Rauf Khalid

Abdul Rauf Khalid was a Pakistani actor, director, producer, writer and painter. He contributed extensively to the entertainment industry through various creative mediums.

Early life and education

Abdul Rauf Khalid was born on 19 December 1957 in Mardan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. While he was still a student at college, he began writing for Radio Pakistan. His radio play Rozgaar became a popular success and it was later adapted for television. He also wrote short stories that received recognition, such as Neeli Gurya. After he attended Islamia College University in Peshawar, he served as a bureaucrat and serviceman. This period of his life preceded his entry into the entertainment industry.

Career

In 1989, Khalid wrote and partially directed Madaar, which was a seven-episode serial that exposed drug trafficking. This production telecast from the Pakistan Television Corporation (PTV) Quetta Center and it is considered PTV's first thriller. He directed the 52-episode comedy series Guest House in 1991. In 1995, he directed Angar Wadi, a 15-episode serial based on the Kashmir conflict. For this project, he worked as an actor, producer and writer.

Khalid made Laag in 1998. This 27-episode serial focused on Kashmir and he served as the writer, director, producer and actor. In 2003, he released his debut movie titled Laaj, which was a period film set during the British Raj. Although the film reportedly did poorly at the box office, it earned significant industry accolades. He later made the television serial Mishaal in 2008. This production served as a project for which he acted as writer, director and producer.

His artistic talents extended to visual arts. His paintings have been exhibited in the World Fine Art Gallery in New York City and the Omma Art Gallery in Crete, Greece. He also focused on cultural education through various leadership roles. In 2007, he established a College of TV and Film Direction in Lok Virsa, Shakarparian, Islamabad. He served as the chairman of the National Institute of Cultural Studies in Islamabad.

Personal life

Rauf Khalid died on 24 November 2011 at the age of 53. A traffic accident near Sheikhupura, Punjab caused his death as he traveled from Lahore to Islamabad via the M-2 motorway. He is survived by his wife, senator Rubina Khalid, along with two sons and a daughter. His funeral prayer was offered in Peshawar, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

In March 2012, Lok Virsa organized an event to pay tribute to him. This gathering included Minister for Communications Arbab Alamgir Khan and senators Saeeda Iqbal and Saifullah Bangash.

Awards and recognition

The film Laaj won 12 Bolan Awards and 14 Graduate Awards. It also secured 4 National Film Awards and the Lux Style Awards. He was also awarded the Pride of Performance.