Santosh Kumar (actor)


Syed Musa Abbas Raza, better known as Santosh Kumar, was a famous Pakistani film actor of 1950s and 1960s era. He belonged to a well-educated Urdu-speaking family from Lahore, British India. His brother Darpan was also a renowned film actor during the same period, while his other brother S.Suleiman was a film director.

Early life and career

Santosh Kumar's birth name was Syed Musa Raza. He was born in 1925 in Lahore, British India. However, he hailed from a Shia family of Uttar Pradesh, India. He graduated from Osmania University, Hyderabad, where he passed the Indian Civil Service examination with high marks.
After the independence of Pakistan in 1947, Santosh Kumar migrated to Lahore, Pakistan with his family.
Owing to his education and awareness, Santosh Kumar was always designated to lead the entourage to represent Pakistan in meetings held abroad, and because of this became known as the foreign minister of the Pakistani film industry. This was revealed by him in one of his interviews broadcast by the Radio Pakistan in the mid sixties.
Initially, he was married to Jameela Begum, but subsequently married actress Sabiha Khanum. The first Nigar Award for best actor in the history of Nigar Awards was presented to him in film Waada . Then he won the Best Actor Nigar Awards for 1962 and 1963. Finally he was awarded Sitara-i-Imtiaz Award by the President of Pakistan in 2010 long after his death. Shaam Dhalay is the only movie he produced, directed and played the lead role in. He died on 11 June 1982.
Santosh Kumar was Pakistan's superstar film hero, along with Sudhir, but he was the first-ever top romantic hero. His first film was Ahensa in 1947 in India. In Pakistan, his first film was Beli in 1950, and in the same year he became film hero of the first-ever Pakistani silver jubilee Urdu film Do aansoo. He was married to Sabiha Khanum.

Filmography-his major films

  1. 1949 Meri Kahani Munawwar Sultana, Surender, Santosh Kumar
  2. 1950 Beli Shahina, Santosh Kumar, Sabiha Khanum, M. Ismail
  3. 1950 Do Aansoo Sabiha Khanum, Santosh, Shamim, M. Ajmal, Allauddin
  4. 1950 Shammi Shammi, Santosh Kumar, Ajmal, Shola, Ghulam Mohammad
  5. 1950 Gabhroo Shamim, Santosh Kumar, Ajmal, Allauddin
  6. 1951 Akeli Ragni, Santosh Kumar, Neena, Nazar, Charlie
  7. 1951 Chann way Noor Jehan, Santosh Kumar, Jahangir, Yasmin, Salim Raza
  8. 1953 Ghulam Sabiha Khanum, Santosh Kumar, Shammi, Ragni
  9. 1953 Awaaz Gulshan, Santosh Kumar, Majeed, Shahnawaz
  10. 1953 Sheri Babu Swaran Lata, Santosh Kumar, Nazar, Inayat Hussain Bhatti, Allauddin
  11. 1953 Mehbooba Shammi, Santosh Kumar, Asha Posley, M. Ismael
  12. 1953 Gulnaar Noor Jehan, Santosh Kumar, Babbo, Zarif, Shahnawaz
  13. 1953 Aaghosh Sabiha Khanum, Santosh Kumar, M. Ismael
  14. 1954 Raat ki Baat Sabiha Khanum, Santosh Kumar, Gulshan Ara, Allauddin
  15. 1955 Qatil Sabiha Khanum, Santosh, Musarrat Nazir, Aslam Pervaiz
  16. 1955 Pattan Musarrat Nazir, Santosh Kumar, Asha Posley, Nazar, Allauddin
  17. 1955 Nazrana Ragni, Santosh Kumar, Zeenat, Nazar, Azad
  18. 1955 Inteqam Sabiha Khanum, Santosh Kumar, Shaheena, M. Ismael
  19. 1956 Hameeda Sabiha Khanum, Santosh Kumar, Ejaz Durrani, Shola, Zeenat, Nazir
  20. 1956 Lakht-e-Jiggar Noor Jehan, Santosh, Yasmin, Habib
  21. 1956 Qismat Musarrat Nazir, Santosh Kumar, Yasmin, Majeed
Santosh Kumar died on 11 June 1982 at age 56.

Awards and recognition