Featured BiographyImage source: StarsUnfolded
Quick Info
Date of birth20 June 1931
Age91 (at time of death)
BirthplaceLyallpur, British India (now Faisalabad, Pakistan)
ProfessionActor, producer, director, television broadcaster
NationalityBritish and Pakistani
Marital statusMarried (at time of death)
SpouseAzra Mohyeddin (third wife); formerly Sarwar Zemani and Nahid Siddiqui
FamilyChildren: Minos Ameer, Risha Ameen, Hassan "Moyo" Mohyeddin, Aaliya Mohyeddin
Zia Mohyeddin Biography
Zia Mohyeddin was a British‑Pakistani actor, director, producer and broadcaster whose career spanned stage, film, television and spoken‑word recitation. Tr
Early life and backgroundZia Mohyeddin was born on 20 June 1931 in Lyallpur, British India (now Faisalabad, Pakistan). He grew up in Kasur and Lahore before travelling to London to study at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, from which he graduated after training there in the mid‑1950s. His father, Khadim Mohyeddin, was known as a mathematician, musicologist, playwright and lyricist.
Career
Mohyeddin began his professional life on the stage. After completing his studies at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, he performed in a series of stage productions and made his West End debut in a run of A Passage to India at the Comedy Theatre in 1960. He also appeared in other notable stage works before moving into film and television.
His screen debut came in Urdu cinema with Rahguzar (1960). He gained international exposure with a credited role as Tafas in Lawrence of Arabia (1962) and went on to appear in a number of English‑language films across the 1960s and later decades. Notable film appearances include roles in Sammy Going South (1963), Khartoum (1966), Work Is a Four‑Letter Word (1968) and Immaculate Conception (1992).
On television he worked in both English and Urdu programmes. Early TV appearances included period work such as The Adventures of Sir Francis Drake (1962) and later roles in series like The Avengers (1966), Adam Adamant Lives! (1967), Gangsters (1978) and Bergerac (1984). In Pakistan he returned to host The Zia Mohyeddin Show from 1969 to 1973, a celebrity talk programme that became well known for its distinctive musical and spoken segments.
From 1973 to 1977 he served as director of the PIA Arts Academy. After disagreements with Pakistan’s political climate in the late 1970s, he spent substantial time in the United Kingdom through the 1980s, producing and presenting the multicultural magazine programme Here and Now for Central Television between 1986 and 1989. Over the course of almost five decades he worked extensively in the UK as an actor, broadcaster and producer.
In later years Mohyeddin became widely respected for his recitations. He travelled internationally giving readings of Urdu poetry and prose and was regarded as a leading interpreter of Urdu literature; he also delivered recitations of English letters and literature.
Public profile
Mohyeddin received civilian honours from Pakistan in recognition of his contributions to the arts. He was awarded the Sitara‑i‑Imtiaz (Star of Excellence) in 2003 and the Hilal‑i‑Imtiaz (Crescent of Excellence) in 2012. In 2017 the Pakistani community in Dubai honoured him with a Lifetime Achievement Award presented by the Pakistan Ambassador in the United Arab Emirates.
In 2005 he accepted an invitation from then‑President Pervez Musharraf to establish the National Academy of Performing Arts in Karachi; Mohyeddin served as the academy’s president after its formation.
Personal life
Mohyeddin held dual British and Pakistani citizenship. He was married three times. His first wife was Sarwar Zemani, with whom he had two children, Minos Ameer and Risha Ameen. His second marriage to Kathak dancer Nahid Siddiqui produced a son, Hassan "Moyo" Mohyeddin, who became a percussionist and music producer. In 1994 he entered his third marriage to Pakistani actress Azra Mohyeddin; a daughter, Aaliya Mohyeddin, was born to them in 2002.
Later years and death
After a long career spanning stage, screen and spoken‑word performance, Zia Mohyeddin died on 13 February 2023 in Karachi, Pakistan, following a period of chronic illness. He was 91 years old.
Latest updates
At the time of his passing Mohyeddin was remembered for his varied body of work across Pakistan and the United Kingdom, his role in founding the National Academy of Performing Arts, and his reputation as a preeminent reader of Urdu and English literary material.
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Recent Work
Pakistani television talk show hosted by Zia Mohyeddin between 1969 and 1973.
1969–1973Invited to establish and serve as president of the academy in Karachi beginning in 2005.
2005Producer and presenter of Central Television's multicultural weekly magazine programme in the UK.
1986–1989Career Highlights
- West End stage debut in A Passage to India (1960)
- Film debut in Rahguzar (1960) and appearance in Lawrence of Arabia (1962)
- Host of The Zia Mohyeddin Show (1969–1973)
- Director of the PIA Arts Academy (1973–1977)
- Founder and president of the National Academy of Performing Arts, Karachi (from 2005)
- Recipient of Sitara-i-Imtiaz (2003) and Hilal-i-Imtiaz (2012)
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Frequently Asked Questions
When was Zia Mohyeddin born?
Zia Mohyeddin was born on 20 June 1931.
What is Zia Mohyeddin known for?
Zia Mohyeddin is known for actor, producer, director, television broadcaster.
What is Zia Mohyeddin’s marital status?
Zia Mohyeddin's marital status is listed as Married (at time of death).
Who is Zia Mohyeddin married to?
Zia Mohyeddin is publicly listed as married to Azra Mohyeddin (third wife); formerly Sarwar Zemani and Nahid Siddiqui.
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