Financial constraints: Artist puts 50 awards on sale

No matter how glorious his past was, Hindko drama artist Salahuddin struggles to make living and pay medical bills.

PESHAWAR:

After ruling millions of hearts, Hindko drama artist Salahuddin is now selling his awards to make ends meet.

Suffering from diabetes and heart problems, this legendary artist resides in a congested rented house in Gunj, Peshawar with his wife and four daughters.

No matter how glorious his past was, presently he struggles to make a living and pay his medical bills.

On Friday morning, Salahuddin brought more than 50 of his awards to a market for sale.

From the prestigious ‘presidential award’ to many other national awards, the 61-year-old artist has seen a glorious carrier as a drama artist.

He was the first Hindko artist to win the presidential award, which was conferred on him by former president Pervez Musharraf in 2001.

He started his career as a child artist on Pakistan Television (PTV) when he debuted with a drama titled ‘Faraib’ in 1968. In 1977, he came to Peshawar and acted in famous Hindko and Urdu dramas such as, Kunch, Mausam, Mati Aur Mashkeeza and Lok Virsa.

Now he works as a street vendor and sells clothes in Kareem Pura, Chawk Shadi Peer, while his daughters study at government schools in Peshawar.

“I have worked in more than 2,500 Hindko and Pashto TV radio dramas. Most of these programmes were telecasted and broadcasted from PTV and Radio Pakistan,” Salahuddin told The Express Tribune, adding that he lives in a rented house at Rs10,000 per month.

He has also starred in many comedy series, including the famous ‘Dek da janda ray jambray dek da janda ray.’ The programme was aired by PTV Peshawar for more than a year.

The actor has also authored the first book ever written on Hindko dramas. The book titled ‘Lathi be Awaz’ was published in 2009. His acclaimed drama ‘Qehwa Khana’ on Radio Pakistan became a mark for the traditions of Peshawar.

Besides being an actor he was also an accomplished businessman, working in a customs clearance agency in Jinnah Market. “Due to the security situation in Peshawar, I had to shut my business and only depend on acting to make a living. However, because of age and medical problems, I have been unemployed for the past one year.”

Published in The Express Tribune, September 2^nd, 2012.