Talat Hussain (actor)

Talat Hussain Warsi (18 September 1940 – 26 May 2024) was a Pakistani actor and radio host.

The son of Shaista Begum, who was one of the pioneering voices of Radio Pakistan, he was called "the Pakistani Laurence Olivier" for his versatility and his later role as mentor to other actors.

Early life and education
Talat Hussain was born in Delhi, British India on 18 September 1940, his parents moving to Karachi soon after partition, where his mother Shaista Begum joined Radio Pakistan as a broadcaster. His father was a civil servant.

He earned his Bachelor of Arts degree from Islamia College and in 1972 he enrolled in the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Arts.

1960s-1970s:Early work in radio and cinema
One of his first movies was Chiragh Jalta Raha (1962), where he played a supporting role, now considered a classic, and in 1967 he joined Radio Pakistan as a voiceover artist.

He then shared the screen with some important names of Pakistan's cinema, such as Waheed Murad in Ishara (1969) or Mohammad Ali in Insaan Aur Admi (1970).

1970s-1980s:Rise to prominence through television
In the 1970s and the 1980s the country witnessed the rise of PTV television serials, Talat Hussain playing lead roles in popular serials such as Bandish (1976).

1990s-2010s:Mature character roles
In the later part of his career he used to play character roles marked by maturity, like in Kashkol (1993).

International productions
Talat Hussain worked in several foreign films, television drama serials and long plays, including the Turkish movie Malkoçolu Ölüm Fedaileri (1971), Channel Four's television serials Traffik (1989) and Family Pride (1991). In 2006, Hussain won the Amanda Award for the Best Supporting Role in the Norwegian film Import-Eksport (2005). He also appeared in the Indian film Souten Ki Beti (1989) and made a guest appearance in Jinnah (1998).

Acting teacher
As of 2012, he was a faculty member at the National Academy of Performing Arts (NAPA) in Karachi where he taught acting.

He was also the director of the Arts Council of Pakistan Karachi's theatre department.

Literature
He wrote short stories, including Sanduq and Taza Bastiyan that have been theatrically enacted by his students, and was working on novels at the time of his death.

He also composed prose poetry.

Qur'anic narration
In the 1980s he recorded a narration of a translation of the Qur'an in Urdu, which remains popular.

Personal life
Hussain was married to Rakhshanda Hussain, a professor of psychology at the University of Karachi. They had three children, two daughters and one son: Tazeen, the eldest daughter, was a television actress before quitting after her wedding, while younger daughter Roohaina, has a few television plays to her credit.

Illness and death
In February 2012, Talat Hussain revealed that he had caught a skin allergy in 2010, which developed complications due to incorrect treatment by a local cosmetologist. He said "I couldn't even talk properly, let alone walk or sit after the treatment."

Hussain died in Karachi on 26 May 2024, at the age of 83.

Legacy and tributes
Talat Hussain's career was recorded by the author Huma Mir in the book Yeh Hain Talat Hussain. In 2014, tributes were paid to him at an event at the Arts Council of Pakistan, Karachi, by many television personalities, including playwright Haseena Moin, veteran TV actor/playwright of Alif Noon (1982) fame; Kamal Ahmed Rizvi; journalist Mazhar Abbas; and veteran TV actor Qazi Wajid.

Films

 * Chiragh Jalta Raha (1962)
 * Ishara (1969 - written, produced and directed by Waheed Murad)
 * Insan aur Aadmi (1970)
 * Malkoçoğlu Ölüm Fedaileri (1971, Turkish-Iranian co-production film)
 * Mohabbat Mar Nahi Sakti (1977)
 * Bandagi (1972)
 * Qurbani (1981 film)
 * Gumnaam (1983)
 * Kamyabi (1984)
 * Halchal (1985)
 * Ek Say Barh Kar Ek (1987)
 * Sautan Ki Beti (Indian film)
 * Raja Sahab (1996)
 * Zar Gul (1997)
 * Jinnah - The Movie (1998)
 * Laaj (2003)
 * Import-Eksport (2005 Norwegian film)
 * Actor in Law (2016)
 * Chupan Chupai (2017)
 * Project Ghazi (2017)

Stage

 * Andhera Ujala
 * Raz o Niaz
 * Guriya Ghar
 * Lao Tau Qatalnama Mera
 * Sufaid Khoon
 * Khalid Ki Khala
 * Jo Chalay To Jaan Sey Guzar Gayey

Awards and nominations

 * Pride of Performance Award (1982).
 * Best Actor Gumnan, National Film Awards (1985).
 * Nigar Award in 1986 for Best Supporting Actor in film Miss Bangkok (1986)
 * Amanda Award (2006) Best Supporting Actor in Norwegian film – Import Eksport (2005).
 * The 1st Indus Drama Awards (2005) Nominee: Best Actor Drama Series in a Leading Role.
 * Sitara-i-Imtiaz (Star of Excellence) Award by the President of Pakistan in 2021.

Lux Style Awards
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