Aashraf Khan

Aashraf Khan, or popularly known to be the “actor, turned into a Sufi saint”, has not only shared his talents on screen, but has also spread his radiance all around him. He has been bringing smiles to his viewers from 1940 and has never failed to do so until his death. After his father’s painful demise, he started off by doing small jobs to support his family. And thus, he became a shepherd. While tending to his sheep, he used to sing aloud in his most melodious voice, and this was fortunately picked up by a Gujarati drama company, who asked him whether he would be interested in working with them.

From there on, it was a period of good fortune for him, as he not only sang for them, but also started playing small roles until he climbed to the position of playing the lead. Even though Aashraf’s mother tongue was Urdu and Pushtu, he was able to grasp the Gujarati language with utmost ease. He has done about five thousand dramas, and thanks to this mind boggling experience that he had on stage, he was given a chance to shine on screen.

He had been playing the role of a hero until he decided he wanted to play more of character roles. He has starred in a dozen movies, out of which he is well known for the movie “Roti” (1942), where he played the role of a mad professor. It was during the filming of “Roti”, that Aashraf took a spiritual turn when he met Ghulam Sarwar. He had excited his audience till the end, which was in 1962. The last stage show that he performed in was ‘Dhoraji’, in Gujarat. Even after his death, thousands of his viewers remember him.

He has been able to influence his viewers even in his absence. With his charm and that melodious voice, added with his exceptional acting skills, he continues to stay in every film lover's heart forever more.