Saeed Khan Rangeela

Saeed Khan Rangeela  was a Pakistani Lollywood actor, singer and director.

Biography

Rangeela was born Mohammad Saeed Khan in 1937, in Kuram Agency, Pakistan. As a young man, Rangeela took a keen interest in bodybuilding and physical exercise as a teenager. He moved to Lahore at a young age and earned his livelihood painting bill-boards for the Lahore movie industry. He soon realized that following the humble career of bill-board painter would not sustain his talents. Rangeela’s movie career started in the late 1950s. He made his cinematic debut in a 1958 Punjabi film called ‘Jatti’, directed by M.J. Rana. In addition to acting in them, he directed many of his movies. He also sang many of the songs and wrote some of the scripts. The super hit film ‘Diya Aur Toofan’, May 9, 1969, was Rangeela’s directional debut. He was also its producer, singer, writer and actor. He directed numerous movies under the banner of ‘Rangeela Productions’. His acting potential was in full display in the super hit ‘Rangeela’, September 11, 1970, in which he played the title role of Rangeela, director-producer-actor-writer Rangeela. Rangeela earned plaudits for his third consecutive super hit film ‘Dil aur duniya’, October 1, 1971, starring Habib-Aasia-Rangeela. The above three films were big hits at the box office enabling Rangeela to complete his celluloid ‘hat trick’. In ‘Dil aur Duniya’, he brings the sobering sense of a director’s prowess, the very antithesis of his comic celluloid persona.He also starred in a Hindko-language film “Qissa Khwani” which was produced by noted lyricist Qateel Shafai to display his love for his mother language-Hindko-in 1970s.

No sound is more sublime than the human voice, but Rangeela’s voice possessed the pathos that brought tears to the very eyes of his listeners. His forte was tragic songs, and his voice was particularly suited to slow numbers.

Rangeela has been a dominant force in Pakistani cinema for over forty years. He was married three times, had eight daughters and six sons. One of his daughters “Farah Deeba” is an elected Member of the Provincial Assembly in Johar town, G-block Lahore and another is a Master of Business Administration (MBA) and Certified Public Accountant (CPA) in the USA. He belonged to a Pashtun family from pakistan who came to kuram agency and then settled down in Lahore.

Awards

• Nigar Award for best screen- writer, in the film ‘Rangeela’ in 1970.
• Nigar Award for best comedian, in the film ‘Dil Aur Duniya’ in 1971.
• Nigar Award for simultaneously playing three roles in the film ‘Meri zindigi hai naghma’ in 1972.
• Nigar Award for best comedian in the film ‘Naukar tay malik’ in 1982.
• Nigar Award for best story- writer, in the film ‘Sona chandi’ in 1983.
• Nigar Award for best director in the film ‘Sona chandi’ in 1983.
• Nigar Award for best comedian in the film ‘Miss Colombo’ in 1984.
• Nigar Award for best comedian in the film ‘Baaghi qaidi’ in 1986.
• Nigar Award for best comedian in the film ‘Teen yakkay teen chakkay’ in 1991.