Sultan Rahi

His first film was the Urdu-language Baghi in 1956. He was 18 years old at the time. This was the first Pakistani film to be screened in China. Rahi acted with many heroines but he was known for his duo with Anjuman; Khoon da Hisab (1995) was his last film with Anjuman. Rahi earned two Nigar Awards, for his work in Babul (1971) and Basheera (1972). In 1975 he portrayed the character of Maula Jatt in Wehshi Jatt, winning his third Nigar Award. He reprised the role in its sequel Maula Jatt (1979), his best-known film. Some of his other films include Sher Khan, Sharif Badmash, Chan Veryam, Kaley Chore, The Godfather, Sharif Badmash and Wehshi Gujjar.

The recorded working language is Punjabi, Urdu and Pashto. Residence is recorded at Lahore. Works named in the authority record are Sharif Badmash, Ranga Daku, Maula Jatt, Behram Daku and Anokha Daaj. Distinctions recorded are Nigar Awards and Pride of Performance.

• Name — Sultan Rahi • Native Name — ﺳﻠﻄﺎﻥ ﺭﺍﮨﯽ • Birth Name — Muhammad Sultan Khan • Born — 24 June 1938 • Birthplace — Rawalpindi, Punjab, British India • Died — 9 January 1996 • Place of death — Gujranwala, Punjab, Pakistan • Death Cause — Murder • Years Active — 1956–1996 • Spouse — Shaheen (divorce) Naseem Sultan • Children — 5 • Awards — Nigar Awards • Occupation — * Actor • producer • screenwriter

His father, Subedar Major Abdul Majeed, was a retired officer from the British Indian Army who belonged to a Punjabi Arain family. According to Mushtaq Gazdar, Rahi was born in Rawalpindi, Punjab, British India, in 1938. Other sources state that he was born in an Urdu-speaking family in Muzaffarnagar in the Saharanpur division of Uttar Pradesh who migrated to Pakistan after the partition of India, first to Karachi and then to Rawalpindi. He had five children, of which one, Haider Sultan, is also an actor.

He began his film career in 1956 as a guest actor in the film Baghi. His first breakthrough came with the film Wehshi Jatt (1975). This was the unofficial prequel to Maula Jatt (1979). Maula Jatt was released on 11 February 1979, which became his most successful Pakistani film. His other works include Behram Daku (1980), Sher Khan (1981), Sala Sahib and Ghulami (1985). Sultan Rahi appeared in key roles in over 535 films.

On 9 January 1996, Rahi and his friend Ahsan, a film director, were travelling from Islamabad to Lahore on the main highway in Pakistan, Grand Trunk Road. Their vehicle got a flat tyre near Aimanabad Chungi, not far from Gujranwala. While they were changing the tyre, thieves approached the vehicle and tried to rob them. Rahi and his friend were both shot; Rahi succumbed to his wounds.

The following is established of the heading itself.

The following is established of origins and background. Recorded at birth as سلطان راہی. Institutional cataloguing adds that sultan Rahi was born in 1938 at Punjab. Rahi died in 1996 at Gujranwala.