Nanha Explained

Nanha
Native Name:ننھا
Birth Name:Rafi Khawar
Birth Date:4 August 1942
Death Place:Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan
Occupation:Actor, comedian
Years Active:1966  - 1986
Awards:3 Nigar Awards

Rafi Khawar (Punjabi, Urdu: رفیع خاور) (4 August 1942  - 2 June 1986), popularly known as Nanha (Urdu: ننھا), was a Pakistani actor and comedian. He started his film career in 1966 and earned several awards including 3 Nigar awards.[1]

Career

His first Urdu language film was Watan Ka Sipahi, released in 1966.[1] Nanha got a breakthrough from film Noukar in 1976. He played the lead role in film Tehka Pehlwan in 1979, and in the same year his film Dubai Chalo was a super hit at the box office. His pairing with fellow comedian Ali Ejaz was popular since film Insaniyat (1967 film). Ali Ejaz and Nanha, as popular pair of comedians, were seen together in more than 50 films.

He was regarded as an exceptional comedy talent and for many years was the star of the widely popular Pakistan Television Corporation's TV show Alif Noon that ran for three television seasons during the early 1980s. He was a familiar face, well-known and loved by all. Nanha acted in Alif Noon with his fellow comedian Kamal Ahmed Rizvi better known as Allan in the TV show.

A supporting actress and a then popular film dancer named Nazli usually appeared with Nanha as his love interest in those movies. They were also often seen together in public and became romantically involved in real life. Nanha's success in films and celebrity status was at an all-time high. So money was never an issue with Nanha during his love affair with Nazli. He even pressured his film producers to cast Nazli with him in many films and the pair became inseparable in the early 1980s. This was not to last after Nanha's films started to flop and he fell on hard times financially. Then Nazli also started to lose interest in him.

Death

Certain mysterious circumstances reportedly and allegedly drove Nanha to commit suicide by shooting himself with a shotgun on 2 June 1986. His final resting place is in a cemetery located in Karim Block, Allama Iqbal Town, Lahore, Pakistan.[2]

Filmography

YearFilmRoleNote
1970Afsana
Love in Jungle
1973Khushia
Jaal
Farz
1974Tum salamat raho
1974Khatarnak
1976Naukar
1976Hukam Da Ghulam
1977Naya Suraj
1977Sargent
1978Awaz
1979Dubai Chalo
1979Behan Bhai
1979Waaday Ki Zanjeer
1979Aurat Raj
1980Nahin Abhi Nahin
1980Sohra Te Jawai[3]
1980Aap Ki Khatir
1981Athra Puttar
1981Sala Sahib
1981Jeedar
1981Sher Khan
1982Dostana
Naukar Te Malik
Ik Doli
Aahat
Aangan
1983Sona Chandi
1984Judai
1984Sholay
1984Kamyabi
1984Doorian
1984Sajawal Daku
1985Ghulami
1985Choorian
1986Qaidi
1986Malanga
1986Mela
1987Disco Dancer
1987Gernail Singh

Awards

YearAwardGroupFilmResult
1977Nigar AwardBest ComedianBharosa[4]
1978Nigar AwardBest ComedianPlayboy
1983Nigar AwardBest ComedianLove Story

See also

Notes and References

  1. http://www.samaa.tv/entertainment/2015/06/film-tv-actor-rafi-khawar-remembered-on-his-death-anniversary/ Death anniversary of film, TV actor Rafi Khawar (Nanha) today
  2. Web site: The dark side of Lollywood (profile of Nanha or Rafi Khawar). M. Saeed Awan. Dawn (newspaper). 26 October 2014. 1 February 2022.
  3. Web site: Filmography of Nanha. 13 January 2016. 10 July 2018. Complete Index To World Film (CITWF) website. 1 February 2022. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20180710132618/http://www.citwf.com/person314039.htm.
  4. Web site: Pakistan's "Oscars"; The Nigar Awards (1957 - 2002) . Swami Ji . The Hot Spot Film Reviews website . 1 February 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20150722111654/https://www.desimoviesreviews.com/index.php/2017/11/24/pakistans-oscars-nigar-awards . 22 July 2015 . dead.