KARACHI: Legendary comedian Umer Sharif pass­ed away in Nuremberg, Germany, on Saturday where he had reached for a brief stopover to be later taken to the US for medical treatment by an air ambulance. He was 66.

He leaves behind two wiv­es and two sons. He was suffering from multiple ailm­ents because of which prior to flying out to Ger­many he had been hospitalised in Karachi for a few weeks.

Mr Sharif was born in Liaquatabad, Karachi, on April 19, 1955. He started his career in commercial theatre when he was barely a teenager. In the early 1980s, after unsuccessfully trying his luck at Karachi Television Centre appearing irregularly on shows such as 50/50, he began recording his stage plays on audio tapes. The effort was very well received. Afterwards, he wrote, directed and acted in several theatrical productions in the Sindh capital which catapulted him to national fame. By virtue of the video recordings of his laughter-eliciting dramas, he also became immensely popular in India, so much so that he inspired generations of comedians in the subcontinent to take up stand-up comedy as a profession. His razor-sharp wit and unmatched gift for repartee was unique and one of its kind.

There are a number of plays to Mr Sharif’s credit, but two of them acquired unprecedented popularity: Bakra Qiston Per and Buddha Ghar Pe Hai. His scripts would not necessarily have a plausible storyline — it was the zaniness of characters and amusing exchange of lines and dialogue that had the audience in stitches.

Apart from the above-mentioned two pieces produced for stage, Mr Sharif worked in Yes Sir Eid No Sir Eid, Samad Bond 007, Umer Sharif in Jungle and Meri Bhi Tau Eid Kara De.

Once he became a household name, Mr Sharif shifted to Lahore and joined the film industry. He scripted, helmed and acted in box office hits such as Mr Charlie, Mr 420 and Laat Sahib. He also composed some songs for his movies.

With the advent of satellite TV in Pakistan, as the focus of showbiz financiers turned to the smaller screen, Mr Sharif came back to his hometown, Karachi. He resumed work in his familiar space, theatre, and at the same time started hosting a talk show on a local TV channel. His television show, too, was met with reasonable success. He would interview celebrities in his inimitably entertaining style, often without the help of any script.

One of the marked aspects of Mr Sharif’s career is the era in which he reigned supreme. It was a time when comedy giants Moin Akhtar and Lehri were huge names in the field of entertainment. The comedy that they were known for was often branded as parha likha mazaq (humour for the educated lot; for example, Moin Akhtar was a regular actor in writer Anwar Maqsood’s programmes). At the beginning of his professional life, Mr Sharif was regarded as someone who catered to that section of society which did not much care for meaningful or wisdom-replete one-liners. But it did not take him long to attract attention of almost all kinds of groups — lower middleclass, middleclass and even the la-di-da segment of both Pakistan and India — mainly because his humour was readily relatable. His stand-up acts, in particular, had audiences doubled up with laughter.

In one of the variety shows that he hosted, Mr Sharif asked a female singer about her age. When after a little bit of hesitation she gave a far-fetched reply he quipped, “Kiya aap ke shehr mein calendar nahin hotay?” (Aren’t people in your city familiar with calendars?).

Alvi, Imran express deep grief

President Dr Arif Alvi and Prime Minister Imran Khan expressed their deep grief and sorrow over the death of Umer Sharif, adds APP.

In separate condolence messages, the president and the prime minister prayed for the departed soul and grant of courage to the bereaved family to bear the loss.

The president observed that Mr Sharif had earned distinction in the field of comedy and carved out a place for himself.

The prime minister observed that Umer Sharif was a talented personality who enjoyed a distinct place in acting and comedy. His services in the relevant field would be remembered for long.

Published in Dawn, October 3rd, 2021