Sudhir

Sudhir was a legendary film hero in both Urdu and Punjabi films. He had a long film career of 40 years. His first released film Farz (1947) was a Lahore based pre-partition Hindi/Urdu film, and his first heroine was Ragni.

In Pakistan, he was hero of the third released film Hichkolay in 1949. He got breakthrough from Pakistan's first classic melodious Urdu film Dupatta (1952), and got huge success as action hero from film Baghi in 1956. His last film was a Pashto film Pat Khamar in 1989.

Sudhir was a highly respected film personality. He was known as Lala Sudhir - Lala means Uncle in Pashto language and Elder Brother in Punjabi language. He was Pashton origin but he spent all his life in Lahore. He had only a single Pashto film in his career and that was actually a Punjabi film Puttar da Pyar (1972) which was released in Pashto version.

Sudhir 's real name was Shah Zaman Khan Afridi. He was born on January 25, 1921 and died on January 19, 1997 in Lahore. Sudhir was married thrice, first in his own family, second was actress Shammi and the third actress Zeba for a while. Sudhir's son from his first wife, Shah Zaman (film name) was seen in film Dushman ki Talash (1978).

Some of Sudhir's amazing film records are as below:

• Sudhir was the most successful film hero on box office in the first two decades in Pakistani film history.
• Sudhir's film Sassi (1954) was first ever Golden jubilee (50 weeks) super hit Urdu film.
• Sudhir became Pakistan's first action hero from film Baghi (1956). This film was the first ever Pakistani film, which was released in China.
• Sudhir's Punjabi film Dulla Bhatti (1956) was first blockbuster film in Pakistan. This film earned so much money for its producer Agha G.A. Gul, that he was able to built the most modern film Studio in Pakistan, Evernew Studio, Multan Road Lahore.

• Sudhir's Punjabi film Yakkay Wali (1957) was Pakistan's first ever Golden jubilee Punjabi film and the second blockbuster film. Pakistan's largest film studio, Bari Studio on Multan Road Lahore was built by the profit of this film. The film expenditures were about one lakh Rupees (100,000) but the profit was more than 45 lakhs (4,5million) Rupees, which is equal to more than 1.500.000.000 (1,5 billion ruppes) today. Still an unbroken film business record in Pakistan..!!!
• Sudhir was main hero in classic Punjabi film Kartar Singh (1959) which was screened on Indian Punjab's cinemas in more than three years.
• Sudhir fought a real battle with a tiger in his own produced film Sahil in 1960.
• Sudhir's films Ajab Khan (1961) and Farangi (1964) were two all time best and most successful films on freedom struggle against British Empire.
• Sudhir was in the title role in Pakistan's first Platinum jubilee (75 weeks) film Jeedar (1965). This film celebrated solo golden jubilee on its main cinema, Rivoli, Lahore.
• Sudhir was a dominating film hero and other big film heroes like Darpan, Akmal, Ejaz, Habib, Mohammad Ali, Waheed Murad, Shahid, Yousuf Khan and Sultan Rahi appeared in side roles with him.
• Sudhir had an amazing record with Sabiha Khanum. They were seen as typical hero-heroine, wife-husband, daughter-father, mother-son, sister-brother and rivals..!
• Sudhir was a versatile hero, despite being an action hero. He was Hatim Tai in Hatim (1956), Prince Saleem in classic film Annar Kali (1958), Mirza Jatt in Mirza Sahiban (1956), Mirza Ghalib in film Ghalib (1961) etc..
• Sudhir was side hero with his own son in his own produced film Dushman ki Talash (1978).