Umer Shareef Explained

Honorific Suffix:TI
Umer Sharif
Native Name:عمر شریف
Birth Name:Mohammad Umer
Birth Date:19 April 1955
Birth Place:Karachi, Pakistan
Death Place:Nuremberg, Germany
Awards: Tamgha-e-Imtiaz
Resting Place:Abdullah Shah Ghazi Mazar, Clifton, Karachi[1]
Module:
Embed:yes
Years Active:1969–2021
King of Comedy[2] [3]

Mohammad Umer (19 April 1955  - 2 October 2021), known professionally as Umer Shareef, was a Pakistani actor, host, comedian, director, producer, writer, singer and television personality.[4] [5]

Umer began his career at the age of 14 with stand-up comedy and later worked in around 60 stage comedies as well as numerous television shows and films, where he not only acted but also directed and produced.[6]

Early life

Mohammad Umer was born on 19 April 1955,[7] into a middle-class Muhajir family in Liaquatabad, Karachi. The youngest of his siblings, he lost his father when he was 4.[8]

Career

Stage work

In 1969, Umer started his career from Karachi as a stage performer at the age of 14.[9] He joined theatre, using the stage name Umer Zarif, modelled after his favourite comedian Munawar Zarif, but later renamed himself to Umer Sharif following Egyptian actor Omar Sharif that he admired due to the 1962-movie Lawrence of Arabia.[10]

In 1976, he wrote the stage play Bionic Servant, inspired by the American TV series Six Million Dollar Man, where Moin Akhter was an actor, marking their first collaboration.

Some of his extremely popular comedy stage plays were 1989's Bakra Qistoon Pe and Buddha Ghar Pe Ha.

Sharif became a very popular star during this period.[10] Much of the success came from the fact that he started to record his stage shows and his videotapes were rented out in a similar manner to movies.[10] Yes Sir Eid and No Sir Eid were among the first stage plays to come out on video.[10]

Television

In 2002, Sharif wrote his first TV serial, Parda Na Uthao.

In October 2009, he started hosting his own late-night talk show, The Shareef Show, on Geo Entertainment. He interviewed many actors, entertainers, musicians, and politicians on the show. Another of his shows was Umer Sharif vs Umer Sharif, where he donned over 400 get-ups. He also appeared as a guest judge on the Indian stand-up comedy show The Great Indian Laughter Challenge, alongside Navjot Singh Siddhu, and Shekhar Suman.

Films

Sharif's first movie was Hisaab (1986) but he's better known for Mr 420 (1992), a movie where he not only acted but also directed, wrote and sung in, that led to a revival of Pakistan's cinema till 1998.

He would work in some 35 films, his last movie being Chand Babu (1999), that he directed, produced and acted in.

Awards

Sharif received National awards for Best Director and Best Actor in 1992 for Mr. 420. He received ten Nigar Awards. Sharif was the only actor to receive four Nigar Awards in a single year. He received three Graduate Awards. Sharif was also a recipient of Tamgha-e-Imtiaz.[11] [12]

Politics

In 2007, Sharif announced he had joined MQM, saying he had done so because the party was open-minded and ‘best for Karachi’.[13] In 2011, backed by the MQM, he ran for the presidency of the Karachi Arts Council. But the PPP-backed candidate, Ahmed Shah, defeated him.

Humanitarian work

In 2006, the Umer Sharif Welfare Trust was formed with the stated goal of creating a "state of the art health centre that provides services free of cost."[14]

Controversies

For the 50-year anniversary of Pakistan's independence, Sharif performed a play called Umer Sharif Haazir Ho. In the play, a representative from many occupations were called into court and asked what they had done for Pakistan in the past 50 years. The Lawyer's Association stated a case against Sharif as a result.[15]

Illness and death

On 10 September 2021, Pakistani television host and news anchor Waseem Badami posted a video of Shareef on Instagram where he requested the then Prime Minister of Pakistan, Imran Khan to facilitate cancer treatment for him overseas.[16] [17] [18] Soon after the video came out, Indian singer Daler Mehndi also appealed to Prime Minister Imran Khan for immediate treatment for Sharif.[19] [20] On 11 September 2021, the government formed a medical board to decide whether or not to send him abroad for treatment.[21] He was granted a United States visa for medical treatment on 16 September 2021[22] and the Sindh government also approved 40 million rupees for his treatment.[23] [24] Despite all these projects, on 2 October 2021, he died in a hospital in Nuremberg, Germany,[25] [26] at the age of 66.[27]

Influence and legacy

Referred to as the "King of Comedy", Sharif is considered to be one of the greatest comedians of South Asia.[28] Popular Indian comedians like Johnny Lever hailed him as "The God of Asian comedy".[29]

Leading Pakistani in show business and political leaders offered their condolences including Mehwish Hayat, Hareem Farooq and Imran Khan.[30] [31] [32] [33]

Selected filmography

Stage dramas

Films

YearTitleActorDirectorProducerWriterSingerLanguageNotes
1986HisabUrdu[34]
1987Kundan
1992Mr. 420
1993Mr. Charlie
1994KhandanUrdu/Punjabi[35]
Laat Sahb
Ghunda RajPunjabi
Zameen AasmanUrdu/Punjabi[36]
But Shikkan
1995Mastana MahiPunjabi
1999Chand BabuUrdu

Television shows

Year Show Role Channel Notes
2009 The Shareef Show Host
2005–2008 The Great Indian Laughter Challenge Guest

External links

Notes and References

  1. News: Legendary comedian Umer Sharif buried at Abdullah Shah Ghazi graveyard. 6 October 2021. 18 January 2022. The News International (newspaper).
  2. News: Comedian Umer Sharif is returning to the stage. 26 April 2019. 2 October 2021. SAMAA TV.
  3. News: Pakistan's 'king of comedy' Umer Sharif dies at 66. 2 October 2021. 2 October 2021. Aljazeera.
  4. Web site: Renowned comedian Umer Shareef hospitalised. 11 May 2017. Daily Times. 13 September 2019.
  5. Web site: Pakistani comedian Umer Sharif in Dubai. Gulf News. 27 May 2019 . 13 September 2019.
  6. Web site: 2 October 2021 . Pakistani comedy star Umer Sharif dies, Kapil Sharma offers condolences . 18 March 2023 . . The actor, who started his career at 14 with stand-up comedy, has worked in around 60 stage comedies, and television shows. He also produced, directed and acted in two big movies..
  7. Web site: 2 October 2021 . Legendary comedian Umer Sharif passes away at 66 in Germany . 19 March 2023 . . He was born on April 19, 1955..
  8. Web site: Suhayb . Muhammad . 11 October 2021 . Saying goodbye to the 'King of Comedy' Umer Sharif . 18 March 2023 . Dawn News.
  9. Web site: Iftikhar . Muhammad Omar . 3 October 2021 . The man who made the world laugh . 20 March 2023 . . At the age of 14, in 1969, he began performing on stage..
  10. Web site: Pashto Cinema. 7 May 2011. Pashto-cinema.blogspot.com. 16 November 2014.
  11. Web site: 2021-10-02. Umar Sharif's top five stage shows. 2021-10-02. The Express Tribune. en.
  12. News: Pakistan's comedy legend Umer Sharif passes away at 66. The Economic Times. 2021-10-02.
  13. Web site: Paracha . Nadeem F. . 2021-10-10 . A MIRROR OF KARACHI . 2023-01-29 . DAWN.COM . en.
  14. http://www.omersharifwelfaretrust.org/maahospital.html MAA Hospital – Omer Sharif Welfare Trust
  15. http://www.omersharif.com.pk/biography.html Biography – Omer Sharif
  16. Web site: Umer Sharif appeals PM Imran Khan for cancer treatment facilitation. 2021-09-27. www.thenews.com.pk. en.
  17. Web site: Watch: Comedian Umer Sharif requests PM Imran Khan to facilitate his cancer treatment. 2021-09-27. www.geo.tv. en.
  18. Web site: 2021-09-10. Waseem Badami pleaded with PM to help Umer Sharif. 2021-09-27. BOL News. en-US.
  19. Web site: Daler Mehndi appeals to PM Imran to help comedian Umer Sharif. 2021-09-27. Dunya News.
  20. Web site: 2021-09-11. Indian singer Daler Mehndi requests PM Imran to help Umer Sharif. 2021-09-27. Daily Pakistan Global. en.
  21. Web site: Centre forms board to decide whether Umer Sharif must be sent abroad for treatment. 2021-09-27. www.geo.tv. en.
  22. Web site: Veteran comedian Umer Sharif granted US visa for medical treatment. 2021-09-27. www.radio.gov.pk. en.
  23. Web site: 2021-09-20. Funds released for Umer Sharif's medical expenses. 2021-09-27. The Express Tribune. en.
  24. Web site: Sindh govt sanctions Rs40 million grant for Umar Sharif. 2021-09-27. www.thenews.com.pk. en.
  25. News: Pakistani comedian Umer Sharif passes away, Kapil Sharma pays a tribute to the legend . 2 October 2021 . . 2 October 2021 . en.
  26. News: Pakistani actor Umer Sharif dies at 66, Kapil Sharma says 'goodbye legend' . . 2 October 2021 . en.
  27. Web site: 2 October 2021 . Pakistan's 'king of comedy' Umer Sharif dies at 66 . 19 March 2023 . Al Jazeera.
  28. Web site: Umer Sharif's birthday bash hosted by Nida and Yasir. 20 April 2021.
  29. Web site: 2021-10-02. Umar Sharif, the Pakistani comedian who made a troubled nation smile. 2021-10-04. ThePrint. en-US.
  30. Web site: Anupam Kher, Jaaved Jaaferi remember 'humanitarian' Umer Sharif . The Express Tribune Newspaper . 3 October 2021 . 3 October 2021.
  31. Web site: Unbearable loss: Veteran comedian Umer Sharif passes away . The Express Tribune . 2 October 2021 . 2 October 2021.
  32. Web site: Showbiz fraternity condoles Umer Sharif's death . Dunya News TV . 2 October 2021 . 2 October 2021.
  33. Web site: PM, Politicians condole Umer Sharif's death . The Nations . 2 October 2021 . 2 October 2021.
  34. Web site: Omer Sharif, who made generations of Pakistanis laugh, passes away. 2021-10-04. Samaa TV. 2 October 2021 . en-US.
  35. Web site: Khandan . Pak Film Magazine . 25 March 1993.
  36. Web site: Zameen Aasman . Pak Film Magazine . 4 October 2021 . 5 October 2021.

This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Umer Shareef".

Except where otherwise indicated, Everything.Explained.Today is © Copyright 2009-2024, A B Cryer, All Rights Reserved. Cookie policy.