Pakistan’s Legendary Comedian Umar Sharif passes away

Umar Sharif, A legendary comic star whose jokes made people laugh beyond limits passed away after fighting a long sickness on Saturday in Germany. After sending a video request to Prime Minister Imran Khan for assistance in obtaining a visa to fly overseas for his treatment, the actor’s ailing condition became a source of national worry. German Ambassador to Pakistan, Dr. Mohammad Faisal was among the first ones to share news of the Comedian’s death. According to a report by Dawn, On September 28, Umar Sharif took an air ambulance to a hospital in the United States for treatment. However during the journey, his condition worsened, and he was admitted to a hospital during a layover in Germany.  Prime Minister Imran Khan also put out a tweet, expressing his condolences for the renowned artist. Fans and several public figures across the world took to social media platforms to give their condolences and recall their memories of watching the iconic comedian perform.

Umar Sharif was born on April 19, 1955, in Liaquatabad, Karachi, to an Urdu-speaking family. The comedian was widely recognized as one of Asia’s most popular. Sharif started off his career in 1989 with some of his iconic plays like Budha Ghar Par Hain and Bakra Qiston Pe. He rose to fame as a comedian, actor, director, producer, and stage artist in India and Pakistan during the 1980s and 1990s.

Budha Ghar Par Hain displayed his grasp on situational comedy and the latter left the audience perplexed as the comedian excelled in ‘physical’ comedy as well. In one sequence of the play, Sharif entered the stage wearing about five shirts veering his body to the tunes of drum-beats. With a glamorous bandana across his forehead and sunglasses, Sharif continued dancing while removing his shirts one by one. And as he was left with just a shirt, he transformed into a street vendor selling clothes, leaving the audience in splits.

To put his fame and success in perspective, especially for the younger lot, his comedy play Bakra Qiston Pe has over four lakh views on YouTube, and still remains a “favourite” among many. His plays sent strong messages along with comedy.  In Johnny Lever’s words, artists such as Sharif are “born once in a thousand years”.

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