indian cinema heritage foundation

Raza Murad

Artists
  • Born: 23 November, 1950 (Rampur, Uttar Pradesh)
  • Primary Cinema: Hindi
  • Parents: Murad
  • Spouse: Samina Murad
  • Children: Ayesha Murad, Ali Murad
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Instantly recognisable by his deep baritone, Raza Murad has acted in over 250 films, mostly in Hindi, as well as Bhojpuri and other regional languages, as well as on television. Memorable for his roles in Namak Haram (1973) among other films, more recently, he was seen in Bajirao Mastani (2015) and in Padmaavat (2018), playing Jalal-ud-din Khalji, founder and first ruler of the Khalji dynasty of the Delhi Sultanate. 

Son of character actor Murad, Raza Murad was born on 23 November, 1950 in Rampur, Uttar Pradesh. Raza earned a diploma in film acting from the Film and Television Institute of India, Pune, where he studied between 1969 and 1971. Starting his career in films in the mid-60s, he has played a villain or character roles over the years, in films including Prem Rog (1982), Khud-daar (1982), Ram Teri Ganga Maili (1985), Pyar Ka Mandir (1988), Ram Lakhan (1989), Henna (1991), Tridev (1989), Mohra (1994), Gupt (1997) and Jodhaa Akbar (2008). 

He has played a range of roles in the course of his career, such as the despondent poet Alamin Namak Haram which starred Rajesh Khanna and Amitabh Bachchan; Kubla, the terrorist who plans to rule the world in Ajay Devgan-starrer Ek Hi Raasta (1993); Thakur in Prem Rog which was directed by Raj Kapoor; and Shamsuddin Atka Khan in Jodhaa Akbar

Recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award for his contribution to Punjabi cinema in 2011 at the PTC Punjabi Film Awards, Raza Murad has also been nominated for seven Filmfare awards as a villain. He also featured in the TV series Madhubala – Ek Ishq Ek Junoon, Bible Ki Kahaniyan, Ayodhya Ki Ramleela, Hasmukh, and Karan – The Detective. He has also acted in several Telugu films. He starred in several memorable Punjabi films, including Dharam Jeet (1975) and Jatt Punjabi (1979) with Punjabi actor Veerendra, who is a cousin of Dharmendra