Agha Hashar Kashmiri

Early life Muhammad Shah (Agha Hashar Kashmiri was his pen name) was born in Benares State, British India in 1879. He started to show interest in stage dramas and moved to Bombay at the age of 14 and started his career as a playwright there.

Career Agha Hashar Kashmiri's first play, Aftab-e-Muhabbat, was published in 1897. He started his professional career as a drama writer for the New Alfred Theatrical Company in Bombay, on a salary of only 15 Rs. per month.

His most popular plays are Sita Banbas, based on the Ramayana; Bilwa Mangal, a social play on the life of a poet with a passion for whores; Aankh ka Nasha (The Witchery of the Eyes) which deals with themes of treachery and the evils of prostitution; and Rustom O Sohrab, a Persian folk story and tragedy. Several of his notable Shakespeare-inspired plays are Safed Khoon (White Blood), based on King Lear and Khwab-e-Hasti (The Dream World of Existence) described as "a mutilated version of Macbeth."

Personal life Agha was married to Mukhtar Begum, a classical singer from Calcutta and elder sister of Farida Khanum - a Pakistani singer. with whom he collaborated on several dramatic projects.

His 70th death anniversary was observed in Karachi in 2005 at an event organized by the National Academy of Performing Arts at the Arts Council of Pakistan in Karachi. Zia Mohyeddin, chief of the 'National Academy of Performing Arts' and other speakers paid tributes to him. Anwar Sajjad said," Whenever the history of theater in the subcontinent is written, Agha Hashar Kashmiri will certainly hold an important place in it". Aankh ka Nasha Asir-e-Hirs Bhagirath Ganga Dil to Pyas Khwab-e-Hasti Madhur Murli Rustom O Sohrab Safed Khoon Said-e-Hawas Sita Banbas Turki Hur Yahudi Ki Ladki