Shafi Mohammad Shah: Shooting star
By Seema Faruqi

The demise of veteran actor Shafi Mohammad Shah has not only his family mourning the loss but all those who watched Pakistani plays the world over. His sudden death due to cardiac arrest in Karachi caught all and sundry off guard since he had a lot to deliver and died with his boots on.

Shafi, who was born at Kandiaro, Sindh in 1949, began his career as an actor after completing his Master’s from the University of Sindh, Jamshoro. He idolised the late actor Mohammad Ali and after polishing his skills at Radio Pakistan, moved to Lahore and stayed with the great actor in order to land roles in films. After he failed to attract the producers’ attention in Lollywood, he moved on to television on the insistence of the late director, the celebrated Shehzad Khalil. His arrival on TV coincided with that of colour transmissions and he added further colour to all his dramas with his delightful smile, methodological acting and inspiring persona.

Shafi’s initial TV plays included an episode of Ashfaq Ahmed’s Ek Mohabbat Sau Afsanay, the Sindhi play Motio Jo Mann and Shehzad Khalil’s Urta Aasman. But it wasn’t until Teesra Kinara (1979) that was Rahat Kazmi’s adaptation of The Fountainhead that Shafi became a household name. Despite having a star cast, including Usman Peerzada, Sahira Kazmi, Badaruzzaman and Rahat himself, Shafi brighter than among the stellar cast with his convincing portrayal of a businessman who logically plans each and every step of his life.

During his 30-year career, Shafi rendered all roles imaginable, including playing a feudal landlord in PTV Karachi centre’s Deewarain and Jungle, a politician in Tapish, Chand Girhan and Nasal, the lead actress’ caring brother in Afshaan and earned accolades for his amazing portrayal as a man of the house on verge of a nervous breakdown in Aanch. His other famous plays in the ’80s include Emergency Ward alongside Bushra Ansari, Kala Daira, Burzukh, Marvi, Awaazein and Officer on Special Duty.

He had a brief stint with Lollywood and was mostly paired with Shabnam. He debut in Zahid Shah’s Biwi Ho To Aisi (1982) proved to be successful, unlike Masroor Anwar’s Aisa Bhi Hota Hai (1984), Shams Chaudry’s Naseebon Wali (1984) and Nazar Shabab’s Ruby (1986). But he did win accolades for his villainous portrayal of Shaka to Nadeem’s cool naval officer in Hasan Askari’s Talash (1986) where he made the viewers hate him from start to end, thus succeeding as an actor.

Shafi kept making comebacks to films, mostly unsuccessful; through Sindhi film Mohib Sheedi (1992), in a character role opposite Shaan and Ruby Niazi in the Javed Fazil’s Ilzaam (1993), as a Sindhi feudal in Iqbal Akhtar’s Muskarahat (1995) and finally as a scheming crime lord in Shehzad Rafiq’s Salakhain (2004).

He had the distinction of working with the best directors, including the late Shehzad Khalil, the late Harooon Rind, M. Nisar Hussain, Sultana Siddiqui, Sahira Kazmi and Tariq Jamil. He was also the first choice of writers throughout his career, working regularly for Fatima Surraiya Bajiya, Abdul Qadir Junejo and Noorul Huda Shah. Shafi’s strength lay in his ability to deliver dialogues naturally, something that gave him an edge over others. He may have belonged to the era where Talat Hussain was a senior or Javed Shiekh, the late Qurban Jilani, Behroze Sabzwari and Shakeel were his contemporaries, but due to his adaptability, he equally fitted in the era of Sohail Asghar, Rubina Ashraf, Khalid Anam, Jamal Shah, Qaiser Khan, Atiqa Odho and Shagufta Ejaz.

Following in the footsteps of Syed Kamal and Tariq Aziz, Shafi also tried his hand in politics and contested the 2002 elections for the National Assembly from Karachi, but lost despite getting almost 14,000 votes. But the versatile actor will long be remembered for his acting prowess and screen presence. He never went for stylised acting and aged gracefully on screen, moving comfortably from a young hero to the roles of a father, mentor and a responsible husband.

Shafi Mohammed Shah not only received the best actor award from PTV and other TV channels but was also was bestowed with the Pride of Performance award. He acted in all mediums of entertainment, from radio, theatre to films and television. Although he had gained considerable weight in the latter part of his career, he bravely continued to work with the same zeal and enthusiasm, churning out many serials for private channels including Laila Majnoon, Ambulance and Mohabbat Khawab Ki Surat. Finally, on November 17, 2007, this veteran and accomplished actor called it a day. 

(Courtesy Dawn)