Zafar Iqbal still in the hearts of the fans

Today is the 31st death anniversary of the evergreen actor, musician, and freedom fighter in the golden period of Dhaka movie Zafar Iqbal. Zafar Iqbal was a full-fledged artist with a combination of voice, acting, fashion, and style. He was considered a fashion icon of the youth in the eighties. The scope of his artistry is wide as an impeccable actor as well as a singer and stylish man. Hero-singer Zafar Iqbal is like an evergreen symbol. He is still in the hearts of the fans.

Singer

Iqbal learned to play guitar in the 1970s. He formed his own band Rambling Stone in 1966 with two of his friends named Mukit & Akash. The band used to perform regularly at the hotel InterContinental Dhaka. Music director Robin Ghosh hired him as a session guitarist for his upcoming film ‘Pitch Dhala Poth’.

He has sung several songs in BTV’s Anandamela. In the mid-eighties, he released a solo album called ‘Ken Tumi Kandale’ with his own songs. On BTV, Zafar Iqbal performed ‘Sukhe Theko O Amar Nandini, Hoye Karo Gharni’. Zafar Iqbal sang on BTV’s Silver Jubilee celebrations, “Ek Hridoyhinar Kachhe Hridoyer ki Dam Ache’.

Zafar Iqbal has sung about 200 songs. His list of impeccable songs includes ‘Tumi Amar Jibon’, Hoy Jodi Bodnam Hok Aro’, ‘Keno Tumi Kadale’, and others.

Actor

During a music show, director Khan Ataur Rahman met Iqbal and offered him work as an actor in a lead role for the film ‘Apan Por’. Then he entered the film industry with the film Khan Ata’s ‘Apon Por’ in 1969. Here he acted opposite actress Kobori. He acted in about 150 films. Notable films he has acted in are `Apon Por`, ` Shadharon Meye `, `Eki Onge Eto Rup`, `Ferari`, `Mastan`, `Ek Mutho Bhat`, `Surjo Grohon`, `Fakir Maznu Shah`, `Noyoner Alo`, `Bodnaam`, `Abujh Hridoy`, `Bhai Bondhu`, `Shontrash`, `Chorer Bou`, `Obodan`, `Mama Bhagne`, `Shonkhonil Karagar` and others.

Freedom Fighter

Zafar Iqbal took an active part in the Liberation War in 1971. Just as he drove out the Pakistani aggressors with arms on the battlefield, so he enchanted the admirers with his acting, song, and style magic in the shows of independent Bangladesh.

The buzz of love

Zafar Iqbal and Babita, a successful couple on screen, were rumored to be in love. They acted in about 30 films together. It is said that Zafar Iqbal fell ill due to excessive drinking due to broken love. Many people said that Zafar Iqbal sang the song ‘Sukhe Theko O Amar Nandini Hye Karo Gharani’ for Babita. Although neither Babita nor Zafar Iqbal ever spoke about love.

Death

He succumbed to cancer. His heart and kidneys were damaged. Popular hero Zafar Iqbal died on January 8, 1992. Zafar Iqbal, the protagonist of this life story, who passed away prematurely crying, is lying in eternal sleep in the Azimpur graveyard of Dhaka.