ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Caretaker Federal Minister for National Heritage and Culture, Jamal Shah, on Tuesday visited the residences of veteran actor Firdous Jamal and eminent miniature painter Ustad Bashir Ahmed to honor their significant contributions to the field of art. The minister spent time with both figures, expressing admiration for their work and inquiring about their health.
Firdous Jamal, a cancer survivor currently undergoing treatment, and Ustad Bashir Ahmed, who is facing various health complications, were lauded by the federal minister for their remarkable roles in the art and drama industry of the country. The minister spent some time with both well-known figures, and admired their work for the country. The minister, who himself is a renowned actor, film producer, and sculptor, expressed pride in meeting these icons and acknowledged their contributions.
Appreciating their tremendous role in the field of art and drama, the federal minister said that he was delighted and proud to meet the two Icons who contributed a lot to the miniature painting, film, and drama industry in the country.
Jamal Shah assured both legends of his full support and cooperation, indicating that their experiences would be valuable in any future artistic endeavors, including drama-related work.
Living Legend Ustad Bashir Ahmed
Ustad Bashir Ahmed, a prolific and significant miniature artist, has played a crucial role in reviving and promoting the art of miniature painting. His innovative approaches to traditional techniques and materials have gained recognition globally. Due to his tiring efforts and contribution miniature paintings became a major subject for specialization at the National College of Arts (NCA), Islamabad.
His works cover the original Persian and Mughal miniature techniques and he mostly conducted bold attempts to challenge and break through the conventional format in order to express the ‘miniature’ in terms of tone and new materials rather than mere surface decoration.
He is respected and well-recognized worldwide for his exceptional command over traditional techniques of miniature painting.
Contributions of Firdous Jamal
Firdous Jamal, a versatile actor and recipient of the Pride of Performance award, has left a lasting impact on the showbiz industry. His innate and spontaneous acting style has resonated with viewers across generations. Having been a prominent figure in Pakistani television, theatre, stage, and film for over four decades, Jamal’s acting is highly regarded for its depth and authenticity.
He ruled the television industry for more than four decades starting from 70’s to the contemporary era. His versatile, profound, subtle, and genuine acting is unanimously acknowledged as the gem of living performances for all generations to come. The Showbiz critics always rate him as one of the actors who has the ability to involve and indulge himself in all kinds of characters to leave a subtle impact on the minds of the viewers.
