Balochistan is back in the limelight, owing to Dhurandhar. The film is set in Lyari, a Karachi neighbourhood that Baloch populations have historically controlled. However, many people are unaware that Balochistan had already influenced Bollywood from behind the scenes, even before it became a topic of discussion onscreen.
Which actors originated from Balochistan?
Balochistan has produced some of Bollywood's most memorable names, including performers who defined eras and writers who wrote some of the most quoted sentences in Hindi cinema.
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Suresh Oberoi
Suresh Oberoi was born in Quetta in 1946, and his family relocated to India, where he began his career in radio and modelling, rather than on film sets. When he first appeared in Bollywood, he quickly established himself as one of the industry's most dependable actors.
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In over 135 films, Oberoi played police officers, conflicted fathers, mentors, and moral anchors with ease. His grounded presence served as the emotional core for films such as Mirch Masala, Tezaab, and Gadar: Ek Prem Katha.
Oberoi was fluent in numerous languages, including Punjabi, Pashto, Hindi, Urdu, and English, and his cultural fluency represented his heritage. Later, he entered politics, joining the BJP in 2004, demonstrating his power beyond cinema.
Suresh is also the father of Vivek Oberoi, a well-known Bollywood actor who has appeared in multiple successful films.
Kader Khan
Few people have had as much influence on the language of Bollywood as Kader Khan. Khan, who was born in Kabul to a Pashtun family with roots in Pishin, Balochistan, later relocated to Mumbai and started working as a civil engineering professor. Cinema discovered him practically by chance, but once it did, it never let go.
From his acting debut in 1973's Daag to over 300 films, Khan was associated with comedy, tension, and charisma. More notably, he scripted dialogue for over 250 films.
Amar Akbar Anthony, Agneepath, and Hum's comments continue to ring true decades later. Kader Khan, who received many Filmfare awards and the Padma Shri posthumously in 2019, continues to be one of Bollywood's finest narrative cornerstones.
Amjad Khan
Amjad Khan, born in Quetta in 1940, became iconic thanks to Gabbar Singh's performance in Sholay. However, he was so much more. Khan did more than 130 films, and he demonstrated range, intensity and a unique command over dialogue delivery.
His voice, cadence, and screen presence transformed the Hindi film villain, making them more complex and memorable. Even when he directed films later in life, his sense of performance and timing remained intact.
Raaj Kumar
Raaj Kumar, born Kulbhushan Pandit in Loralai in 1926, had an unusual path to the film industry. He was a former Mumbai police officer who walked into films with an unmistakable authority. Over 70 films, including Mother India, Waqt, Pakeezah, and Saudagar, Raaj Kumar developed a theatrical, poetic, and clearly own style.
His rich voice and intentional pauses transformed conversations into spectacular occurrences. Even now, his performances seem larger than life.