Pervez Malik – saviour of Karachi’s film industry

Tributes paid to late film director, hit film Pehchan screened at Lok Virsa

ISLAMABAD: Had it not been for Pervaiz Malik, the film industry in Karachi would have died far earlier than it did.

This was stated by speakers at a tribute to the director and screenwriter Pervaiz Malik, who arguably gave Pakistan some of its biggest silver screen hits, at the Lok Virsa’s Media Centre on Saturday evening. His hit Pehchan was also screened.

In 1964, Malik came to the film industry in Pakistan armed with a masters in film studies from the University of Southern California.  Determined to offer a new direction to the dwindling film trade, he launched his magnum opus ‘Heera Aur Pather’.



The film, a hit, was the beginning of an illustrious career which saw a partnership blossom with actor-producer Waheed Murad, writer Masroor Anwar and music director Sohail Rana.

The combination went on to produce hits such as ‘Arman’, ‘Ehsan’ and ‘Doraha’, virtually resurrecting the film industry in the port city known for its illustrious cinema houses.

Veteran playwright and scriptwriter Haseena Moin praised the pioneering and untiring efforts of the director to boost the film industry.

Even though the film firmly stationed Murad – for whom it was his first movie as a lead actor – as the eponymous ‘Chocolate Hero’ – it launched Malik into a whole other galaxy of stars – better known as Lahore then.

Malik his stable of actors in the Walled City now included names such as Nadeem, Shabnam and later Barbara Sharif.

In a long career spanning over 30 years, Malik only made a handful of films, knowing firmly that less was more.

His craft though, spoke volumes more, earning him the President’s Pride of Performance award for his directorial contributions.



A journey which started by the sea, came to a close by the Rawal Lake in Islamabad where he traded in the film reels for television cameras – producing drama serials in what was the new frontier for entertainment in Pakistan.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 11^th, 2017.