Farooq Sheikh

Farooq Sheikh (25 March 1948 − 28 December 2013) was an Indian actor, philanthropist and television presenter.

Sheikh was born in 1948 at Amroli, a village 90 km off Vadodara, 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.

In his early days, he was active in theatre, doing plays with IPTA and with well-known directors like Sagar Sarhadi.

He was best known for his work in Hindi films from 1973 to 1993 and for his work in television between 1988 and 2002.

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.

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.

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 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.

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.

In the 1990s, he acted in fewer films.

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).

But resurfaced in notable roles in the 2000s.

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 70s and 80s, 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."

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 won the 2010 National Film Award for Best Supporting Actor for Lahore.

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 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.