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Farooq Sheikh
Sheikh at Mirchi Music Awards in 2011
Born	(1948-03-25)25 March 1948 Amroli, Baroda State, India
Died	28 December 2013(2013-12-28) (aged 65) Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Resting place	Muslim Qabristan, Four Bungalows, Andheri West, Mumbai, Maharashtra, India
Education	St. Xavier's College, Mumbai Siddharth College of Law, Mumbai
Occupation	Actor
Years active	1973–2013
Spouse	Roopa Sheikh
Children	Two

Farooq Sheikh (25 March 1948 − 28 December 2013) was an Indian actor, philanthropist and television presenter. He was best known for his work in Hindi films from 1973 to 1993 and for his work in television between 1988 and 2002. He returned to acting in films in 2008 and continued to do so until his death on 28 December 2013. His major contribution was in Parallel Cinema or the New Indian Cinema. He worked with directors like Satyajit Ray, Sai Paranjpye, Muzaffar Ali, Hrishikesh Mukherjee, Ayan Mukherjee and Ketan Mehta.

He acted in serials and shows on television and performed on stage in productions such as Tumhari Amrita (1992), alongside Shabana Azmi, directed by Feroz Abbas Khan, and presented the TV show, Jeena Isi Ka Naam Hai (Season 1). He won the 2010 National Film Award for Best Supporting Actor for Lahore.

Personal life

Sheikh was born in 1948 at Amroli, 90 km off Vadodara in Naswadi taluka, Gujarat, India to Farida and Mustafa Sheikh. His father was a lawyer who worked in Bombay and whose family came from Hansot in the Bharuch district of Gujarat. Shaikh came from a Zamindar family, and he grew up in luxurious surroundings in Nagpada, Bombay. He was the eldest of five children.

Shaikh attended St. Mary's School in Bombay and then graduated from St. Xavier's College in the city before studying law at Siddharth College of Law, following his father into the profession. He did not, however, undertake a legal career, instead choosing theatre, having acted in college.

At St Xavier's Shaikh met Roopa, his future wife. Both were active in theatre and were later married after nine years; the couple have two daughters Sanaa and Shaista. His time at St. Xavier's was important for both personal and professional reasons and he made many friends there, including Sunil Gavaskar, who was a contemporary. Actor Shabana Azmi, then known mainly as the daughter of noted poet Kaifi Azmi, was Roopa's classmate at St Xavier's.

Career

In his early days, he was active in theatre, doing plays with IPTA and with well-known directors like Sagar Sarhadi. In 1973, while Shaikh was in his final year of law school, MS Sathyu approached him for his directorial debut Garam Hawa. His first major film role was in the 1973 film Garam Hawa, where Farooque had a supporting role and the leading man was Balraj Sahni. The film is credited for being a pioneer of a new wave of Hindi Art cinema. His salary for his debut film was only Rs. 750. He first gained recognition as a quiz master on radio, but it was his participation as an anchor on Bombay Doordarshan shows such as Yuvadarshan and Young World that made him a household name. Shaikh in Gaman (1978) acted as the migrant Bombay taxi driver from Badaun in Uttar Pradesh hoping to return to meet his wife, but never saves up enough to return home. He went on to act in several notable films such as Satyajit Ray's Shatranj Ke Khiladi (Chess Players) (1977), Noorie (1979), Chashme Buddoor (1981), Umrao Jaan (1981), Bazaar (1982), Saath Saath (1982), Rang Birangi (1983), Kissi Se Na Kehna (1983), Ek Baar Chale Aao (1983), Katha (1983), Ab Ayega Mazaa (1984), Salma (1985), Faasle (1985), Peechha Karo (1986), Biwi Ho To Aisi (1988), and Maya Memsaab (1993). He formed a successful pair with Deepti Naval. He also did a slightly negative role in Katha.

He was paired opposite Shabana Azmi in Sagar Sarhadi's Lorie, Kalpana Lajmi's Ek Pal and Muzaffar Ali's Anjuman (1986) and then in the play Tumhari Amrita. His chemistry with Deepti Naval led to them being cast opposite each other in nine films, namely Chashme Buddoor, Katha, Saath Saath, Kissi Se Na Kehna, Rang Birangi, Ek Baar Chale Aao, Tell Me Oh Khuda, Faasle and Listen... Amaya. They also appeared as the lead pair in an episode on Hasrat Mohani in the TV serial Kahkashan.

In 2002, in an interview with The Times of India, Shaikh said, "I have never been commercially viable. People recognise me, smile and wave at me — but I have never received marriage proposals written in blood. In his heyday in 1970s and 1980s, when Rajesh Khanna drove down a street, the traffic stopped — I don't mind not receiving this kind of adulation. But I do miss not having been able to command the kind of work I wanted which Khanna could always do. I miss not being 100 per cent commercially viable like him."

In the 1990s, he acted in fewer films. But resurfaced in notable roles in the 2000s. He appeared in Saas Bahu Aur Sensex (2008) and Lahore (2009), for which he won the 2010 National Film Award for Best Supporting Actor. He appeared as Bunny (Ranbir Kapoor)'s father in Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani (2013). His last film as the leading man was Club 60 (2013) which was also his last release before his death. Realbollywood.com said about his performance in the film: "As a grieving father who won't allow his loss to be forgotten, he hits all the right notes treading that thin line between melancholy and maudlin with majestic grace." He also appeared in Youngistaan and Children of War, both of which released in 2014, after his demise.

In the 80s-90s, Farooque Shaikh appeared in several television serials. He played the title role in an episode dedicated to the poet and freedom fighter Hasrat Mohani in the TV series Kahkashan (1988) with Deepti Naval playing his wife. He also worked in the famous TV serial Shrikant which aired on Doordarshan from 1987 to 1991. This show was an adaptation of Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay's novel. This was followed by Aahaa on Zee. Chamatkar on Sony and Ji Mantriji (an adaptation of Yes Minister),on Star Plus were other notable successes. Shaikh also had a cameo in Life OK's Do Dil Ek Jaan, where he was seen as the leading lady's father in the initial episodes.

Earlier in the 70s he compered the Binny Double or Quits Quiz contest, which was telecast over Vividh Bharati. His career on stage that began as a student at St. Xavier's College in the late 1960s reached its peak in the famous play Tumhari Amrita. It was directed by Feroz Abbas Khan and also featured Shabana Azmi. A sequel to this play was staged in 2004 titled Aapki Soniya, with Farooque Shaikh and Sonali Bendre as the only performers. Tumhari Amrita completed its 20-year run on 27 February 2012. He directed Aazar Ka Khwab, an adaptation of Bernard Shaw's Pygmalion in 2004.

He hosted the TV show Jeena Issi Ka Naam Hai, in which he interviewed celebrities from the Hindi film world. His sense of humour and direct humble approach was the USP of the show.

Lesser known is his contribution to the UNICEF polio eradication programme. He made several extensive trips to two polio-endemic states, Bihar and Uttar Pradesh, and worked closely with its programme teams who were working with communities to get greater acceptance for the polio vaccine. He also kept on helping 26/11 affected families in Mumbai.

Death

Farooque Shaikh died of a heart attack in the early hours of 28 December 2013 in Dubai, where he was on holiday with his family. His funeral prayers, held in Mumbai at Millat Nagar Andheri Mosque on 30 December 2013 in the evening, were attended by many personalities, including Javed Akhtar and Shabana Azmi. He was buried in Muslim Qabristan, Four Bungalows, Andheri West. His grave is near that of his mother.

Filmography

Film

Television

Awards and recognition

• On 25 March 2018, search engine Google commemorated Farooq Sheikh with a Doodle on his 70th birth anniversary. Google commented: "Farouque Shaikh essayed agonizing heartbreak and light-hearted comedy with equal ease. Beyond the silver screen, Shaikh was integral to Indian theater, and his epistolary play, 'Tumhari Amrita' with Shabana Azmi delighted audiences for over two decades."

References

1. Getting nostalgic about Farooq Shaikh Archived 4 March 2016 at the Wayback Machine Rediff.com, 4 September 2008.
2. Writing its own destiny Archived 11 September 2012 at archive.today Screen, Namita Nivas, 28 November 2008.
3. "And the National Award goes to..." The Times of India. 17 September 2010. Archived from the original on 28 December 2013. Retrieved 2 July 2013.
4. "Veteran actor Farooq Sheikh dies due to heart attack in Dubai". The Times of India. 28 December 2013. Archived from the original on 30 December 2013. Retrieved 3 March 2019.
5. "Farooque Shaikh to be laid to rest near his mother's grave in Andheri today". Archived from the original on 15 January 2016. Retrieved 25 March 2015.
6. "Amyra Dastur to Farhan Akhtar: Prominent Parsis in Bollywood". Archived from the original on 19 May 2014. Retrieved 25 March 2015.
7. "Actor Farooque Shaikh laid to rest – Keropos Tulang". Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 10 January 2016.
8. Farooque Shaikh: The big picture Archived 1 April 2013 at the Wayback Machine The Times of India, 14 September 2002.
9. "Happy Choices". Screen. Archived from the original on 31 August 2008.
10. "Veteran actor Farooq Sheikh passes away". The Telegraph. Calcutta, India. 28 December 2013. Archived from the original on 31 December 2013. Retrieved 28 December 2013.
11. "Farooq Sheikh: Parallel cinema's blue eyed boy". dna. 28 December 2013. Archived from the original on 31 December 2013. Retrieved 16 October 2014.
12. "Farooq Sheikh: A tribute to parallel cinema's blue-eyed boy". 28 December 2013. Archived from the original on 5 February 2014. Retrieved 16 October 2014.
13. "Farooque Shaikh, aam admi of Indian cinema, dead". The Times of India. Archived from the original on 29 December 2013. Retrieved 29 December 2013.
14. "Farooque Shaikh was polite to a fault, witty and generous". The Times of India. Archived from the original on 15 January 2016. Retrieved 29 December 2013.
15. "An actor and a gentleman". Mumbai Mirror. Archived from the original on 1 January 2014. Retrieved 16 October 2014.
16. Abu Dhabi Film Festival to celebrate 100 years of Indian Cinema Archived 28 December 2013 at the Wayback Machine. DearCinema.com (10 October 2013). Retrieved on 28 December 2013.
17. "Farooq Sheikh, parallel cinema's blue eyed boy – India News Analysis Opinions on Niti Central". India News Analysis Opinions on Niti Central. Archived from the original on 25 October 2014. Retrieved 16 October 2014.
18. "Vereran actor Farooq Sheikh, 65, dies in Dubai". livemint.com. 28 December 2013. Archived from the original on 20 October 2014. Retrieved 16 October 2014.
19. "Movies – Meet the frownies". livemint.com. 28 September 2013. Archived from the original on 20 October 2014. Retrieved 16 October 2014.
20. "Shabana Azmi: I can't believe Farooque Shaikh's gone so suddenly". Rediff. 28 December 2013. Archived from the original on 21 October 2014. Retrieved 16 October 2014.
21. "Deepti Naval: Farooque Shaikh was not sick at all". Rediff. 28 December 2013. Archived from the original on 21 October 2014. Retrieved 16 October 2014.
22. "RIP Farooque Shaikh: No letters in blood for him, but a fine actor, liberal Muslim". Firstpost. 28 December 2013. Archived from the original on 31 December 2014. Retrieved 16 October 2014.
23. Club 60 Movie Review Archived 28 December 2013 at the Wayback Machine. Realbollywood.com (6 December 2013). Retrieved on 28 December 2013.
24. Actor Farooque Shaikh dies of heart attack, Amitabh Bachchan, SRK react Archived 30 December 2013 at the Wayback Machine. Hindustan Times (28 December 2013). Retrieved on 28 December 2013.
25. When Tumhari Amrita Becomes Aapki Sonia Archived 28 December 2013 at the Wayback Machine. Financial Express (22 February 2004). Retrieved on 28 December 2013.
26. Mahmood, Rafay. (19 June 2013) Sajid Hasan all set for Aapki Soniya – The Express Tribune Archived 28 December 2013 at the Wayback Machine. Tribune.com.pk. Retrieved on 28 December 2013.
27. Tumhari Amrita turns 20 Archived 28 December 2013 at the Wayback Machine. Hindustan Times (20 February 2012). Retrieved on 28 December 2013.
28. The Sunday Tribune – Spectrum Archived 3 June 2013 at the Wayback Machine. Tribuneindia.com. Retrieved on 28 December 2013.
29. Vidya Raja (27 November 2018). "Why This 26/11 Victim's Widow & Kids Will Be Eternally Grateful to Actor Farooq Sheikh". The Better India. Archived from the original on 28 November 2018. Retrieved 23 May 2020.
30. "Shabana Azmi, Deepti Naval Break Down at Farooq Sheikh's Funeral". 1 January 2014. Archived from the original on 15 January 2016. Retrieved 20 October 2015.
31. "Veteran Actor Farooq Sheikh dies of Heart Attack". 28 December 2013. Archived from the original on 30 December 2013. Retrieved 20 October 2013.
32. "Google Honours India's Beloved Farooq Sheikh on His Birth Anniversary with a Beautiful Doodle". Scoopwhoop. 25 March 2018. Archived from the original on 11 October 2020. Retrieved 9 April 2019.
33. "Farouque Shaikh's 70th Birthday". Google. 25 March 2018. Archived from the original on 30 March 2019. Retrieved 9 April 2019.

External links

• Farooq Sheikh at IMDb 
• Farooq Sheikh at Bollywood Hungama

• 1948 births
• 2013 deaths
• Indian male film actors
• Indian male stage actors
• Indian Sunni Muslims
• Gujarati actors
• Male actors from Gujarat
• St. Xavier's College, Mumbai alumni
• Indian television presenters
• Indian male television actors
• Male actors in Hindi cinema
• Best Supporting Actor National Film Award winners