Himalayawala in Gumnaam (1954)

It has been said before that most of the early film artists were already fully out of the burner in India, and they literally put what they learnt in Bombay to better use in the Pakistani silver screen to illuminate it with a special spark. In this context, one such artiste who made it in Pakistan with much adulation and incredible voice is Himaliyawala. Known for his impressive decibel and his typical dialogue delivery, he made a place of himself amongst such senior luminaries as Late Ghulam Mohammad, Shahnawaz, M. Ismail, Alauddin and Talish. It is sometimes asserted that if Prithvi Raj stands heads and shoulders above anybody for his role of Mahabali Akbar in Mughal-e-Azam, Himaliyawala must be on the second leg of the podium for his echoing delivery as Akbar in Anwar Kamal Pasha’s Anarkali, which was released in 1958.

Himalyawala belonged to Dehradoon, that most beautiful health resort in U.P., and was a scion of a very well-known family of the region. His real name was Afzal Khan. Fair complexioned, blessed with tousled long hair and a tall and well built frame, he looked like a film star. Pining for silver screen dominance and a chance at expressing himself on the media, he visited the Bombay industry. When he met Shaukat Hussain Rizvi, the famous director stepped backed and looked him over. “You say you want a small role in films?” he said. “Just go back to the gate and a make turn to walk in.” When Himaliyawala did as he was told, Rizvi Sahab smiled and shook his head. “Don’t be nervous. Just walk as in casually as you were behaving before you met me.” Having judged him from that entry, Shaukat Hussain Rizvi nodded approval. He had just had a major success in his milestone movie, Khandan, and was fully smitten by Madam Noor Jahan. He was in a good mood and referred him to his friend and colleague, director M. A Mirza. “You must have heard of Pethawala, Ponawala and others, but today I have brought you a rare gift, a remarkable young man, whom I have given the screen name, Himalayawala.”

Hence, Himalyawala made his debut for Bharat Talkies’ movie, Kisi Kee Biwi, which was directed by M.A. Mirza in 1942. The leading actors of the film were Anuradha and E. Billimoria, while the famous Rafiq Ghaznavi composed its music. Himalyawala was noticed enough to be presented in another movie the same year called Mata, which was directed by a fellow called Gunjaal. Next year he was again working for a couple of noticeable films like Aankh Kee Sharm, which had Prithvi Raj in a leading role, and Vishwas, the musical score of which was given by Firoze Nizami. Himalyawala made quick inroads into the industry and was very soon being considered an integral part of the big banner films, along with stalwarts like M. Ismail, Jagdish Seth et al. His other movies in India include Qismatwala, Humayyun, Eilan, Dharam, Samandaron Kee Malika, etc. Humayyun was directed by top director, Mehboob Khan, while Himalyawala also figured in an important role in A. R Kardar’s Shahjahan.

It is an interesting detail of his career that he had married the famous Indian playback singer, Amirbai Karnataki. His second wife was an actress called Begum Parveen.

Despite his success in India, Himalyawala was a staunch supporter of Quaid-e-Azam’s ideology and his style of political workings. That fact was again borne out when the Jaal movement started in 1954, against the screening of Indian films. He was always in the forefront of that movement.

After partition he was one of the first artists to come Pakistan. In the very second film that Pakistan produced, called Shahida, Himalyawala acted so inspiringly that his name became known to all and sundry in the country. Shahida was directed by another top artist from India, Luqman, and its music was by Ghulam Haider and G. A. Chishti. Film critics wrote heart-felt reviews of his performance in Shahida, and likened his acting to Mehboob Khan’s hit film in India, Eilan, where he had done similar work. Anwar Kamal Pasha’s Do Aansoo was a very impressive film indeed. In Kundan, released in the last months of 1950, and Shararey, screened in February 1955, he was the hero opposite Ragni. Sailaab, Mehbooba, Roohi, Qatil, Sarfroosh, Gumrah, Gumnam and Anarkali were some of his famous films, where he expressed himself at optimum levels; other films to his credit include Naghma-e-Dil, Chan Ve, Azra, Watan etc. Chan Ve was his only Punjabi film – Zulqarnain Shahid

Munawwar Sultana in Elaan (1947)

Story of two half-brothers, the evil Sajjad (Himalaywala) and the good Javed (Surendra). Exploited since his childhood by the richer and crueller branch of the family, represented by Sajjad and his mother (Zebunissa), Javed loses his beloved (Munawar Sultana), bought by Sajjad’s family wealth. The fortunes of the two brothers change; Sajjad gambles away his wealth while Javed becomes a noted lawyer. In a fit of desperation, Sajjad wants to kill his son but is himself killed by his mother. His widow turns down Javed’s offer of marriage and instead starts a school in her family palace, partly to make amends for the family’s vile behavior. This was Mehboob’s most stylized Muslim social with quasi-expressionist acting enhanced by an ornate decor and Irani’s heavily shaded camerawork. The final song, Insaan ki tahzeeb carried the film’s anti-feudal message, addressed to the camera by a purdah-clad Munawar Sultana.

Mehboob’s Elaan was the first and last film to look at Indian Muslims from the inside. It was melodramatic and rhetorical. But it did go into ‘forbidden’ areas and make statements which would be considered controversial even today. For instance, it legitimized marriage with a foreigner. It laughed at traditional Muslim reactions to women’s bare legs, it dealt in detail with Muslim backwardness and lack of education. These things continue today in a worse fashion. But no one has the courage to make a film on them. The ogre of insult to ‘minorities’ stands in the way.

All the same Elaan met with official disfavor because it showed Quranic reform as the way out. It was banned temporarily during 1947.

Cast and Production Credits

Year – 1947, Genre – Drama, Producer – Mehboob Prod., Director – Mehboob Khan, Music Director – Naushad, Language – Hindi/Urdu, Country – India, Cast – Surendra, W. M. Khan, Shah Nawaz, Munawwar Sultana, Himalayawala, Rita, Leela Misra, Zebunissa, Agha

Santosh Kumar in Do Ansoo (1950)

Sentimental melodrama beginning with the dilemma of a spoilt and prodigal Nawab, played competently by Himaliyawala, who has one daughter born to his mistress, a resident of local brothel, and one to his legally wedded wife. Two daughters bring twofold woes as the title of the film implies. His family pride is at stake with the prospect of his daughter growing up in a brothel, and lacking the means to buy custody of the child, he makes a desperate attempt to run away with her but ends up killing the father-cum-procurer of his mistress. His fate is fourteen years in prison but the real burnt is borne by the wife and daughter who are left without a roof over their heads. Bakhshu Baba, a loyal and faithful servant, comes to their rescue. He takes them to his village where they start a new life. The wife declares her husband dead in order to spare her daughter from this painful chapter in their lives. Time passes and the girl (Sabiha Khanum), is now a charming young woman.

Her childhood friendship with the son of the landlord turns into an engagement with the blessings of both the families. As fate would have it, the young man, Santosh Kumar, is a final year student of a college in the city where he lives with some friends. The city boys lure him to a mujra. Here he encounters the other girl (Gulshan Ara), who has so far been successful in avoiding all `arrangements’ made by her mother. The decency of the young man impresses her and she is drawn towards him In the meantime, the Nawab is released from prison after completing his term. In disguise, he gets a job as a watchman at the brothel. Seeing a chance of redemption for his daughter, he helps Santosh and Gulshan Ara get married. During the ceremony, the other daughter, her mother already dead, finds her way to the house of the young man with the help of Bakhshu Baba. Shocked by witnessing the marriage of her fiancé to her unknown sister she meets with an accident and dies. The father’s crime completely ruins the lives of two innocent persons, the mother and the daughter. This pathetic and tragic tale drew large audiences and the film ran for twenty-five weeks (Silver – Jubilee), a great achievement for a local film at that time.

The cast, comprising veterans like Shahnawaz, Ajmal, and Himaliyawala, was supported by Shamim and up-and-upcoming artistes Allaudin, Asif Jah, Santosh Kumar, and Gulshan Ara. A new find, Sabiha Khanum was the mainstay of the film. Crisply directed, the film holds the viewer’s attention even today with its smooth flow of editing. However, the fact that it was made on a shoestring budget is evident from the simple two dimensional set designs.

Do Ansoo was based on Hakim Shuja’s story about the decadence of aristocracy. It would have been better suited against a Lucknow or Oudh background. Since the locale was not very well-identified, it worked well here. After the success of Do Ansoo, the director Anwar Kamal Pasha never looked back – Mushtaq Gazdar

Cast and Production Credits

Year - 1950, Genre – Drama, Country - Pakistan, Language - Urdu, Producer -Sheikh Latif, Director -Anwar Kamal Pasha, Music Director – Mubarak Ali, Cast -Sabiha Khanum, Santosh Kumar, Shamim, Gulshan Ara, Himaliyawala, Shahnawaz, Ajmal, Asif Jah and Alauddin