Who says talent has a religion or belongs to a particular country? When India and Pakistan were one nation, many people from regions like Peshawar, Balochistan, and Rawalpindi migrated to India after the Partition.
Around 15 million people became refugees in what was the largest population movement in history. Muslims moved to Pakistan, while Sikhs and Hindus came to India. Several major stars of the Bollywood industry were born in what is now Pakistan. Some migrated to India after Partition, while others came before it. Here’s the list of Pakistan-born Indian actors:
Raj Kapoor: The name of Bollywood’s ‘Showman’ tops the list. Few people know that he was born as Shrishti Nath Kapoor on 14 December 1924 at Kapoor Haveli, a residence owned by his grandfather in the Qissa Khwani Bazaar neighbourhood of Peshawar, British India. His parents were Prithviraj Kapoor and Ramsarni Devi Kapoor. Today, he is remembered as a superstar of Indian cinema and was honoured with the Padma Bhushan and the Dadasaheb Phalke Award.
Sunil Dutt: Late actor Sunil Dutt was also born in Pakistan. He was from Nakka Khurd in the Jhelum District of the Punjab Province of British India. His birth name was Balraj Dutt, and he was born to father Diwan Raghunath Dutt and mother Kulwanti Devi Dutt.
Suresh Oberoi: The actor was born to Anand Sarup Oberoi and Kartar Devi on 17 December 1946 in Quetta, then Baluchistan Province of British Raj (currently Balochistan, Pakistan). After the partition, his family, along with four brothers and sisters, moved to India, and later relocated to Hyderabad, where his family established a chain of medical stores. He is actor Vivek Oberoi’s father.
Dilip Kumar: Known as the tragedy king of Bollywood, Dilip Kumar was born as Mohammed Yusuf Khan in Peshawar in 1922. His career has spanned over six decades with over 60 films. He was awarded the Padma Bhushan, the third highest civilian award in India as well as the Nishan-e-Imtiaz, the highest civilian award in Pakistan. Do you know Dilip was childhood friend of Raj Kapoor, they both were from Peshawar.
Gulzar: In 1934, Gulzar was born in a Sikh family as Sampooran Singh Kalra, to Makhan Singh Kalra and Sujan Kaur, in Dina, Jhelum District, British India. He picked pen name Gulzar. He is a legendry writer, lyricist, poet and movie director. He has won many National awards, Padma Bhushan, and Dadasaheb Phalke Award.
Shekhar Kapur: This critically acclaimed director was born in Lahore, Pakistan in 1945. After failing to mark as a Bollywood actor, he started working behind the camera as a director in India, and then in Hollywood. He earned popularity by directing movies like Masoom, Mr. India and Bandit Queen.
Amrish Puri: One of the famous villains of Bollywood, Amrish was born in a Punjabi Hindu family in Nawanshahr, Punjab (now in Pakistan), to Lala Nihal Chand and Ved Kaur. Puri played some of most remembered villainous roles in Vidhaata, Shakti, Hero, Meri Jung, Nagina, Mr. India, Shahenshah, Ram Lakhan, Tridev, Ghayal, Saudagar, etc.
