Mehmood Akhtar

Mehmood Akhtar is a Pakistani actor, director, screenwriter, poet and singer from Karachi. He appeared in many dramas and sitcoms.

Early life and education

Akhtar was born and raised in Karachi, Pakistan and spent his childhood in Karachi near the Jubilee Cinema area, a hub of film culture in the city’s earlier days. During his youth he attended St. Patrick’s College, Karachi, where he completed a Bachelor of Commerce (B.Com.) before entering the entertainment world.

After training as a musician with Feroz Nizami, Akhtar began his career as a singer in 1969 before switching to acting in 1976.

Entertainment career

Television

Television series

Akhtar has been active as an actor on television since the early 1980s; he played the lead role in PTV's Anarkali (1988), which was the acting debut of Zeba Bakhtiar.

In 2004, he acted in Moorat as an eunuch and also wrote the lyrics of the theme song, Bewafa Zamane Main Pyaar Dhoondhne Walo, with the music composed by Waqar Ali and sung by Tina Sani.

He starred in Mere Meherbaan, a romantic drama series, on Hum TV in 2014. It was directed by Farooq Rind and written by Maha Malik and produced by 7th Sky Entertainment banner.

Telefilms

In the early 2000s, he played a negative role in Indus TV's telefilm Firon, being the main antagonist.

In 2024, during the Eid Al-Adha celebrations, Pakistani channels aired many tele films including Jodi Ban Gayi with Saba Faisal and Mehmood Akhtar playing key roles.

Films

In 2018, Akhtar directed Na Band Na Baraati, a rom-com entirely shot in Canada.

Theatre

In 2024, Akhtar wrote and directed the play Aik Funkar 300 Beemar, a family comedy drama. In January 2025, it was staged in Toronto, Canada.

Other work

Poetry

In addition to his acting career, Akhtar has also been involved in Urdu poetry. He has identified himself publicly as a poet and has recited his own verses in television talk shows and public appearances. During a 2025 interview on the comedy talk show Mazaq Raat, Akhtar spoke about his interest in poetry and recited lines of his own work; during the show, his ghazal "Bewafa Sang-e-Dil" was sung by Aoun Ali Khan, whose later father Nazakat Ali had sung it as well.

Selected filmography

Television series

Films

Telefilms