Naeem Tahir is a legend of Pakistan. He is an actor, columnist and public speaker. He comes from a legendary family who was all related to arts and he has given many hits that will be remembered for ages. His sons Faran Tahir and Ali Tahir are both established actors and they are also taking the legacy of art forward with their work.
Pakistani artists have borne so many difficulties in their lives and most were never even documented. Talking in Wasi Shah’s Zabardast, Naeem Tahir revealed the biggest regret in his life and the pain he felt till this day. He shared that he was heading Arts Council in 1972 and it was taken over by the state. His mother got really sick at the time and she was taken abroad for surgery. She wanted to see him as her condition got serious but he was threatened that if he even tried to leave Pakistan, an FIR would be lodged against him. The person who took over his seat used to get favours from him in the past and later on blocked his travel. His mother died at the time and he was not able to see her in the end. This is a regret that he carries till today.
Here is what he shared:
He also talked about the trauma the family had to go through when his father-in-law and legendary writer Imtiaz Ali Taj was murdered. This is another case where Pakistan lost a big name and the wounds still run deep. Faran Tahir shared how he felt as a 7 year old when he saw his grandmother on the bed, his mother having fainted due to sadness and thinking that why would someone kill his sweet grandfather. Naeem shared that he had given blood while in hospital and the storekeeper had went away and Taj Sahab could not get the required blood.
This is what they shared: