Reliving the cruelest month

Moin Akhtar and other comedians who passed away in April remembered at Punjab complex.

LAHORE: Moin Akhtar’s demise was probably the greatest loss to laughter. An immaculate thespian, a unique mimicry artist and a timeless TV actor, Akhtar left us on April 22, 2011. To celebrate his legacy four years after his demise, celebrated stage actors and directors organised a tribute ceremony in collaboration with Punjab institute of language, art and culture (PILAC) at Punjab complex.

Culture Journalist Foundation collaborated with PILAC to organise this ceremony. The event also highlighted other legendary actors who lost their lives in the month of April-namely Munawar Zarif, Babu Baral and Mastana. Prominent celebrities such as Nisho Begum, Syed Noor, Sohail Ahmed, Faheem Mazhar, Shafaq Ali, Pervaiz Kaleem and many more participated in the festival.

Akhtar was considered one of the most iconic actors in the industry. He played an eminent role on stage and besides performing on stage; he also worked in movies and television, not solely as an actor but even as a writer, producer and director.

Syed Noor was of the opinion that documentaries should be made on legendary artists such as Moin Akhtar, Munawar Zarif, Babu Baral and Mastana. Moreover Nisho Begum held a similar stance of remembering the actors as “assets” of the industry.

Sohail Ahmed commended the diversity of ideas and subjects introduced by the late actors, terming “role models and actual heroes of Pakistan.” Faheem Mazhar expressed that the artists rightfully ruled the stage for a long period of time and felt that the performances from the legendary Akhtar were no less than a masterpiece.

Akhtar started off as a stand-up comedian in 1966-67 by impersonating Hollywood actor Anthony Quinn and John F Kennedy’s speech, in which he also mimicked the voice of the former president. Akhtar was more than just a class act and that is why at a young age of 13, he played the character of Shylock in Shakespeare’s The Merchant of Venice.

On the occasion, several actors praised the late artists for their imperative contribution to the industry claiming that they were the life of showbiz.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 24^th,  2015.

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