Gul Hamid

Gul Hamid or Gul Hamid Khan (born 1905) was an Indian film actor. He started his acting career in silent films and later played leading roles in talkies. He had many honors to his credit. He acted in Heer Ranjha, the first film produced in Punjabi and in Seeta, a talkie that won an honorary diploma in the 1934 Venice Film Festival and that was also the first Indian film shown at an International film festival. Hamid also wrote the script, acted in, and directed the film Khyber Pass (1936 film). Hamid died of Hodgkin's Disease in 1936.

Gul Hamid was born in Pirpiai, a village near the Kabul River in the North West Frontier Province of British India (now in Pakistan). His father was Saif Ullah Khan. Gul Hamid Khan had three brothers named Abdul Hameed Khan, Gul Jamal Khan and Sayed Jamal Khan. Gul Hamid Khan was married to Patience Cooper (later Sabra Begum) from 1930–1936, one of the first early silent movie actors.

"Gul Hamid, a handsome young man from Peshawar, became an all-India celebrity when A.R.Kardar cast him in his hit movie. It is said that the movie industry never again saw an actor with Gul Hamid’s looks". He made his film debut with Sarfarosh alias Brave Hearts in 1930, which was a silent movie made in Lahore & directed by A. R. Kardar. In 1931, his films Aatishe Ishq and Wandering Dancer were released.

Gul Hamid also had the honour of working in the first ever Punjabi feature film Heer Ranjha released in 1932. This film was made in Lahore and directed by A.R.Kardar.

In 1933, his film Yahudi Ki Ladki was released based on Agha Hashar Kashmiri's play Yahudi ki larki.

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