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Moin Akhtar’s rise was not rapid. His fame grew through word-of-mouth, especially on his home turf in Karachi. - Photo by White Star.
Moin Akhtar, who passed away in Karachi on April 22, was perhaps one of the best known names in comic acting in the subcontinent.
I say this because even the great Indian film legend, Dilip Kumar, once remarked that ‘Moin Akhtar’s great artistry is worth copying.’
But Moin Akhtar was a lot more than just a comic. Beginning his long career as an impersonator, he went on to become a much appreciated stand-up comedian, TV, film and stage actor, talk-show host and then ultimately, going back to doing impersonations.
Surprisingly, not much is available on the man’s life in terms of a biography or a detailed study of this prolific artiste, even though he remained to be the country’s leading comic talent ever since the 1970s.
But Moin Akhtar’s gradual ascend towards stardom and legendary status was also wrought with some devastating failures that took a toll on the man’s health.
He arrived onto the scene at a time when Pakistan, like the rest of the world, too was about to enter a period in the 1960s when urban youth had begun to question the materialism and conservative politics of their parents and were demanding more breathing space to practice their new artistic and political ideas.
Moin Akhtar’s rise was not rapid. His fame grew through word-of-mouth, especially on his home turf in Karachi.
He had been impersonating his teachers and famous Pakistani film actors in school when all of a sudden he was called up by the organisers of a Pakistan Day event at a club in Karachi in 1966. He was just 16 years old.
When his turn came to perform on stage, he did what he was already doing in school. But this time, he added a new act to his impersonation repertoire – that of the famous Pakistani film actor, Mohammad Ali.
Ali had been popular for his loud emotional scenes and a booming voice, and when Moin Akhtar impersonated and mimicked all this to perfection (also adding his own twists and bits), the crowd at the event is said to have erupted in laughter. They had never seen or heard anything like this.
Word about Moin Akhtar’s antics spread and he soon became a popular draw at ‘variety shows’ at universities, colleges and parties.
It is also interesting to note that even though Pakistan’s campuses in the late 1960s had begun to vibrate with fiery uprisings against the Ayub Khan dictatorship, Moin Akhtar mostly kept his act apolitical, concentrating on mimicking and revolving his skits around famous film personalities.
Although he managed to make a modest living doing such shows, his first big break came when in 1970, a 20-year-old Moin Akhtar was invited to perform at the time’s most popular primetime stage show on Pakistan Television (PTV).
Called the ‘Zia Mohyeddin Show’ and hosted by the now famous intellectual Zia Mohyeddin, Moin Akhtar left the audience in stitches when he mimicked the voices of those who had presented PTV’s special transmission during the country’s first democratic elections in 1970.
This was also one of the first few occasions he had come face-to-face with Anwar Maqsood.
Anwar Maqsood had been working as a scriptwriter for the show, but would go on to became a famous satirist and struck a celebrated abiding partnership with the comic genius.
But all this would shape up a decade later. After his successful stint on the ‘Zia Mohyeddin Show,’ Moin Akhtar became a permanent fixture on PTV, even going on to host his own show called ‘Monday Kay Monday.’
Surprisingly, not many acting offers came his way from either TV or film. He continued working as a mimic and impersonator but got a career boost when in 1973, he pulled off a hugely successful show at Karachi’s famous Beach Luxury Hotel where apart from exhibiting his highly improvised impersonation of the time’s famous film stars, he also began impersonating the cultural idiosyncrasies of the many different ethnicities that resided in Pakistan.
It is said that he was one of the first Pakistani comics to do so, an act that would successfully be carried forward by the likes of famous PTV comics, Majid Jehangir, Ismail Tara, Umar Sharif and Liaquat Soldier.
As Moin Akhtar maintained his presence in the public eye as a young comic through various shows on PTV, his main income came from doing private shows for multinationals and colleges.
However, though still ignored by PTV for his acting potential, in 1975 Moin Akhtar finally got an offer to work in a film.
By the mid-1970s the Pakistan film industry had begun to hit a peak, producing an average of 200 films a year (mostly in Urdu, but also in Punjabi, Gujrati, Sindhi and Pashtu).
The film that Moin Akhtar appeared in was called ‘Tajdar,’ and his role of a typical Lollywood maskhara (jester), could not save the film from being a flop. But the failure didn’t stop Moin Akhtar’s ascendancy to stardom.
During the lack of acting offers from TV and film, Moin Akhtar continued to brush up and fatten his mimicry and hosting skills, and he continued to be a popular draw at private events and club shows, also doing his bit on various PTV shows.
He had also been working in commercial theatre. This form of theatre, over which men like Umar Sharif would rule, was still in its infancy.
Luck seemed to have bypassed him again when in 1978 young director Shoaib Mansoor (who would go on to become a prominent TV and film director), began casting actors for a comedy skit show on PTV.
Moin Akhtar should have been an automatic choice, but Mansoor and the show’s scriptwriter, Anwar Maqsood, instead went for relatively unknown stage actors from Karachi, such as Majid Jehangir, Ismail Tara and Zeba Shahnaz. Some like Sakhi Kamal were studying at the University of Karachi and were also politically active there.
Nevertheless, the show, ‘Fifty-Fifty’ was an instant hit. Inspired by the more sophisticated satire show, Shoaib Hashmi’s ‘Such Gup’ (1973-76) – that had been banned by the new military dictatorship in 1977 – ‘Fifty-Fifty’ mixed sophisticated wit with populist humour, parodying the bureaucracy, ethnic idiosyncrasies, the declining standards of the film industry and PTV itself. It ran from 1978 until 1984.
It succeeded in swimming through even the most repressive censorship laws imposed by the Zia dictatorship.
Moin Akhtar’s destiny could have turned out to be quite different had Anwar Maqsood not quit the ‘Fifty-Fifty’ team after experiencing a fall-out with its director and actors in 1981.
As Ismail Tara and Majid Jehangir took over the writing duties of ‘Fifty-Fifty,’ Anwar Maqsood went on to script and appeared on a series of his own shows (also on PTV) such as ‘Show Time,’ ‘Shoshah,’ ‘Silver Jubilee,’ etc.
For these he chose two central comedians, Moin Akhtar and Bushra Ansari. It was during these shows that Moin Akhtar really blossomed into a diversified comic.
The duo played a number of fictitious characters, mouthing witty scripts jotted down by Anwar Maqsood, who too became famous for successfully dodging the censors with tongue-in-cheek remarks that were actually taunts aimed at the Zia regime and its overbearing moralities.
This was also the first time Moin Akhtar saw himself doing socio-political scripts. Slowly but surely, he was finally emerging from his status as a cult favorite and onto the mainstream as a versatile comic.
The 1980s had been rather fruitful. Moin Akhtar had risen from being a cult star and master mimic to becoming a regular skit actor on various successful Anwar Maqsood projects.
And even though he still did not manage to get regular work as an actor, he had begun to venture into the lucrative comedy theatre scene that had begun to grow in Karachi and Lahore.
Nevertheless, after the demise of the Ziaul Haq dictatorship and the return of democracy in Pakistan in 1988, three performances by Moin Akhtar (between 1988 and 1993) finally handed him the stardom his talents had always promised and deserved.
First, it was his role in a wonderfully done comedy play on PTV called, ‘Eid Train.’ Aired on the night of the first day of Eid in 1989, it captured Moin Akhtar playing his now trademark character of a loudmouthed, straight-talking (but skinny) Karachiite. The play was a huge hit.
Then there was his laudable performance as an aged writer in a long-play (for PTV), penned by Anwar Maqsood called ‘Half-Plate,’ in which Moin Akhtar plays an old writer who is suffering from a financial crises but refuses to take up his ancestral profession of a kabaabchi (cook).
Starring alongside Moin Akhtar in the play was the great actress, late Khalida Riyasat and the fidgety late Jamshed Ansari. Incidentally, the fourth main actor of the play, the versatile Latif Kapadia, too is no more in this world.
But perhaps the most well-known acting performance from Moin Akhtar was a 1993 play on PTV called ‘Rozy.’
Moin Akhtar was now dishing out a series of great acting performances, as if making up for the all those times his acting skills were ignored. His performance in ‘Rozy’ in this respect saw him hit a peak.
Written by playwright and journalist Imran Aslam, ‘Rozy’ was an ambitious adaptation of Dustin Hoffman’s famous Hollywood hit, ‘Tootsie.’
‘Tootsie’ shows a struggling actor dressing up as a woman to get a part in a soap opera.
Aslam took the plot of ‘Tootsie’ and wittily turned it into a statement against the kind of harassment women face in the workplace.
Moin Akhtar intensely played the role of the struggling angry-young-actor who dons make-up and women’s attire to land a part in a TV serial.
Moin Akthar had finally mushroomed into a star performer. The only other Pakistani comic that dared to be compared to his caliber was Umar Sharif, who too had broken out from his cult status and gained mainstream popularity, mainly through commercial theatre.
But Umar’s comedy was more populist, rapidly using Karachi’s street lingo and imagery, whereas Moin Akhtar still kept a middle-class sensibility about his acts.
Nevertheless, when Umar directed, scripted and acted in his own film in the early 1990s, Moin Akhtar followed suit.
Umar’s film became a box-office hit, and Moin Akhtar, fresh from his successful acting exploits on TV, invested heavily in his own film called ‘Mr.K2.’
Unfortunately the film turned out to be a financial and critical disaster. Friends suggest that this colossal failure took a heavy toll on the comic genius who was also a heavy-smoker and loved to stay up nights with friends and colleagues.
A reckless and unhealthy lifestyle coupled by his workaholic nature and the failure of his film venture led him to suffer a heart attack. He got a by-pass done in 1997 but returned to regain what he had lost.
He began hosting celebrity shows, but it was Anwar Maqsood’s satirical talk-show, ‘Loose Talk,’ that brought him back into the limelight.
A parody of BBC’s ‘Hard Talk,’ Anwar Maqsood would play Pakistan’s version of Tim Sebastian week after week, talking to all sorts of fictional characters, from politicians and maulvis, to heroin addicts and businessmen – all of them played with ingenious insight and hilarity by Moin Akhtar.
It is said Moin Akhtar had played more than 200 different characters on the hit show!
Alas, this mind-boggling exhibition of versatility was to be this comic genius’ last great hurrah before his death from a heart-attack at the age of 60.
Nadeem F. Paracha is a cultural critic and senior columnist for Dawn Newspaper and Dawn.com
Pakistan losses its Laughter When it needed Most
Dhundo gay Ager Mulkon Mulkon, Milney kay Nahin Nayaab hain Hum
very Big loss of Pakistan
Please pray for Long Life of Mr.Umar Sharif, Now he is only Legend left in Pakistan.
A legend, a big loss for nation!
We will miss you.
May Allah give him Peace in afterlife. Ameen
A great Actor, A great Human, A Great Pakistani
MOIN AKTAR
We will miss you..
May Allah Bless You
Truly gifted talented entertainer,made us laugh for four decade
we will miss him for a longtime to come.
RIP. Moin…
Nicely written biography – moin was a legend, he will be sorely missed
I am in shock and in total disbelief, as how can a person, who made millions and millions of us laugh, can no go away just like that. But, this is life, and some times life can be very cruel. I know, we all have to go one day, but Allah should not take away those great people, who's job is to put a smile on so many deserving people. A true and genuine legend in his own own right. Just as Lata, Rafi and Dilip Kumar can never be replaced, Moin Akhtar will also be irreplaceable. Right now, I am so down and out I just can not explain. It's feel like a part of me died with Moin Akhtar(That kind of a personality Moin was). Aqil Siddiqi. (Richmond, B.C, Canada)
A great Actor, A great Human, A Great Pakistani
MOIN AKTAR
We will miss you..
May Allah Bless You
Moin Akhtar was the authority in the showbiz. He was 'second to none' in his field. I have been watching his programmes since 1975, believe me I didn’t find anyone who could replace him. No doubt we lost a great asset of our sub-continent.
RIP Mr. Moin Akhtar. You were a an absolute genius, leaving me with many undying memories!
Moin was little too young to die…
remembering what late Munawar Zareef (a film comedian) once said…we may bring smiles for everyone, but in our real life its quite the same…
Great article. I was surprised to find so little info on Moin Akthar on wikipedia. I hope you can post this detail on wikipedia too.
still in shock… moin sb was a gr8 entertainer… u missed out mentioning studio dhai sir wich was aired on PTV sir… tht was a masterpiece too…
Memories of good old days of PTV are incomplete without Moin Akhtar.Me really in deep sorrow. RIP Moin.
Moin Akhta was a great TV artist and humourist. His place will be difficult to fill.He was also famous amongst Indians and all Indians and Pakistanis living abroad. Though he has died, he will live in our memory. May God bless his soul. Amen.
I had been watching Moin since 1977 in Jammu (India). He was a rage with Jammuites. In his demise the sub-continent has lost a versatile actor and a unique stand up comedian.
Nadeem has done well to profile him in this article. It is a sort of wonderful tribute to that gr8 actoe.
Another notable achievement of Moin's career was introducing comedy cassette tapes. Growing up in the late 70s and early 80's these were truly a staple for me, and worth listening to multiple times. His parodies of his Memon/Gujarati bosses were stitch-inducing.
No. Moin is not dead. He is just acting. He gave us smiles all his life when everybody else gave us tears; how ca he give us tears now?
I hope you are right, how can some one, who always make us smile can go away, making us cry. I have not seen any stand up comedian, or any great comedian for that matter, as good as Moin. Him and Anwer Maqsood, what a combination. I feel really bad for Anwer Maqsood too, as they were realy close friends too. May Allah, give him eternal peace and a place in Jannat(Ameen). Aqil Siddiqi (Richmond, B.C, Canada)
RIP Moin bai.. I grew up watching your show and saw you live 3 years back in show here in US. Thanks for great memories and smiles.
The loss is irrepairable… RIP
Moin bhai great and legend actor in the world.such kind of personalities come once in a century.Moin bhai was not only a celebrated artist but was also a very nice human being.You are with us every day in our hearts in our minds.
May Allah bless his soul and award him a place in Jannah…Aameen
i so sad
how strange it is that when a person makes us laugh , we become sad when he is no more with us . if there is anything that he should be remembered for it needs to be the laughs that he spread through his genuine efforts . more than a fine actor / comedian , he was a fine human being, who did not succumb to the hardships of life and did things which would be remembered for decades to come . we all pray that ALLAH blesses him with his mercies and make him laugh the way he did in this world . aamin !
Seems like our family member left us…
May Allah rest him in peace!!Ameen
I am shocked, I have not believed yet…that he can leave us.
Moin Bhai you were the treasure of Pakistan. But No you are and you will be the true treasure of our Contry
A true legendary artist and a wonderful person! We feel today that a member of the family has passed away. May Allah bless his soul and award him a place in Jannah…Aameen
Its just like we lost one of our family member. But this has to be done with all of us. May Allah bless him ameen. We really miss him and no one like him.
Cant believe my eyes..
His work will be remembered for long..
may his soul rest in peace aaaamin
may his soul rest in peace
One Again Pakistan Lost One Of The Legend. And Legend Never Born Again. He is Superb In His Acting And Every Field Of Life. God Bless You.
May Allah grant you a place in paradise you will be greatly missed
We've lost a part of our history some of us have lost a part of our growing up, some people teach by their words others by their lives!
Thanks for being with us.
We love u Moin Akhtar. Your legend will never die. Your thoughts were not just to live life but to make it large. You are with us every day in our hearts in our minds.
Rest in peace.
In the serial Half-plate Moin sahab played the role of a poet and not a writer.
Please make the necessary change.
It feels that somebody has taken my laughs away.
Moin Akhtar a legend without any doubt!
He played the role of an 'adeeb' which does translate into writer.
It is very sad that Moin Akhtar is past now, we Pakistanies are facing hardships all over & are getting people who give us nothing but just tears in the eyes & people like Late Moin are now very very insufficient in our country, a true legend is not any more. May Al-Mighty place him in Paradise!!!
The spokesman of Human Rights Commission South Asia, Sohail Akhter have expressed deep sorrow and grief over the demise of renowned artiste Moin Akhtar. In a condolence message here on Friday evening, He said that the deceased was a versatile and distinguished artist.He said that the deceased had also done a lot for the revival of theatre. The HRCSA spokesman said that late Akhtar had also been active towards the welfare of the fellow artistes. He said that Akhtar was not only a celebrated artist but was also a very nice human being. Mr. Akhter prayed for rest of the departed soul in eternal peace and grant of courage and fortitude to the bereaved family to bear this irreparable loss.
what a loss for pakistani nation…he was one of the best comic actor of the sub-continent and such kind of personalities come once in a century.
truly a great human being
a comic genius indeed….RIP Moin Akhtar…
I'm 16 and it's a pity people my generation never got to see the best of him – except for a little of loose talk perhaps. His mimickry of PTV's special transmission on the 1970 elections is actually on youtube and it's one heck of a performance.
RIP Moin .. what a loss to this nation
Truly a great legend! He will be surely missed..