Asif Khan

Asif Khan

Hero and Villain

First film: Darra Khaibar (Pashto - 1971)

Asif Ali Khan was born in village Badrashi [also known as Badrakho] in 1947. The village is located about 10 km to the southeast of Nowshera [also known as Naokhaar]. He obtained in early education in his hometown and attended a college in Rawalpindi, earning a BA degree. In 1964 he joined Pakistan Army but did not like the job and resigned in 1965. Asif Ali Khan was married in 1966. Of his six children, only Arbaaz Khan chose to adopt the same profession as his father. Early on Asif had developed keen interest in the film industry. He would take regular visits to the industry in Lahore and join film crews on film shootings in Murree, Swat and a host of other locations. Asif Ali Khan had great admiration for Urdu actor Muhammad Ali; thus he developed close ties with him. It was Muhammad Ali that encouraged and facilitated Asif Ali Khan's entry into the film industry. Asif Ali Khan's first movie was a Pashto film Darra Khybar, produced in 1971. The film was an overnight success, making Asif Khan a household name. Darra Khybar turned out to be a milestone for many other Pashto artists as well. For instance, Gulnar Begum, Khyal Muhammad, and Kishwar Sultan recorded their first film song in this movie. Asif Ali Khan movie career has just been splendid. So far he has worked in about 375 movies that were produced in Urdu, Pashto or Punjabi. He has played diverse roles both as a hero and a villain. Indeed, Asif Ali Khan is a great Pukhtun artist -- whether it was his Pashto, Urdu or a Punjabi movie and regardless whether he played a hero or villain, Asif Ali Khan never disappointed his fans. His performance was always superb. When I recollect my impressions of Asif Ali Khan's movie career, one thing comes to my mind: Asif Khan is not only great but a decent artist. Probably decency is the only virtue that rare in film industry in general and Pashto movies in particular. Asif Ali Khan has never resorted to sub-standard behavior, and has always avoided roles that involved nudity, vulgarity, or other despicable behavior. There are two reasons that explain Asif Ali Khan's decent behavior: the great influence of core Pukhun values and his mentor Muhammad Ali who never resorted to base behavior either to survive in the film industry.

I think his first film was Shamim Aara/Waheed Murad Salgirah when his name was Imran... he played a villian role..