Zia Muhiuddin

Zia Muhiuddin was a British-Pakistani film actor, producer, director, and television broadcaster who appeared in both Pakistani cinema and television, as well as in British cinema and television throughout his career. He was born in Faisalabad, Punjab in 1931 and graduated from Government Islamia College Civil Lines, Lahore. He trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London from 1953 to 1955. He made his West End debut as Dr. Aziz in A Passage to India on 20 April 1960 at the Comedy Theatre. He also played the role of Tafas in Lawrence of Arabia in 1962. He then made numerous TV and film appearances in the UK and Pakistan. He hosted the popular television talk show The Zia Mohyeddin Show from 1969 to 1973, which featured his rap-style song segment. He also worked as a director at Pakistan Television Corporation and the Director General of the Urdu Science Board. He returned to the UK in the late 1970s and produced Central Television's flagship multicultural programme Here and Now from 1986 to 1989. He also appeared in The Jewel in the Crown, Lord Mountbatten - The Last Viceroy and Shalom Salaam. He received many awards for his literary work and screenplay for TV, including Pride of Performance, Sitara-e-Imtiaz, Tamgha-e-Imtiaz and Necip Fazil International Culture and Art Award. He also travelled the world promoting his Urdu poetry and prose recitations to international acclaim. He wrote a memoir, A Carrot is a Carrot: Memories and Reflection, which was published in 2012. He died in Karachi on 13 February 2023, at the age of 91. He was survived by his wife, four children and a large number of fans who admired his work and legacy.