Dewan Sharar

Dewan Sharar was a writer and actor born on August 28, 1897, in Multan (present-day Pakistan). He studied in Lahore, which ignited his interest in theatre, literature, and poetry. He got his degree in Bachelor of Arts in 1919 and joined a theatre group to indulge in acting and literacy arts. He also worked as a journalist and wrote articles about films. The 1943 film Ishaara was based on his novel Gong of Shiva and was released. He made first appeared on screen in Loves of Moghul Prince (1928). Many of his works were published, such as The Gong of Shiva (1935) and Hindi Fairy Tales (1936).

His short stories were also popular. He wrote an adapted version of Kalidasa’s Sanskrit classic, Shakuntala, for the screen, and it was a runaway success and lasted over a decade, winning awards. He also acted in movies such as Shantaram’s Shankuntala (1943). He worked on more films, such as Parbat Pe Apna Dera (1944), Dr Kotnis Ko Amar Kahani (1946), Apna Desh (1949), and many more. He acted in films such as Karma (1933) and Bhool (1948). Besides working in the film industry, he also started a publication called Dewan Sharar Publications in 1963. He is known for Jhanak Jhanak Payal Baaje (1955), Parbat Pe Apna Dera (1944), and Shakuntala (1947). He passed away in 1969.