also got an opportunity to work in the movie as an actor. His friend, Muhammad Ismail also assisted him in this project. In those days, films were shown in Lahore, Kolkata and Mumbai only.

But later when he didn’t get enough opportunity in films, alongside his friend Ismail he set up a studio selling their belongings. The production company was named United Players Corporation and it was the first film studio and production company of Lahore. They had to face a lot of difficulties for shooting the films and films were shot only during daytime. Husn Ka Daku aka Mysterious Eagle – marked his film debut as a director, thus marking the first film shot from Lahore production company. Sarfarosh and  Qismat Ke Her Pher aka Life After Death were its later releases.

Published: N/A

Updated: January 02, 2014