Shabana Azmi remembers her "college mate", veteran actor Farooq Sheikh on birth anniversary
Mumbai, March 25
Remembering veteran actor and her "college mate" Farooq Sheikh on his birth anniversary, Shabana Azmi on Wednesday took to Instagram and penned a gratitude note for him.
"Farooque Shaikh , My college mate ,Co founder of Hindi Natya Manch at St Xaviers , thank you for seeing me through so many exams , filling my pens with ink so I don't run out during writing , ever present when I was unwell but teasing me endlessly and never saying a kind word 22 years of travelling the world with me and #Feroz Abbas Khan for the timeless #Tumhari Amrita for 22years. remembering you on your birthday," Shabana posted.
Shabana and Farooq Sheikh co-starred in the popular play 'Tumhari Amrita', directed by Feroz Abbas Khan. It is a Hindi adaptation of A.R. Gurney's play 'Love Letters.'
It revolves around the characters Amrita Nigam, played by Shabana Azmi, and Zulfikar Haider, played by Farooq, who communicate through letters over the years, sharing their joys and sorrows.
Actor Jackie Shroff also marked the birth anniversary of Farooq Sheikh with a post on Instagram.
Farooq's first significant cinematic appearance was in the 1973 film 'Garam Hawa,' in which he had a supporting role with Balraj Sahni. He went on to appear in films such as 'Noorie,' 'Chashme Buddoor,' 'Umrao Jaan Biwi Ho To Aisi,' and many others.
The late actor also hosted the first season of the TV show 'Jeena Isi Ka Naam Hai.' He won the National Film Award for Best Supporting Actor in 2010 for his work in the sports film 'Lahore.'
— ANI
Reader Comments
Farooq Sheikh was a gem of an actor. So natural and effortless. Films like 'Chashme Buddoor' and 'Umrao Jaan' are timeless classics because of performers like him. It's sad that today's generation might not know much about him. We need to preserve and celebrate this cinematic legacy.
Respectfully, while it's nice to see these tributes, I sometimes feel our film industry only remembers its veterans on birth or death anniversaries. Their work and contributions should be discussed and studied year-round, not just as a yearly social media post.
The detail about co-founding the Hindi Natya Manch at St. Xavier's is fascinating! It shows how deeply rooted their passion for theatre was, right from college. That foundation clearly shaped their incredible careers. More power to such enduring artistic partnerships.
'Garam Hawa' was such a powerful film, and he held his own alongside giants like Balraj Sahni. That takes serious talent. His National Award for 'Lahore' was well-deserved. A true actor's actor. Gone too soon.
My parents saw 'Tumhari Amrita' on stage and still talk about it. They said you could hear a pin drop in the auditorium. That's the power of great writing and phenomenal actors like Azmi and Sheikh. We need more such meaningful plays today.
We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.