Nadeem Baig – Best known to Bollywood fans for his role as kidnapper in ‘Gehri Chot’

Have you seen Bollywood film ‘Gehri Chot’ (1983) in YouTube or TV channels? In the movie you might have noticed a rough guy and gangster belonging to a group of kidnappers who falls in love with a hostage girl. We have seen one similar movie ‘Highway’ in the recent past based on Stockholm syndrome, and in both these films the kidnapper gives his life for the sake of his new found love. We feel sympathy towards the character for their sacrifice. In the climax of Gehri Chot too, we watch such a sacrifice which stays in our mind forever. Do you know who this actor was? His intense looks are enough to melt our hearts. We have rarely seen him in Bollywood. But he is a huge star of Pakistani cinema, and has worked in Bangladeshi films. His name is Nadeem Baig.

Nadeem Baig was born in Vijayawada in undivided India in 1941. Following partition, his family migrated to Pakistan. His younger days were spent in Karachi where he completed his school and college education before he joined Pakistani cinema. He went on to become one of the top popular and iconic actors of Pakistani cinema ever, with a huge following crowd. Known for his peculiar eyes this talented actor was an established singer as well. In fact his talent in singing prompted his way to Bangladeshi cinema, and he succeeded as an actor and singer.

As a film actor, his career began in 1967 with the film Chakori, and he has been active in the industry since then. Shaan-e-Ishq, Hijrat, Zarrar, Sikander etc are the movies released in the recent past. His career best films were released in 1970s. He has been most successful pairing with Shabnam. He is married to Bangladeshi girl Farzana since 1968 and has two sons. It would have been nice if this talented actor appeared in a few more Bollywood films. But he concentrated most towards Pakistani films instead. 

Nadeem Baig – Some interesting and less-known facts

1. Though this iconic actor is a part of Pakistani movies, he is a south Indian by birth, born in Vijayawada of present-day Andhra Pradesh.

2. His real name is Mirza Nazeer Baig Mughal.

3. As an actor his voice was widely regarded synchronous to the voice of playback singer Ahmed Rushdi, and they complimented one another. Akhlaq Ahmed also became his ghost voice later.

4. He married one year after his film entry, and has been successful. He married Farzana, the daughter of film director Captain Ehtesham who directed his debut film, Chakori.

5. He won Nigar award for his debut film, Chakori.