Anwar Maqsood

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Anwar Maqsood
انور مقصود

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Anwar Maqsood, ca. 2020.jpg
Maqsood during the interview by BBC
Native name
انور مقصود حمیدی
BornAnwar Maqsood Hameedi
(1939-09-07) 7 September 1939 (age 85)
Hyderabad, Hyderabad State, British India
Occupation Playwright
Lyricist
Satirist
Television host
Painter
NationalityPakistani
Subject Entertainment
Notable awards Hilal-e-Imtiaz (Crescent of Excellence) in 2013
Pride of Performance in 1994
SpouseImrana Maqsood
Children Bilal Maqsood (son)
Arjumand Ahmed (daughter)
Relatives Zubaida Tariq (sister)
Fatima Surayya Bajia (sister)
Zehra Nigah (sister)
Sarah Naqvi (sister)

Anwar Maqsood Hameedi [a] (born 7 September 1939) is a Pakistani scriptwriter, television presenter, satirist, humorist, painter and infrequent actor. He is well known for his drama write-ups for PTV in the late 1970s and 1980s. [1]

Contents

Early life and family

Anwar Maqsood was born on 7 September 1939 in Hyderabad State. He studied at the Gulbarga Trust School in Aurangabad. His large family migrated to Karachi in September 1948, after the creation of Pakistan in 1947. His maternal grandfather was a commissioner and a writer, a disciple of Urdu poet Daagh Dehlvi, and the only items the family took with them when moving to Karachi was his collection of 20,000 books. [2] His childhood years were spent in PIB Colony, Karachi with his siblings and family. [3]

Maqsood belongs to a prominent family of Pakistan and some of his siblings are well known in their own right; his sister, Fatima Surayya Bajia was a well-known writer in Pakistan and South Asia whose marriage ended early in divorce. She then chose to play a key role in the upbringing of her nine young brothers and sisters and became a maternal figure to them. Another sister Zehra Nigah, is a relatively well-known poet. One of his brothers, Ahmed Maqsood, is a former Chief Secretary Sindh; and his sister Zubaida Tariq was a cooking expert and chef. His wife, Imrana Maqsood, is a known novelist and his son, Bilal Maqsood is a rock artist, lead guitarist and vocalist of former rock band Strings . He has one daughter. [3] [1] A book on the life and work of Anwar Maqsood titled Uljhey Suljhey Anwar (الجھے سلجھے انور) was written by his wife, Imrana Maqsood.

Anwar Maqsood received his education in Pakistan. He completed his matriculation from St. Patrick's High School, Karachi. He then went on to study at the Sindh Muslim Government Law College, also in Karachi. He graduated with a degree in Law and began his career as a lawyer. However, he soon realized that his true passion was in the field of painting, creative writing and entertainment, and he transitioned into the field of scriptwriting, television hosting, and comedy. Following his graduation, he was for some time the editor of the magazine Hurriyat but had to leave as a result of an editorial critical of General Zia-ul-Haq. [2]

Career

Painting

Before turning to writing/satire, Anwar Maqsood was a painter, grabbing the attention of senior artists such as Sadequain and Shakir Ali, but later concentrated on writing following the footsteps of his sisters. [2] His paintings have been exhibited. [4]

Music

Anwar Maqsood’s first job was with EMI Pakistan, and he met artists such as Ghulam Farid Sabri and Fareeda Khanum. He has his own library of classical music containing hundreds of hours of recordings. [2] He also wrote lyrics for the band Strings.

Television

Anwar Maqsood has been associated for many years with PTV where he served as a television presenter for a variety of television programs including Studio Dhai and then Studio Ponay Teen along with Show Sha and various other shows. [3]

Works

Maqsood is often regarded as one of the leading Pakistani satirists/writers as well as highly respected in social and showbiz industry of Pakistan. Anwar Maqsood is often given credit for encouraging talented television actors like Bushra Ansari and Moin Akhter. [3] He wrote various successful plays for the television industry, including: [5] [6]

NetworkNameGenreTypeYear
Pakistan Television Corporation Aik Sachi ChukComedyLong play
Aik Thi SafiaLong play
AmmaLong play
Aangan Terha Comedy Drama serial
Chun ChunaoComedyDrama serial
Dour-e-Junoon (Drama 83)Long play
Fifty Fifty Comedy Sketch comedy
Fanooni LatifeyComedyLong play
Half PlateComedyLong play
Iss Tarah To Hota HaiComedyDrama serial
Karim Sahab Ka Ghar (Sachi Kahaniyan)ComedyLong play
Nasri GaneyComedyLong play
Show TimeComedy Stage show
Show ShaComedyStage show
Silver JubileeStage show
Studio DhaaiStage show
Studio Ponay TeenComedyStage show
TalaashDrama serial
Zia Mohi-ud-Din Show [3] ComedyStage show1969–1973
Yeh Kahan Ki Dosti HaiLong play1988
Network Television Marketing Studio Chaar BeesComedy
Sitara Aur Mehrunissa RomanceDrama serial
Nadan NadiaComedyDrama serial
Colony 52Drama serial
ARY Digital Network Loose Talk Comedy Talk show
Aik Naya Mashaira [7] ComedyTelefilm
Majoo Mian
Express Entertainment Hum Pe Jo Guzarti Hai
Other Pawnay 14 August Satire One-act play 2012
Sawa 14 August SatireOne-act play2013
Anwar Maqsood ka DharnaSatirePlay2014
SiachenSatirePlay2015
Saadhay 14 AugustSatirePlay2022

He also wrote the lyrics of Nestlé Nido Young Stars theme, "Meri Pyari Ammi Jaan" (میری امی میری جان; English: My Dear Mother).

Awards

See also

Notes

  1. ↑ Urdu: انور مقصود حمیدی

References

  1. 1 2 "Profile: Witticism, criticism". Dawn . 3 December 2011. Retrieved 1 August 2022.
  2. 1 2 3 4 Khan, Mariam (22 September 2017). "Anwar Maqsood - Mastering Strokes Through Pen & Paper". Mag The Weekly. Archived from the original on 17 August 2025.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Rehman, Maliha (15 May 2011). "Cultural Dynasty: The Maqsood family". The News International . Archived from the original on 27 April 2012. Retrieved 5 February 2019.
  4. ↑ Peerzada, Salman (18 October 2017). "Anwar Maqsood exhibits his paintings in Karachi". Dawn News .
  5. ↑ Rao, Maliha S (25 October 2013). "Sawa 14 August – bringing history to the theater". Dawn . Retrieved 5 February 2019.
  6. ↑ "Anwar Maqsood is a bigger and better writer than Woody Allen: Sajid Hasan". The Express Tribune (newspaper). 25 October 2017. Retrieved 9 February 2019.
  7. ↑ ARY Digital HD (21 January 2022). Aik Naya Mashaira | Shayari Competition | Moin Akhter | Anwar Maqsood . Retrieved 27 February 2025– via YouTube.
  8. ↑ "Civilian awards: Presidency issues list of 192 recipients". The Express Tribune . 13 August 2012. Retrieved 1 August 2022.
  9. ↑ "PTV World Awards", PTV (News), 3 April 2021, archived from the original on 18 January 2022, retrieved 22 February 2022
  10. ↑ "HUM TV Awards 2015: 'Sadqay Tumhare' a clear winner". Dawn . 10 April 2015. Retrieved 1 August 2022.
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