Saadat Hasan Manto

Writer, Playwright, Author

Indo-Pakistan Samrala, Ludhiana, Punjab, British India

Quick Info

ProfessionWriter, Playwright, Author
NationalityIndo-Pakistan
Date of Birth11/05/1912
Age42 years (died on 18, Jan, 1955)
BirthplaceSamrala, Ludhiana, Punjab, British India
Date of Death18/01/1955

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Bio/Wiki

Saadat Hasan Manto was an Indo-Pakistani writer of Urdu fiction and nonfiction regarded as the greatest short-story author in Urdu literature. His works presented untempered depictions of the grim realities of society, including sexual violence, prostitution, murder, and the inhumanity and trauma brought on by the partition of India. He is best known for his stories about the partition of India, which he opposed, immediately following independence in 1947.

Physical Stats & More

Height170 cm
Weight60 kg
Eye ColorBlack
Hair ColorBlack

Educational Qualification(s)

SchoolNot Known
College/UniversityAligarh Muslim University, Aligarh, Uttar Pradesh
Educational QualificationPost Graduate

Personal Life

Place of DeathLahore, Punjab, Pakistan
Zodiac sign/Sun signTaurus
EthnicityKashmiri Muslim

Relationships & More

Marital StatusMarried
Wife/SpouseSafia Deen (Later, Safia Manto)
Marriage Date1936
Children
  • Arif (died in his infancy)
  • Nighat Manto
  • Nuzhat Manto
  • Nusrat Manto

Family

FatherGhulam Hasan Manto (a judge of local court)
MotherSardar Begum

Career

Began literary career in 1933 during British rule.
Translated works of Victor Hugo, Oscar Wilde, Chekhov, and Gorky into Urdu.
Wrote first story 'Tamasha' based on Jallianwala Bagh massacre.
Worked as screenwriter in Bombay film industry before Partition.
Moved to Lahore, Pakistan after 1947 Partition.
Authored 22 collections of short stories, five collections of radio dramas, three of essays, two of sketches, one novel, and several film scripts.
Posthumously awarded Pakistan's highest civilian honor, Nishan-e-Imtiaz, in 2012.
Met Abdul Bari Alig at age 21, which marked the beginning of his path as a writer.
Translated works of Victor Hugo (The Last Days of a Condemned Man, published as Sarguzasht-e-Aseer), Oscar Wilde (Vera), Chekhov, and Gorky into Urdu.
Published first story 'Tamasha' in the first issue of Khalq magazine.
Moved to Bombay in 1935 and worked as screenwriter in the film industry.
Worked as journalist and editor for publications including Masawat and Khalq.
Charged with obscenity six times in both India and Pakistan for his writings but was never convicted in India; was sentenced to three months imprisonment and 300 rupees fine in Pakistan.

Favourites

Favourite FoodGajjar Ka Halwa
Favourite PenSheaffer
Favourite DestinationBombay (now, Mumbai)

Some Lesser Known Facts

1. Manto came from a middle-class Muslim family in British India's Sikh-dominant Ludhiana.
2. Ethnically Kashmiri, Manto took pride in his heritage.
3. At 21, Manto's path as a writer began when he met Abdul Bari Alig.
4. He liked to write his stories all in one go.
5. After partition, Manto spent a period screenwriting in Bombay.
6. Faced multiple obscenity trials in both India and Pakistan but was never convicted.
7. Died from liver cirrhosis due to alcoholism, exacerbated by depression after Partition.
8. In his journalism, he predicted the rise of Islamic fundamentalism in Pakistan.
9. His most notable work has been archived by Rekhta.
Information on this page is collected from public sources and may not be 100% accurate. Report an error
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