Much has already been said and discussed about the life and career of Abdul Rauf Khalid who sadly passed away on Nov 24.
He was an accomplished actor, film-maker and TV writer/director largely made popular as a household name with Angaar Wadi, a play focusing on the atrocities committed by Indian forces in the scenic Kashmir valley.
Of Peshawar origins, Rauf died in a tragic traffic accident on a Thursday and according to reliable reports by the Motorway police officials, he received fatal injuries in a traffic accident near Sheikhupura while he was on his way to Islamabad from Lahore. According to official sources, the police shifted him to a hospital where he succumbed to his severe injuries. Thus came to end a glorious innings of the creator and writer of hugely popular TV serials Angar Wadi and Laag, not to forget the ever-popular 1991 comedy sitcom, Guest House among others.
According to an online source, he was a former serviceman and the founding president and chancellor of the National Institute of Cultural Studies, Lok Virsa Islamabad, and had a keen interest in the arts as he was also a painter besides being a lyricist, public speaker and an educationist.
Lately, however, Rauf had supposedly taken a backseat from his showbiz pursuits and was engaged with matters more personal in nature. On the fateful day of the accident, as per media reports, he was supposedly returning after visiting his daughter who studies at Lums in Lahore.
If certain quarters are to be believed, there was a point in time during his film-making career that Rauf Khalid sincerely hoped that Julia Roberts would work with him on a film project and he extended an invitation to her to visit Pakistan to discuss the project at length. However, it was not to be and the much-sought after Hollywood actress declined on the grounds of prior commitments.