Zia Mohyeddin

Actor

British, Pakistani Lyallpur, British India (now Faisalabad in Pakistan)

Quick Info

ProfessionActor
NationalityBritish, Pakistani
Date of Birth20/06/1931
Age91 years (died on 13, Feb, 2023)
BirthplaceLyallpur, British India (now Faisalabad in Pakistan)
Date of Death13/02/2023

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Bio/Wiki

Zia Mohyeddin was a Pakistani and British actor, producer, television broadcaster, orator, and writer who appeared in both Pakistani and British cinema throughout his career spanning over six decades. He was a theatre graduate of the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts (RADA) in London and became one of the first Pakistani actors to work in British and international cinema. He was deeply committed to promoting Pakistani culture and the performing arts globally.

Physical Stats & More

Height175 cm
Eye ColorBlack
Hair ColorSalt & Pepper

Educational Qualification(s)

College/Institution
  • Central Training College Dramatic Club, Lahore
  • Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London
  • Government College, Lahore
Educational QualificationGraduated from the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London (1953-1956)

Personal Life

Place of DeathKarachi, Pakistan
Death CauseNatural causes

Relationships & More

Marital StatusMarried
Marriage DateYear 1994 (third marriage)

Family

FatherKhadim Mohyeddin (mathematician, musicologist, playwright, and lyricist)
Spouse
  • First wife
  • Kathak dancer
  • second wife
  • Pakistani actress
  • third wife
  • Sarwar Zemani (first wife)
  • Nahid Siddiqui (second wife, Kathak classical dancer)
  • Azra Mohyeddin (third wife)
Children
  • Minos Ameer and Risha Ameen (from his first wife Sarwar Zemani)
  • Hassan "Moyo" Mohyeddin (percussionist and music producer
  • from his second wife Nahid Siddiqui)
  • Aaliya Mohyeddin (born in 2002
  • from his third wife Azra Mohyeddin)
  • Minos Ameer and Risha Ameen (from first wife Sarwar Zemani)

Career

Debut
Film (actor)Lawrence of Arabia (1962) as Tafas
Film (Urdu)Rahguzar (1960)
TVThe Adventures of Sir Francis Drake (1962) as King Philip of Spain
Awards, Honours, Achievements
  • Sitara-i-Imtiaz (Star of Excellence) Award given by the Government of Pakistan in 2003
  • Hilal-i-Imtiaz (Crescent of Excellence) Award presented by the President of Pakistan in 2012
  • Lifetime Achievement Award presented by the Pakistani community living in Dubai and given by the Pakistan Ambassador in United Arab Emirates (UAE) on 29 November 2017
Notable Works
  • The Zia Mohyeddin Show (1969-1973) - Pakistan Television talk show
  • A Passage to India (1960) - West End stage debut as Dr. Aziz
  • Lawrence of Arabia (1962) - as Tafas, the Arab guide
  • Bombay Talkie (1970)
  • The Jewel in the Crown (1984) - miniseries
  • Here and Now (1986-1989) - Central Television multicultural programme (producer)
  • Family Pride (1991-1992) - first British Asian soap opera (producer and star)
  • Immaculate Conception (1994)
  • Behemoth/Pale Horse (1964)
  • Dhun Hamari Tumharay Naam Hui (1999) - Urdu drama series
Other Roles
  • Founder and President of the National Academy of Performing Arts (NAPA) in Karachi (established 2005)
  • Director of the PIA Arts and Dance Academy (from 1973)
  • Orator and reciter of Urdu poetry and prose internationally

Some Lesser Known Facts

1. Zia Mohyeddin was a British-Pakistani actor, producer, orator, and television broadcaster.
2. He was the first actor from Pakistan to work in British cinema.
3. Raised in Kasur and Lahore, he moved to London to earn a bachelorโ€™s degree at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art before starting his stage career.
4. He transitioned from stage plays to films.
5. On returning to Pakistan in the late 1960s, he hosted 'The Zia Mohyeddin Show' from 1969-1973, known for its unique rap-style song segment.
6. He has acted in various English language films and TV series.
7. In 1999, he appeared in the Urdu drama series 'Dhun Hamari Tumharay Naam Hui.'
8. He became the director of the PIA Arts Academy in 1973.
9. He later relocated to the UK in the late 1970s.
10. Known for his Urdu poetry and prose recitations worldwide, he was a leading figure in the field.
11. In 2005, he was asked by President Pervez Musharraf to establish the National Academy of Performing Arts in Karachi and became its president.
12. Zia Mohyeddin passed away on February 13, 2023, at the age of 91 after battling a long illness.
13. He originated the role of Dr. Aziz in the stage play of A Passage to India, making his West End debut in 1960.
14. During the 1980s, he worked in Birmingham, UK, producing Central Television's multicultural programme Here and Now (1986โ€“1989).
15. He produced and starred in the first soap opera with a British Asian cast, Family Pride (1991โ€“1992).
16. He was the first Pakistani actor to break into Hollywood cinema with Lawrence of Arabia.
17. He worked nearly 47 years as an actor in the United Kingdom.
18. He lived in self-exile in Birmingham with his second wife, iconic kathak dancer Nahid Siddiqui, during General Zia-ul-Haq's military rule.
19. Zia Mohyeddin was the first actor from Pakistan to work in British cinema.
20. He was raised in Kasur and Lahore before moving to London to study at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art.
21. The Zia Mohyeddin Show (1969-1973) was known for its unique rap-style song segment and became famous across Pakistan.
22. He became director of the PIA Arts and Dance Academy in 1973, where he worked with renowned Kathak dancer Nahid Siddiqui.
23. He relocated to the United Kingdom in the late 1970s and worked nearly 47 years as an actor in the UK.
24. During General Zia-ul-Haq's military rule, he lived in self-exile in Birmingham with his second wife, Nahid Siddiqui.
25. During the 1980s, he produced Central Television's multicultural programme Here and Now (1986-1989) in Birmingham.
26. He produced and starred in Family Pride (1991-1992), the first soap opera with a British Asian cast.
27. In 2005, President Pervez Musharraf invited him to establish the National Academy of Performing Arts (NAPA) in Karachi, where he served as president.
28. He was known internationally for his Urdu poetry and prose recitations.
29. He was a co-founder and later served as president emeritus of NAPA, guiding many of Pakistan's prominent acting talents.
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