He came, he performed and won the hearts of his fans with his hilarious anecdotes. Umer Sharif, the undisputed king of comedy in Pakistan, continues to dominate the stage. Since his debut in early 1980s, Sharif has gone from strength to strength evoking laughter with his unique talents.
Sharif, a comedian par excellence, has enchanted millions of his fans all over the world. His stand-up comedy shows are popular with Urdu-speaking audiences and when he suffered a cardiac disorder in 2005, his legion of fans entertained thoughts that the curtain would be rung down on the person who had regaled them with his unique brand of humor.
But Sharif showed that laughter is the best medicine as he bounced back after a brief recuperating period, to continue in his own inimitable way. The sudden condition also brought out the human face of his character as he opened a hospital that would undertake to treat any artist free of charge.
Sharif, while speaking to Arab News in between his recent stage performance here, said, “The cardiac condition was a wake-up call. It also gave me some food for thought. When I found the cost of the treatment so high, my thoughts went to my fellow artists. That’s when I thought of opening the hospital.”
Sharif named the hospital named ‘Maa’ (mother in Urdu) — a metaphor for a person providing succor. Sharif has established the hospital in Karachi, his birthplace, with the view to treating artists free of charge.
“After I recovered, I promised myself that I would build a hospital to help the growing number of patients and to help with the high prices of medicines. It has become necessity to open a hospital where my fellow artists can be treated free of charge,” Sharif said.
Sharif said that he has an eye for the quirk, and he derives his material from life, adding that life is but a great play and every one plays a part. Some people see it as a comedy while others see it as a tragedy. Those who view the comic side of life contribute in their own way the extra smile in everybody’s life.
Sharif, one of the most celebrated entertainers of the country having performed as a comedian, director, writer and actor in a number of movies, is at home in extempore skits as well the produced plays. And like every professional emphasizes that dedication and commitment are key to success in any profession.
“Acting is a demanding job, and without dedication and perfection you can’t satisfy your audience,” he says, adding that he constantly drives himself to new heights to attain the best. His appeal, dedication and push for perfection are reflected in the many stage and TV programs during the past three decades.
His unconventional sense of humor sometimes doesn’t sit well with the audience when he makes jokes on touchy issues or different aspects of life in Pakistan.
“We are not only actors but also ambassadors of Pakistan, so, it is my duty not only to entertain the crowd but to discuss the problems we Pakistanis are facing,” said Sharif in response when one of the participants raised an objection to Sharif’s criticism of PIA, Pakistan’s national carrier, at the function recently.
Although Sharif’s comedy is hard-hitting and often hilarious, it touches on serious issues affecting the general public. Sharif’s current visit to Jeddah afforded the people a chance to be amused by the comedian’s jokes. He kept the audience spellbound during the entire performance.
An Evening with Umer Sharif, held in Jeddah recently, was the brainchild of Navaid Saddiqui who, despite being a mechanical engineer, runs a musical organization, “The Rhythm Creators.”
Sharif said that he loves what he is doing and will continue to do so as long as he lives. He also revealed that when he had been given the responsibility by the previous government to promote Pakistani culture around the world, he was uncomfortable working as a culture minister. The reason, he says, it impinged on his work.
Such is Sharif’s draw that he regaled audiences at the Zee Cine Awards held in Dubai, drawing uncharacteristic laughter even from Bollywood star Amitabh Bachchan. Sharif’s name is synonymous with laughter. Known as the ‘laughter factory of Southeast Asia’, the actor has legions of fans in Pakistan and India. His stage shows ‘Bakra Qistoan Pay’ and ‘Buddha Ghar Per Hai’ have been very successful and popular.
Sharif won the Nigar Award as best actor, director and writer for his film “Mr. 420” in 1992. The movie won eight Nigar Awards in all. Sharif also won the Nigar Award for best actor in the film “Mr. Charlie” in 1993.
The Jeddah event, attended by a large number of Pakistanis including Consul General Zaigham Uddin Azam and Welfare Consul Shaukat Ali proved a great success. His skits on Nusrat Fatah Ali Khan and Adnan Sami — famous Pakistani singers — received overwhelming applause from the audience.