Javed Sheikh Opens Up About Challenges

News Desk

Islamabad: Veteran Pakistani actor Javed Sheikh has spoken about the personal and professional challenges he says followed his three-year marriage to actress Salma Agha, including missed opportunities in Bollywood and Lollywood.

In a recent interview with a YouTube channel, Sheikh reflected on his past marriages and relationships, offering insights into a period of his career that he believes was affected by his association with Agha.

Sheikh said he married Agha in 1980 following the end of his first marriage to actress Zeenat Mangi. According to him, his marriage to Agha lasted around three years before the couple divorced.

Discussing the impact of the relationship on his acting career, Sheikh claimed that Agha objected to some of his professional opportunities and that he consequently missed roles in major film productions in India and Pakistan.

He recalled that he had initially been considered for a leading role opposite actress Rekha in the Bollywood film Khoon Bhari Maang, but claimed that he was eventually replaced by Kabir Bedi following objections from Agha.

Sheikh also referred to another Bollywood project, saying that he was initially associated with a role in Bangkok Thief but was eventually replaced by actor Izhar Qazi.

According to Sheikh, his frequent trips to India with Agha also affected his availability for Pakistani film projects. He said local filmmakers sometimes turned to other actors when he was unavailable.

The veteran actor also reflected on his first marriage to Zeenat Mangi, saying that the relationship also lasted three years. The couple have two children, daughter Momal Sheikh and son Fahad Sheikh.

Sheikh and Agha did not have children together. Agha, who has also had multiple marriages, has children from her other relationships and worked in both India and Pakistan during her career.

Sheikh’s remarks have brought renewed attention to the lesser-known personal and professional chapters of his long career in the Pakistani and Indian film industries.