# Rahat Kazmi

Rahat Kazmi (Urdu: راحت کاظمی) is a Pakistani actor, screenwriter, TV news presenter anchorman, and an academician. He has worked in several TV serials for PTV such as in 1967 with Mayaar, rose to prominence in 1974 with Qurbatain aur Faaslay (an adaptation of Turgenev's 1862 novel Fathers and Sons) and also starred in 1976 with Pakistan's first coloured and classical serial Parchaiyan. Later, he worked in PTV's many other TV dramas such as in 1980 with Teesra Kinara (that he himself wrote based on Ayn Rand's 1943 novel The Fountainhead), the same year with Ehsaas, and in 1987 with Dhoop Kinare.

## Early life and education

Rahat Kazmi was born in Shimla, on 30 June 1946. Rahat's father was a lawyer by profession, and he wanted his son to follow his footsteps. Rahat completed his high school education in Rawalpindi from Gordon College. He successfully completed and received his law degree (LLB) in Lahore. Additionally, Rahat received his master's degree in political science from Government College University, Lahore and a master's degree in English literature from Punjab University.

## Career

He worked for Pakistan Television Network and appeared in famous drama serials such as Qurbatein Aur Faslay, Teesra Kinara, Parchayian, Dhoop Kinaray, Raghon Mein Andhera, Ehsas, Zikar Hay Kayi Saal Ka, Nangay Paon, Saraab and others. He also teaches English Literature and Drama to A-level students at LAS, Karachi. Rahat Kazmi is also a director at the National Academy of Performing Arts. He has previously taught at Avicenna School and Hamdard University (Clifton Campus, Karachi) in 2001. Currently Rahat is working as an administrative director for L'ecole for Advanced Studies (LAS), an academic institute in Karachi.

## Personal life

Rahat married Sahira Kazmi in 1974 who herself is an accomplished actress in Pakistan and daughter of actress Mumtaz Qureshi (Taji) and her first husband, actor Shyam. They first met on the sets of PTV in 1971. They have a son Ali Kazmi and a daughter (Nida Kazmi). In year 2000 Nida worked in PTV serials such as Hawaa Ki Beti and Zaibunisa. Later she quit acting, while Ali Kazmi continued his acting career.

## Public image
### In India

Due to projects such as Dhoop Kinare, Rahat was popular in India as well, especially in northern India and in western India, the Indian public having access to his series through pirated videotape cassettes, and a 1988 India Today report said of Rahat that "his looks are a mix of Amitabh Bachchan and Rajendra Kumar, but close your eyes and he sounds uncannily like Dilip Kumar."

## Filmography
### Television series

| Year | Title | Role | Network |
| 1967 | Mayaar | Shakeel | PTV |
| 1968 | Koltar | Shahzad | PTV |
| 1969 | Auraq | Kaifi | PTV |
| 1970 | Rahat Kazmi Show | Himself | PTV |
| 1972 | Barzakh | Shahid | PTV |
| 1974 | Qurbatain Aur Faslay | Ghufran | PTV |
| 1975 | Sangsaar | Ahmer | PTV |
| 1976 | Parchaiyan | Adeel | PTV |
| 1978 | Koel | Harris | PTV |
| 1980 | Teesra Kinara | Ali | PTV |
| 1982 | Bazdeed | Nasir | PTV |
| 1982 | Saraab | Rao Mujahid Naseer | PTV |
| 1983 | Ragon Mein Andhera | Masood-Ur-Rehman | PTV |
| 1983 | Adhay Chehray | Saleem | PTV |
| 1983 | Pholan Wala Easta | Mansoor Ahmad | PTV |
| 1984 | Andhera Ujala | Asad-Ur-Rehman | PTV |
| 1984 | Anjanay Main | Jarjees | PTV |
| 1985 | Karawaan | Gul Muhammad Khan | PTV |
| 1987 | Ehsaas | Noman | PTV |
| 1987 | Dhoop Kinare | Ahmer Ansari | PTV |
| 1988 | Anarkali | Salim | PTV |
| 1988 | Yeh Kahan Ki Dosti Hai | Hasan | PTV |
| 1990 | Comedy Comedy | Himself | PTV |
| 1993 | Nangey Paon | Azeem | PTV |
| 1995 | Zikr Hai Kai Saal Ka | Sikandar | PTV |

### Film

| Year | Film | Language |
| 1976 | Aaj Aur Kal | Urdu |
| 1976 | Insaniyat | Urdu |
| 1978 | Mutthi Bhar Chawal | Urdu |
| 1978 | Mehman | Urdu |
| 1979 | Pakeeza | Urdu |
| 1980 | Aap Ki Khatir | Urdu |
| 1980 | Khandan | Urdu |
| 1980 | Saima | Urdu |
| 1980 | Suraj Bhi Tamashai | Urdu |
| 1980 | Aazmaish | Urdu |
| 1982 | Aas Paas | Urdu |
| 1982 | Jan-e-Mann | Urdu |
| 1987 | Ishtehari Mujrim | Pashto |
| 1991 | Qaher | Pashto |

### Theater

| Drama / Play | Year | Writer / Producer / Director |
| Goonge | 1967 | N/A |
| Koltar | N/A | N/A |
| Anarkali | N/A | Fatima Surayya Bajia |
| Auraaq | N/A | Fatima Surayya Bajia |
| Qurbatain Aur Faaslay | 1974 | Safdar Hashmi |
| Ghazanfar | N/A | N/A |
| Teesra Kinara | N/A | Rahat Kazmi (Writer), Shahzad Khalil (Director) |
| Dhoop Kinare | 1987 | Haseena Moin, Sahira Kazmi (Director) |
| Karavan | N/A | Iqbal Ansari |
| Nangey Paaon | N/A | Shahid Kazmi (Writer), Haider Imam Rizvi (Director) |
| Ragoan Mein Andhera | N/A | Yunus Javed (Writer), Mohammad Nisar Hussain (Director) |
| Parchaiyan | 1976 | Haseena Moin |
| Ehsaas | N/A | Shahid Kazmi (Writer), Shahzad Khalil (Director) |
| Saraab | N/A | Bano Qudsia |
| Zikr Hai Kai Saal Ka | 1996 | Dr. Enwar Sajjad (writer)/Sahira Kazmi (director) |
| Kaise Kahoon | 2006 | Sahira Kazmi |

## Awards and recognition

| Year | Award | Category | Result | Title | Ref. |
| 1987 | Nigar Award | Best Actor | Won | Dhoop Kinare | |