Beginning
Kokab Mehdi was born in Lahore At
20th Of June, 1954. He was inspired by his brother Askar Mehdi who
was a director at Radio Pakistan. So he started his career at the age of 16
from the Radio Pakistan. In 1971, He began his media career with Bazm-e-Talba
radio. He did his first radio play as the hero of Jashn-e-Tamseelà (Dosri Mout) which was
directed by Waseem Siddiqui. In the meantime he also did his first stage drama
Zaroorat-e-Rishta directed by his own brother Askar Mehdi and written by
Shaukat Imtiaz along Shehzad Raza who also started his career with Kokab Mehdi
by working in this drama.
Radio
Afterwards from the age of 18
years to 24 he did many radio dramay as the main artist along with the artists
like
- Neelofar Aleem
- Hasan Sheikh Mirza
- Askar Mehdi
- Shehzad Raza
- Javaid Aijaz
- Talat Hussain
- Mehood Khan Moodi
- S.M Saleem
- Ayub Khawar
- Zeenat Yasmeen
- Fehmeeda Nasreen
- Shakeel
And many other artists
His Radio Dramay Like
- Studio Number Nau
- Do Raha Which Was Directed by Shehzad Raza
- Sassi Punno directed by Shahid Latif in which Kokab mehdi won the award of beautiful voice.
T.V
He started his television career
from Pakistan Television (P.T.V) and did a great job. His first program was
Jawaan Fikar directed by Qasim Jalali And Written By Kazim Paasha. Shehzad Raza
also started his T.V career with the same program who was then a close friend
of Kokab Mehdi.
P.T.V Dramay
Afshan
Directed by Zaheer Khan , its was
Kokab Mehdi’s first serial in which he appeared as an important character/role
“Mehmood”.
Barzakh
Directed by Iqbal Ansari in which
Kokab Mehdi along with Shafi Muhammad Shah and Mazhar Ali appeared as hero.
This was one of the famous drama of Kokab Mehdi.
Waapsi
Directed By Iqbal Ansari
Taabeer
In which Kokab Mehdi appeared as
the son of Bahadur Shah Zafar (Mehmood Ali)
Aap Ginay
Directed By Aarfeen & Ishrat
Ansari And Written By Fatima Suraiyya Wajiha , In which Kokab Mehdi appeared as
an hero , Kokab Mehdi & Talat Iqbal was appeared as the son of Talat
Hussain.
“Aap Ginay And Taabeer are
historical plays”.
Chaar Darvaish
This serial was directed by Qasim
Jalali in which Kokab Mehdi appeared as a darvaish.
Pas-e-Aina
This Was Directed By Haroon
Rashid.
Kaawish
One of the most famous serial of Kokab
Mehdiand was directed by Iqbal Haider. Kokab Mehdi played the hero role in this
serial. It was written by Naseem.
Zindagi (Alaao)
Kokab Mehdi did the hero role in
the drama series Zindagi’s Part “Alaao” along with the heroine Huma Meer. It
was a successful drama.
Rafta Rafta
This famous drama was directed by
Iqbal Latif in which Kokab Mehdi did the role of Inspector Shaadain along with
Moin Akhtar who did the lead role in this drama.
Haaye Jaidi
In this comedy drama Kokab Mehdi
did the lead role. It was directed by Manzoor Qureshi and written by Ather Shah
Khan Zaidi. This drama earned a lot of fame.
Saath Rang
It’s a Comedy Serial which was
directed by Taj, In which Kokab Mehdi appeared as a lead role with Zeba
Shehnaz.
“Afterwards he moved towards
serious dramas and the name of this serial was changed to 50 50”.
“Kokab Mehdi did a lot more dramas
like waapsi,shikast-e-aarzo etc. he contributed a lot for the media and did a
great job , most of his dramas earned a lot of respect and fame”.
Geo
Pehla Chaand
Panch Phulan Di Gal
These Are Directed By Directed by
Ayub Khawar
Kokab Mehdi Was Casted By Nadeem
Asad For Dubbing In Mera Sultan.
Zoja-e-Akbar
Kokab Mehdi did a comedy role
along with Mohib Mirza who did the hero role in this drama. This Drama was
directed by Nadeem Asad.
Sarparast
In which Kokab Mehdi did the
Villain role and was directed by Ehsaan Ali Zaidi.
Baaghi
This Was Directed By Faisal
Bukhari.
Kokab Mehdi Did A Lot More Dramas
Of Geo T.V.
ARY
Kokab Mehdi also served ARY
channel with his art of acting
Kahi Ankahi
This drama was directed by
Sikander Shah. In This Drama Kokab Mehdi worked with Shabbir Jaan and Javeria
Abbasi.
He also did a lot more dramas of
ARY Channel.
ATV
Capsule
This Drama Was Directed By Saleem
Khokhar and in this drama Kokab Mehdi worked with these artists
- Saleem Sheikh
- Javeria Abbasi
- Asad Malik
Indus
Ambulance
This drama was directed by Imran
Khokhar
Emergency Ward
This drama was directed by Asid
Asad and written by Asim Siddiqui.
Kokab Mehdi said and I quote
“ I am specially thankfull to
channel P.T.V, Samaa, ARY & Geo”.
Stage Life
As Kokab Mehdi’s Grandfather’s
Younger Brother Master Shareef Hussain directed a large number of stage plays
in India before 1947, and Kokab Mehdi’s own older brother was a great director
of stage plays so stage art is inherited to him or we can say that stage talent
is in his blood. At the beginning of his career he did his first play
Zaroorat-e-Rishta and afterward he did a lot of plays.
He did a lot of plays in which was
directed by Furqan Haider and written by Umar Shareef. In These Play Kokab
Mehdi mostly appeared as the hero along with Shehzad Raza who usually did the
father role and Umar Shareef who mostly appeared as a servant.
Andheray Ujaalay
In which Kokab Mehdi did the hero
role along Jameel Fakhri and Irfan Khoosat.
Dulha Chori Hogya
In which Kokab Mehdi appeared as
the dulha (hero) along with Khalid Abbas Daar, Bindiya, Naseem Agraj And
Salooni.
Drawing Room
This was directed by Furqan Haider
in which Kokab Mehdi along Khalid Abbas Daar did a great job. Bindiya did the
heroine role in this play.
Afterward Kokab Mehdi did a lot of
famous plays along with a lot of actors like
- Shakeel Siddiqui
- Rauf Lala
- Sikandar Sanam
- Saleem Afridi
- Zaki Master
- Salma Zafar
- Umar Shareef
Etc.
Some of his famous plays like
International Kawaray
In which Kokab Mehdi worked with Ismail
Taara, Maaj-e-jahangir, Ibraahim Raaz, Khalid Nizami, Firdous Jamaal etc.
Topi Drama
In which Kokab Mehdi worked along
Umar Shareef And Shehzad Raza.
Guraya Aek Paheli
Chalo Maan Gaye
Kisi Se Naa Kehna
These plays are directed and
written by Jameel Rahi
Gaaon ki Gori
This play was directed by Younus
Malik and written by Baba Kiran.
“Kokab Mehdi did a lot of plays
under the direction of Tasneem Rana” Like
Four Crazy Boys
One Wicket Out
Etc.
Mumaani Jaan
Saas Ki Aas
This play was directed and written
by Samad Yaar Khan.
Andheray Ujaalay
Pakistan American Cultural
Centre’s stage play “Andheray Ujaalay” was directed by Talat Hussain.
Murda Sawa Laakh Ka
This play was directed by Khadim
Hussain Ochoi. In which Kokab Mehdi worked along with the artists like
- Mehmood Akhtar
- Reena Siddiqui
- Abida Ali
Etc.
“Kokab Mehdi was casted as a hero
in the drama “Aadam” but due to director’s health the shooting didn’t work out
, also Kokab Mehdi got his Visa for London for shooting but due to some
conspiracy he wasn’t able to go”.
Kokab Mehdi worked for Talat
Hussain as an artist in Hashoo Auditorium.
Khalid Ki Khaala
In which Kokab Mehdi worked with
- Yousuf Ali
- Rubina Almas
- Subhani Wayi Younus
- Mehmood Ali
- Talat Hussain
- Taj Niazi
Nana Rao
This is a Hindi play which was directed
by Samad Yaar Khan and produced by Anwar Iqbal who also acted in this play.
Naya Aain
This play was about the new
constitution of Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto and was directed Zia Mouddin.
“He did A lot More Stage Plays And
Did An Outstanding Job”.
Film T.V
Kokab Mehdi Also worked in the
film line.
Siyaasat
This film is directed by Syed
Kamaal, Kokab Mehdi did the hero role in this film along Nishoo who was the
heroine & with further famous artists like Asad
Jafri,Kamaal,Dilnasheen,Sanober etc.
Kokab Mehdi won the talent hunt
show, he did some of the shots in place of Waheed Muraad in “Hero” film due to
the death of Waheed Muraad. The judges panel who selected him for the film are.
- Iqbal Yousuf (Director)
- Lala Sudeer
- Kamaal
- Nishoo
- Husna
- Aslam Perwaiz
- Ajmal Chaudhry
- Nasrullah A Rehman à Information
- Iqbal Latif à P.T.V
In Film Andaaz he was casted as a
hero with Babra Shareef who was the heroine but due to some reasons the making
of this film didn’t work out and afterwards he did the film Siyaasat of Syed
Kamaal as mentioned above.
Dubbing
As Kokab Mehdi already won the
award for his beautifull voice in radio as I mentioned above he also served the
media through his voice talent in the field of dubbing. He dubbed a lot of dramas/stuff
like 10 commandos etc .
So nowadays this respected and
talented artist is not so famous, a lot of new people don’t know his name the
guy who served that much for media and devoted his whole life for the
entertainment of world is not on the shining spot where he should be!. We Pakistani’s
never respect the talent, they are so hungry for the money that they can’t even
see the real talent.
As I got a chance to meet this
very respectable artist, at the end of my conversation I asked him sir why are
you working in re-enactments nowadays? After a round of silence he replied and
I quote. “Because nobody calls me now. Pakistan Zindabad”