Hiralal

Career Hiralal took to acting in films "as a hobby" after being asked by filmmaker Abdur Rashid Kardar, who was making Safdar Jung in Lahore, to play the role of a Pathan. Filming of Safdar Jung had begun in 1924 and Hiralal joined in 1929. He then appeared in another silent film, Daughters of Today, which saw theatrical release first. Hiralal recalled having a "thirst for authenticity" early on in his career, citing an example of him going bald to play a "one-eyed bald-headed man" in his next film, the 1931 film Awara Raqasa ("Wandering Dancer"), also directed by Kardar.

Hiralal married Darparani in 1945 and had five sons and a daughter with her. The sons were Krishna, Kamal, Prem, Ajay, and Inder, the last of whom was an actor and model, and died in the Air India Flight 182 bombing in 1985. Apart from his mother tongue Punjabi, Hiralal could speak fluently in Hindi, Urdu and English. Mehbooba (1954) Hamlet... King Claudius Nagin (1954) Danka (1954) Teen Bhai (1955) Riyasat (1955) Babasa Ri Laadi (1961; Rajasthani film) Bandini (1963) Sapni (1963; Punjabi film) Leader (1964)... Kargah Nishan (1965) Nayak (1966)... Kamal Misra Kismat (1968) Loafer (1973)... Singh's agent Hamrahi (1974) Kabeela (1976) Mr. Natwarlal (1979) Insaaf Ka Tarazu (1980) Kaalia (1981)