Mohammad Ali was a well-known Pakistani actor who was often referred to as the “Emperor of Emotions” or “Shahenshah-e-Jazbaat.” He appeared in more than 250 Pakistani films during the course of his lengthy and fruitful acting career, becoming known as a legendary and versatile performer. He was born in Rampur, a district in the northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, in British India to a housewife mother and an Islamic scholar father. After Pakistan gained its independence, the family relocated to Hyderabad, Pakistan, before relocating to Rohtak, Haryana. Soon after, they relocated permanently to Multan, where Mohammad began his career in show business. Because his older brother was already employed in the entertainment business, Mohammad started out as a radio host before moving on to the film sector. In the 1962 art film “Chiragh Jalta Raha,” he made his acting debut. The movie went on to celebrate its silver anniversary in Pakistani cinemas and assisted Mohammad in building a strong basis for a prosperous career. His debut role as the principal actor was in the 1963 movie “Shararat.” After thereafter, he appeared in more than 250 movies up to the late 1990s. He first met renowned Pakistani actor Zeba in 1966, and the two soon fell in love and wed. He stayed with her till his passing in 2006.
Early Childhood & Life
On April 19, 1931, in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh’s Rampur district, Muhammad Ali was born. Maulana Syed Murshid Ali, his father, was a renowned Islamic scholar from the area. His mother ran the household. His father was a deeply devout, pious man who faithfully followed Islamic law. As far as Mohammad’s plans to work in the entertainment industry were concerned, this caused a small problem.
With one older brother and two older sisters, Mohammed grew up. Due to the liberation movement in many sections of the country, India was experiencing civil upheaval around the time of his birth. The family relocated to Rohtak, a district in the northern Indian state of Haryana, shortly after Mohammad was born, where he finished his early education.
The family relocated to the predominantly Muslim city of Hyderabad in Sindh, which is now a part of Pakistan, when the calls for a separate Muslim homeland intensified, further destabilizing the nation. The family relocated to Multan in the Pakistani province of Punjab following the official partition of India in 1947. Mohammad attended the “Millat High School” there to complete his high school career.
Because of his older brother, Irshad, who was a well-known theatrical artist, he had a lifelong passion in drama. Mohammad completed his intermediate education at the “Government Emerson College” before traveling to Hyderabad to complete his undergraduate studies at the “City College.” He continued to put more of an emphasis on his aspirations to work in the entertainment industry, and in his last year of college, he began working for “Radio Pakistan Hyderabad.”
Mohammad Ali’s Career
The Pakistani film industry was barely moving at all in the early 1950s. Being of Indian descent, the directors used nearly the same methods as the Indian directors who were bringing Hindi cinema to its “Golden Age.” Mohammad was working in Hyderabad but still desired to pursue a career in cinema. Soon after arriving in Karachi, Sindh, he began working at a radio station before making his cinematic debut in the early 1960s.
In the 1962 movie “Chiragh Jalta Raha,” Mohammed received his first acting job. It had its world premiere on March 9 at Karachi’s “Nishant Cinema,” arguably the most anticipated Pakistani movie of the time. Fatima Ali Jinnah, the sister of Muhammad Ali Jinnah, who campaigned to establish an independent Islamic state, attended the film’s premiere.
The movie was a huge hit and quickly celebrated its silver anniversary after playing nonstop for 25 weeks. It was well-received by critics and audiences alike and won a “Silver Screen” award. “Daal Mein Kala” and “Bahadur,” two other movies starring Mohammad, were released that year.
He portrayed the villain in both movies, which was a bold move at the time because most actors wanted to play the main character. His willingness to take chances thrust him into the spotlight, and he quickly got his big break as the main man.
Mohammad made his acting debut as the main “hero” in the 1963 movie Sharrat. It was swiftly followed by the suspenseful movie Mr. X. He appeared in nearly six suspense thrillers that same year, including “Qatal ke Baad,” “Khandan,” “Safaid Khoon,” and “Bees Din.” Mohammad performed a dual part in “Khandan” for the first time, and the movie went on to become a big hit, spending a total of 25 weeks in theaters.
He began 1964 with the socially conscious movie “Khamosh Raho,” in which he played a minor role. Another silver jubilee smash, Mohammad was honored with a “Nigar Award” for his work in the movie. The next year, he starred in “Head Constable,” another silver jubilee movie. In his subsequent movie, “Aurat ka Pyar,” Mohammad once more played a villain.
Mohammad enjoyed a number of silver jubilee successes during the following several years, including “Riwaaj,” “Dil ke Tukrey,” “Shabnam,” and “Hazar Dastaan.” Kaneez, a musical family drama, was Mohammad’s first golden jubilee movie of his career, released in 1965. Mohammad appeared in a number of golden jubilee movies from the middle of the 1960s until the end of the decade, including “Aina,” “Aag,” “Mehal,” and “Saiqa.”
With the help of his wife, the actor Zeba, Mohammad soon established his own production company and worked on a number of silver jubilee movies. He received several “Nigar Awards” for “Best Actor” for roles in movies including “Aag ka Darya,” “Saiqa,” and “Insaan aur Aadmi.”
Mohammad appeared in a number of big-budget films in the 1970s, including Sabbaq, Aas, Samaj, Gharana, and the Pakistani-German co-production Tiger Gang. He received a second “Nigar Award” for “Best Actor” in “Aina aur Soorat.”
From the middle of the 1970s to the end of the decade, he became the biggest star in Pakistani cinema, with nearly every movie becoming a platinum or gold jubilee success. Many of his movies from that era, including “Intekhab” and “Bharosa,” went on to earn platinum jubilee certifications and enjoyed 75-week runs in theaters.
Mohammad slowed down and concentrated on making high-caliber movies in the 1980s, like “Jaaney Anjaaney” and “Teri Baahon Mein.” He had a minor part in the 1989 Manoj Kumar-helmed Indian Hindi movie “Clerk.” He only worked on Pashto movies during the last several years of his career, and his final movie, “Dum Mast Qalandar,” in 1995, featured him in a cameo character.
Ali’s Individual Life
During the making of his debut movie, “Chiragh Jalta Raha,” which was also Zeba’s debut movie, Mohammad Ali got to know Pakistani actor Zeba. The pair wed in 1966 while filming “Tum Mile Pyar Mila,” and they remained together till Mohammad’s death in 2006.
Despite not having any children of their own, the couple raised Samina, Zeba’s daughter from a previous union. After being adopted by Mohammad, she was given the name Samina Ali.
Throughout their careers, Mohammad and his wife maintained tight ties with every government in Pakistan. They collaborated on a few charitable endeavors as well. The “Ali-Zeb Foundation,” their charitable organization, assisted the terminally ill.
Mohammad Ali passed away in Lahore on March 19, 2006, from a heart attack. According to a CNN poll, he is one of the top 25 Asian actors of all time.
Estimated Net Worth
American boxer Muhammad Ali was retired and had a $50 million fortune at the time of his passing. Muhammad was one of the world’s highest-paid athletes in his prime. At the age of 74, he passed away on June 4, 2016.