Fida Hussain

Fida Hussain (1899–1999) was an Indian actor, singer, director, and playwright associated with the Parsi theatre tradition and early Indian cinema. He received the Uttar Pradesh Sangeet Natak Akademi Award in 1978 and the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award for theatre in 1985.

Biography Fida Hussain was born in 1899 in Moradabad in present-day Uttar Pradesh. He was born into a family where singing and acting were strictly prohibited. However, he was drawn to music and acting at a very young age. His father was kind, but his uncle beat him whenever he was caught participating in music sessions. Once, his sister-in-law tried to ruin his voice by giving him vermilion hidden in his food. Although he arrived in Calcutta at his invitation, Hussain initially refused to join Moonlight and instead collaborated with other Marwari troupes in Calcutta itself. He retired from Moonlight in 1968.

Ramayan (1934) Insaf Ki Tope (1934) Kunwari Ya Vidhwa (1935) Diljaani (1935) Dil Ki Pyaas (1935) Daku Ka Ladka (1935) Balidaan (1935) Khudaai Kitmadgaar (1937) Matwali Meera (1940) Bambaiwali (1941) Arabian Nights (1946) Toote Sapne (1946, unreleased)

Awards and honors Hussain received the Uttar Pradesh Sangeet Natak Akademi Award in 1978. In 1985, he was awarded the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award for his contributions to the theatre.

Biography Hussain's life story was documented in the book Fida Hussain: Fifty Years in the Parsi Theatre, an oral history recorded by theatre scholar Pratibha Agrawal and published in 1986. The work provides insight into both his personal journey and the broader history of Parsi theatre during his time.