Search This Blog

A Brief Bio of Farooq Sheikh

Farooq Sheikh was born on 25th March 1948 in Amroli district, Gujarat to Mustafa Sheikh and Farida. He was an Indian actor, Philanthropist and a popular television presenter by profession.

Having the privilege of growing up in a luxurious surrounding due to his father being a lawyer and extended family being Zamindars, he attended St. Mary’s School and later went to St. Xavier’s College, Mumbai.

After graduating from junior college, Farooq went onto pursuing the same career that his father excelled at from Siddharth College of Law. Later did he realise the profession chosen was not what he could relate to and gradually moved into acting. This happened only in the final year when he was approached by a renowned film director; M.S. Sathyu for a directorial debut to play a supporting role in Garam Hawa, which later credited for being a pioneer of a new wave of Hindi Art cinema.

Popularity in the eyes of the public was not gained by Farooq through this debut film due to him having a supporting role. He then went onto anchoring shows such as Yuvadarshan and Young World on Bombay Doordarshan that made him a household name.

During college days Farooq also met his spouse, Rupa Jain with whom he has 3 children; Rubina Shaikh, Shaista Shaikh, Sanaa Shaikh.

Farooq Sheikh died of a heart attack on the 27th December 2013 in Dubai where he had gone for a holiday with his family.

Friday, January 3, 2014

5 Most Memorable Roles of Farooq Sheikh




Chashme Buddoor (1981): Chashme Buddoor was a romantic comedy that saw a very young Farooq Sheikh wooing Deepti Naval along with his two friends Rakesh Bedi and Ravi Baswani. Over the years this film moved ahead to join the league of cult classics. The film has appeal even today and it urged filmmaker David Dhawan to come out with a remake in 2013. Even though Ali Zafar did his best to play Siddharth, Farooq's portrayal of the same had a different appeal altogether. 


Garam Hawa (1973): A sensitive film on the plight of Muslims after the India-Pakistan partition, Farooq Sheikh made his debut as Sikander Mirza. Directed by M S Sathyu, the film is about a Muslim family that lives in Agra and how their lives change along with the changing political situation in the country. Farooq played a student who despite his father's wishes joins an agitation against unemployment and discriminaton.    



Biwi Ho Toh Aisi (1988): Paired opposite Rekha in this drama, Farooq Sheikh plays the dutiful son to his dominating mother (Bindu) in this film. The movie focuses more on a mother-in-law's tactics to drive her village belle daughter-in-law (Rekha) away, however no one could overlook Sheikh's performance as the befitting obedient son. 



Umrao Jaan (1981): Farooq Sheikh plays the suave and charming Nawab Sultan who falls in love with Umrao Jaan played by Rekha in this Muzaffar Ali film. A love story with a bitter ending, Farooq leaves his ladylove, a courtesan, to marry a more 'acceptable' girl that pleases his family instead. Like 'Chashme Buddoor', 'Umrao Jaan' too was remade in 2006 with Abhishek Bachchan reprising Farooq Sheikh's role from the original.



Noorie (1979): A tragic love story, 'Noorie' has Poonam Dhillon play the title role while Farooq Sheikh plays her lover Yusuf Fakir. One of Farooq's finest performances of his career, he plays a lover who avenges the death of his fiance and eventually unites with her after death. 


No comments:

Post a Comment