Remembering Shahzad Khalil: One of the best directors Pakistan media industry has ever produced.


Shahzad Khalil began his career as a director producing music videos in 1970, and then moved to making television drama serials. After a few projects he moved from PTV in Lahore to its Karachi Center. The Government of Pakistan gave Khali the Pride of Performance Award in 1986 and named a Karachi street after him. Khali's wife Badar Khalil is a veteran Pakistani Actress. They have two children, Ibrahim and Umar.

Khalil was not only an intelligent TV director but he had a great personality. He gained fame in a very short period of time as a result of the dramas he directed for Pakistan television. He was first recognised as a director for his TV serial Teesra Kinara in 1980 in which several legendary actors including Sahira Kazmi, Usman Peerzada, Rahat Kazmi, Shafi Mohammad, and Jamil Fakhri starred. Khalil met Badar Khalil when she played the title role in the drama Bi Jamalo which he directed. They later married and have two children.

Shahzad Khalil's classic drama Tanhaiyaan was aired in 1985. Veterans actors cast in this serial included: Shehnaz Sheikh, Marina Khan, Badar Khalil, Azra Sherwani, Asif Raza Mir, Behroze Sabzwari, Qazi Wajid, Jamshed Ansari, Yasmeen Ismail, Durdana Butt, Mohammad Yousaf, Sultana Zafar, Subhani Ba Younas, and Imtiaz Ali. Shahzad Khalil's classic drama Tanhaiyaan was aired in 1985. 

Marina Khan with Shahzad Khalil at her wedding, 1989.
Veterans actors cast in this serial included: Shehnaz Sheikh, Marina Khan, Badar Khalil, Azra Sherwani, Asif Raza Mir, Behroze Sabzwari, Qazi Wajid, Jamshed Ansari, Yasmeen Ismail, Durdana Butt, Mohammad Yousaf, Sultana Zafar, Subhani Ba Younas, and Imtiaz Ali.

Khalil introduced several actors such as Shafi Muhammad Shah in Teesra Kinara and Samina Peerzada in Panah among others, who went on to become superstars in the Pakistani television industry.

In 2014, when his wife Badar Khalil emigrated to Canada to live with her son she said in an interview with Dawn News that: "PTV is celebrating its 50th anniversary; I don't see any remembrance for Shahzad Khalil. Are people so easily forgotten? It is hard to believe!"

with Durdana Butt, Shahnaz Khan, Sahira Kazmi and Marina Khan.

Khalil is known as one of the best Pakistani directors and will be remembered for his work and his role in Pakistan's television history. Indus TV Network presented a special award to Khalil for his outstanding contributions to Pakistan television at the 1st Indus Drama Awards in 2005, presented by Agha Nasir and Ghazanfar Ali.

Khalil died of cardiac arrest on 23 December 1989. His funeral prayers were held at the Defence Housing Authority. He was buried in the Defense Graveyard Karachi.

with Late Agha Nasir, Late Hameed Wayne and Sahira Kazmi.


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