# Irfan Khoosat

Irfan Khoosat (Punjabi, Urdu: عرفان کھوسٹ) (born 9 June 1952) is a Pakistani actor, director, producer and comedian.
He is famous for his comic role as Hawaldar Karamdad in the TV series Andhera Ujala (1984–1985) in which he portrayed a simpleton and a blabbermouth character of a low-ranked policeman.
He is also well-known as a stage comedian.

## Early and personal life

Irfan Khoosat was born in Okara, Punjab.
His father Sultan Khoosat, who died when Irfan was nine, was a painter, a former employee of Radio Pakistan and himself an actor and comedian. His maternal grandfather Mughal Basheer was also an actor, appearing in the 1962 Urdu-language film Chiragh Jalta Raha.
He has been married three times and has nine children, including notable film and TV director and actor Sarmad Khoosat and Kanwal Khoosat, who's also a director, screenwriter and actress.

## Early career

Irfan Khoosat got his first breakthrough as a child artist with Radio Pakistan, when he replaced an actor for the show Ultay Pultay.

## Career
### Actor

Irfan Khoosat began his acting career with the Punjabi-language movie Kochwan in 1969 and even if he's better known for his work on television he would eventually appear in more than 100 films, with 66 in Punjabi, 39 in Urdu and a single movie in Pashto, Banke Lalya which released in 2013.

### Director

Irfan Khoosat has directed the 1985 Punjabi-language film Direct Hawaldar, also acting in it, based on his famous role from Andhera Ujala.
He has also directed a television serial, Karam Daad Aur Jaffer Hussain, a spin-off of Andhera Ujala.
He has directed plays as well, including Tokray Thallay, which was staged at Lahore's Alhamra Arts Council in 2010.

### Producer

Irfan Khoosat has produced numerous television serials, including Aao Kahani Buntay Hain (2011), directed by his daughter Kanwal, but concentrating mainly on comedy dramas such as Do Aur Do Chaar (2002) and Shashlik Xtra Hott (2011), both written and directed by his son Sarmad.
Telefilms that he produced include Tamasha Ghar (2003), directed by Sarmad, and Hernaam Kaur (2003), written and directed by Sarmad, an adaptation of a Manto short story about the partition.

## Selected filmography
### Films

| Year | Title | Language |
| 1976 | Zaib-un-Nisa | Urdu |
| 1977 | Jabroo | Punjabi |
| 1979 | General Bakht Khan | Urdu |
| 1981 | Khan-e-Azam | Punjabi |
| 1982 | Aangan | Urdu |
| 1985 | Hum Say Hay Zamana | Urdu |
| 1985 | Direct Hawaldar | Urdu |
| 1986 | Nazdeekiyan | Urdu |
| 1986 | Joora | Punjabi |
| 1991 | Watan Kay Rakhwalay | Urdu/Punjabi |
| 1997 | Deewane Tere Pyar Ke | Urdu |
| 1998 | Dupatta Jal Raha Hai | Urdu |
| 1998 | Choorian | Punjabi |
| 2000 | Tere Pyar Mein | Urdu |
| 2000 | Mehndi Waley Hath | Punjabi |
| 2003 | Qayamat – A Love Triangle In Afghanistan | Urdu |
| 2005 | Naag aur Nagin | Urdu |
| 2005 | Koi Tujh Sa Kahan | Urdu |
| 2006 | One Two Ka One | Urdu |
| 2007 | Jhoomar | Urdu |
| 2010 | Channa Sachi Muchi | Punjabi |
| 2011 | Bol | Urdu |
| 2012 | Shareeka | Punjabi |
| 2014 | The System | Urdu |
| 2015 | Dekh Magar Pyaar Say | Urdu |
| 2015 | Main Manto | Urdu |
| 2018 | Donkey King | Urdu |
| 2019 | Wrong No. 2 | Urdu |
| 2022 | Tere Bajre Di Rakhi | Punjabi |

### Television

| Year | Title | Role | Channel |
| 1975 | Such Gup | Politician | PTV |
| 1975 | Taal Matol | | PTV |
| 1983 | Samundar | | PTV |
| 1984 | Andhera Ujala | Havaldar Karam Dad | PTV |
| 1986 | Hazaron Raaste | Boota Khan | PTV |
| 1993 | Fareb | Najeebullah | PTV |
| 1997 | Ashiyana | Rehmat | PTV |
| 1999 | Aahlna | | PTV |
| 2001 | Shashlik | | PTV |
| 2008 | Kothi No. 156 | | Hum TV |
| 2010 | Rangeel Pur | | PTV Home |
| 2012 | Larka Karachi Ka Kuri Lahore Di | Tau Ji | Express Entertainment |
| 2012 | Ashk | Ramzan | Geo TV |
| 2012 | Quddusi Sahab Ki Bewah | Maulavi Saheb | ARY Digital |
| 2013 | Aunn Zara | Zara's grandfather | A-Plus TV |
| 2014 | Sadqay Tumhare | | Hum TV |
| 2015 | Ishq Ibadat | | Hum TV |
| 2015 | Kaisay Tum Se Kahoon | Anamta's father | Hum TV |
| 2015 | Preet Na Kariyo Koi | Fayyaz | Hum TV |
| 2015 | Surkh Jorra | Sarmad | Hum Sitaray |
| 2015 | Pardes | Kabeer | Hum Sitaray |
| 2016 | Khuda Aur Muhabbat (season 2) | Dilawar | Geo Entertainment |
| 2017 | Sammi | Riaz | Hum TV |
| 2017 | Meherbaan | Dua's father | A-Plus TV |
| 2017 | Baaghi | Fauzia's father | Urdu 1 |
| 2017 | Shayad | Dada | Geo TV |
| 2018 | Noor ul Ain | Qasim | ARY Digital |
| 2018 | Aakhri Station | Train ticket checker | ARY Digital |
| 2018 | De Ijazat | Dua's father | Hum TV |
| 2018 | Belapur Ki Dayan | Rehmat | Hum TV |
| 2018 | Chakkar | Sajad | BOL Entertainment |
| 2018 | Kabhi Band Kabhi Baja | | Express Entertainment |
| 2019 | Anaa | Daneen's grandfather | Hum TV |
| 2019 | Janbaaz | Havaldar Karam Dad | Express Entertainment |
| 2020 | Dushman e Jaan | Ahsan | ARY Digital |
| 2022 | Mrs and Mr Shameem | Umaina's father | ZEE5 |

## Awards and recognition

He won a Nigar Award for his comic role in the 1985 film Hum Se Hai Zamana.