# Iftekhar (इफ़्तेख़ार)
**Iftekhar** (इफ़्तेख़ार), full name Syedna Iftekhar Ahmed Sharif, was an Indian actor who worked mainly in [Hindi cinema](https://www.edgepedia.org/hindi-cinema), in a career that ran from the 1940s to the early 1990s and included more than 400 films[1](https://informasilengkap.com/en/Iftekhar). He is best remembered for his roles as police officers, most famously the Police Commissioner Singh of *Zanjeer* (1973) and DSP D'Silva of *Don* (1978)[2](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/iftikhar).
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Full name | Syedna Iftekhar Ahmed Sharif, credited mononymously as Iftekhar or Iftikhar[1](https://informasilengkap.com/en/Iftekhar) |
| Born | 22 February 1920 in Jullundur (Jalandhar), Punjab, British India, per TMDB-derived records[3](https://www.archytele.com/person/iftekhar); Cinemaazi gives 22 February 1922[4](https://cinemaazi.com/people/iftekhar) |
| Died | 4 March 1995 in Bombay, per Cinemaazi and TMDB-derived records[4](https://cinemaazi.com/people/iftekhar) • [3](https://www.archytele.com/person/iftekhar); one source gives 1 March 1995[1](https://informasilengkap.com/en/Iftekhar) |
| Output | Over 400 films from the 1940s to the early 1990s[1](https://informasilengkap.com/en/Iftekhar); a TMDB-derived count lists 190 screen credits between 1945 and 1992[3](https://www.archytele.com/person/iftekhar) |
| Signature roles | Police Commissioner Singh in *Zanjeer* (1973), DSP D'Silva in *Don* (1978), smuggler Mulk Raj Daavar in *Deewaar* (1975)[2](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/iftikhar) |
| Police roles | About 75 appearances as a police officer, against the 144 of Jagdish Raj, the record holder[5](https://english.loktej.com/article/338/iftekhar--a-talented-artist-and-chess-player-who-became-hindi-cinema-s-stock-policeman) |
| Other talents | Trained painter; singer spotted by composer Kamal Dasgupta; taught Ashok Kumar French, chess, and painting[5](https://english.loktej.com/article/338/iftekhar--a-talented-artist-and-chess-player-who-became-hindi-cinema-s-stock-policeman) |
| Spouse | Hannah Joseph, a Jewish girl who converted to Islam and was rechristened Rehana Ahmed[6](https://www.indianfilmhistory.com/actor/iftekhar) |
## Life and entry into films
Sources disagree on Iftekhar's birth details. TMDB-derived records, Rotten Tomatoes, and Apple TV give 22 February 1920, with the TMDB-derived profile placing his birth in Jullundur, Punjab, British India[3](https://www.archytele.com/person/iftekhar) • [2](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/iftikhar); Cinemaazi gives 22 February 1922 in [Jalandhar](https://www.edgepedia.org/jalandhar)[4](https://cinemaazi.com/people/iftekhar), and one reference work gives 26 February 1922[1](https://informasilengkap.com/en/Iftekhar). His death is dated 4 March 1995 by most sources[4](https://cinemaazi.com/people/iftekhar) • [3](https://www.archytele.com/person/iftekhar), with one giving 1 March 1995[1](https://informasilengkap.com/en/Iftekhar).
He began work in his father's firm in Kanpur and passed through several office jobs before he was spotted singing at a function in Kolkata by the composer Kamal Dasgupta, who recorded two songs with him for a private album and recommended him for an acting role in the 1944 film *Taqrar*, the start of a film career that lasted half a century[7](https://www.abplive.com/entertainment/iftekhar-bollywood-favourite-cop-was-also-an-exceptional-singer-and-painter-1846842). He had studied painting, and in Bombay he met [Ashok Kumar](https://www.edgepedia.org/ashok-kumar), who helped establish him in the film industry and became a lifelong friend; Iftekhar taught Ashok Kumar French and chess, encouraged him to take up painting, and popularized the nickname 'Dadamoni', which had previously been used only by the actor's family[5](https://english.loktej.com/article/338/iftekhar--a-talented-artist-and-chess-player-who-became-hindi-cinema-s-stock-policeman). His wife was Hannah Joseph, a Jewish girl who converted to Islam and took the name Rehana Ahmed[6](https://www.indianfilmhistory.com/actor/iftekhar).
## Career and the police-officer image
Iftekhar acted in over 400 films in a career spanning from the 1940s through the early 1990s[1](https://informasilengkap.com/en/Iftekhar). Cinemaazi counts more than 300 films across roughly five decades, from 1938 to 1992, with about 70 films in the 1950s and 1960s alone[4](https://cinemaazi.com/people/iftekhar). He began by playing leading roles but found his success in character parts as relatives, judges, and doctors[4](https://cinemaazi.com/people/iftekhar).
His defining screen persona was the upright police officer. He played a police officer in *Ab Dilli Dur Nahin* (1957), before appearing in [Yash Chopra](https://www.edgepedia.org/yash-chopra)'s suspense thriller *Ittefaq* (1969), starring [Rajesh Khanna](https://www.edgepedia.org/rajesh-khanna) and Nanda, and, according to a Hindi-language account, the role suited him so well that filmmakers afterward offered him mostly police parts[8](https://www.jagran.com/entertainment/bollywood-veteran-actor-iftekhar-ahmed-sharif-played-75-times-police-role-in-movies-like-don-40166033.html) • [5](https://english.loktej.com/article/338/iftekhar--a-talented-artist-and-chess-player-who-became-hindi-cinema-s-stock-policeman). He played inspectors, DSPs, SPs, and commissioners in films including *Ab Dilli Dur Nahin* (1957), *Guide* (1965), *Teesri Manzil* (1966), *Ittefaq* (1969), *Johny Mera Naam* (1970), *Hare Rama Hare Krishna* (1971), *Zanjeer* (1973), *Majboor* (1974), *Don* (1978), and *Krodhi* (1981)[5](https://english.loktej.com/article/338/iftekhar--a-talented-artist-and-chess-player-who-became-hindi-cinema-s-stock-policeman). His body language, dialogue delivery, and bearing in these roles were such that he was stereotyped as a policeman for the rest of his career[6](https://www.indianfilmhistory.com/actor/iftekhar).
The count of these roles is a matter of comparison with his near-contemporary [Jagdish Raj](https://www.edgepedia.org/jagdish-raj), who holds the Hindi-film record with 144 police-officer appearances; Iftekhar played about 75[5](https://english.loktej.com/article/338/iftekhar--a-talented-artist-and-chess-player-who-became-hindi-cinema-s-stock-policeman). His wife Hina said real policemen accepted him as one of their own[9](https://ndtv.in/bollywood/iftikhar-played-police-officer-role-in-over-400-films-even-real-police-salute-him-11489905?pfrom=movies-topstories).
## Notable roles beyond the uniform
Iftekhar appeared in many of the classics of 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s Hindi cinema: [Bimal Roy](https://www.edgepedia.org/bimal-roy)'s *Bandini*, [Raj Kapoor](https://www.edgepedia.org/raj-kapoor)'s *Sangam*, Manoj Kumar's *[Shaheed](https://www.edgepedia.org/shaheed-1965-film)*, *Teesri Manzil*, *Teesri Kasam*, *Johny Mera Naam*, *Haré Rama Haré Krishna*, *Don*, *The Gambler* (1971), *Ankhiyon Ke Jharokhon Se* (1978), and *Sholay*[1](https://informasilengkap.com/en/Iftekhar). He also played against type: the smuggler Mulk Raj Daavar in *Deewaar* (1975), and the villainous Black Cobra masquerading as Inspector Bhupinder Singh in *Khel Khel Mein* (1975), a twist the audience did not see coming because his face was so firmly associated with the police[2](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/iftikhar) • [6](https://www.indianfilmhistory.com/actor/iftekhar). Cinemaazi also lists negative roles in *Bandini* (1963) and *Sawan Bhadon* (1970)[4](https://cinemaazi.com/people/iftekhar).
His painting reached the screen as well: his artwork appeared in the title credits of the [Kishore Kumar](https://www.edgepedia.org/kishore-kumar) film *Door Gagan Ki Chhaon Mein* (1964)[4](https://cinemaazi.com/people/iftekhar).
## Assessment
Writers on Hindi cinema place Iftekhar among the character actors whose names in the credits added value to a film, alongside [Balraj Sahni](https://www.edgepedia.org/balraj-sahni), Jayant, Rehman, and [Om Prakash](https://www.edgepedia.org/om-prakash); one IANS column notes that while he did varied roles, he made a strong presence playing a no-nonsense top cop[10](https://www.sacnilk.com/news/IANS_Sunday_Special_The_Return_Of_The_Character_Actor_Column_B_Town). [The Indian Express](https://www.edgepedia.org/the-indian-express) counts him among the actors who lent credibility to the character-actor moniker in an industry that stereotyped the category in the 1970s and 1980s[11](https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/mumbai/hero-by-character-2/). He continued acting until near the end of his life, and was much affected by his daughter's death in 1995[5](https://english.loktej.com/article/338/iftekhar--a-talented-artist-and-chess-player-who-became-hindi-cinema-s-stock-policeman).
## References
1. [Iftekhar — Filmography & Biography, informasilengkap](https://informasilengkap.com/en/Iftekhar)
2. [Iftekhar Movies List, Rotten Tomatoes](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/iftikhar)
3. [Iftekhar: Movies, TV Shows & Biography — archytele (TMDB data)](https://www.archytele.com/person/iftekhar)
4. [Iftekhar — Artists, Cinemaazi](https://cinemaazi.com/people/iftekhar)
5. [Iftekhar: A talented artist and chess player who became Hindi cinema's stock policeman, Loktej English](https://english.loktej.com/article/338/iftekhar--a-talented-artist-and-chess-player-who-became-hindi-cinema-s-stock-policeman)
6. [Iftekhar — Filmography & Biography, Indian Film History](https://www.indianfilmhistory.com/actor/iftekhar)
7. [पेंटर और सिंगर बनने की थी ख्वाहिश, ये कलाकार बना फिल्मों का मशहूर इंस्पेक्टर, ABP Live](https://www.abplive.com/entertainment/iftekhar-bollywood-favourite-cop-was-also-an-exceptional-singer-and-painter-1846842)
8. [400 से ज्यादा फिल्में, 75 बार बना पुलिस ऑफिसर, Dainik Jagran](https://www.jagran.com/entertainment/bollywood-veteran-actor-iftekhar-ahmed-sharif-played-75-times-police-role-in-movies-like-don-40166033.html)
9. [Iftikhar played police officer role in over 400 films even real police salute him, NDTV India](https://ndtv.in/bollywood/iftikhar-played-police-officer-role-in-over-400-films-even-real-police-salute-him-11489905?pfrom=movies-topstories)
10. [IANS Sunday Special: The Return Of The Character Actor, Sacnilk](https://www.sacnilk.com/news/IANS_Sunday_Special_The_Return_Of_The_Character_Actor_Column_B_Town)
11. [Hero by Character, The Indian Express](https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/mumbai/hero-by-character-2/)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Films and standalone screen works › Film people and crafts › Film actors and performers › Indian and South Asian film actors by industry and language › Hindi film actors, 1930s–1960s*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 18, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Sep 18, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license