Pakistan’s famous TV, Radio and Film artist Shafi Muhammad Shahpassed away on Saturday, November 17, 2007. He was 57. He was suffering from many ailments. After a severe pain attack on saturday he was rushed to the hospital but he couldn’t survive. Quoting the Daily Times:
Shafi featured in more than 50 drama serials and over 100 long plays on PTV and other channels.
Shafi started his career as a broadcaster at Radio Pakistan Karachi. Later he moved to Lahore and lived at the home of Mohammad Ali and Zeba for few years. There he started his movie career. He became famous after doing few leading roles in Ashfaq Ahmed‘s series ‘ek haqeeqat sau afsaane’. In early 80s Shafi worked in a very famous serial ‘deewareN’.
His other famous performances include those in ‘chand grahan’, ‘aanch’, ‘nasal’ and ‘jungle’. Shafi Muhammad also took part in many Sindhi plays at PTV. His movie career was not very long. He worked in 4 movies. Three of them were ‘talaash’, ‘Rubi’ and ‘biwi ho to aisi’.
Shafi also tried politics and contested the 2002 elections for the National Assembly from Karachi on the ticket of Pakistan Peoples Party but lost.
I best liked his performance in PTV drama Tapish from Karachi studios, with Jamal Shah as a student leader in Karachi University and Rubina Shah, as the female protagonist and Shafi playing the character of Amhed Mushtaba, the master of doublespeak politician who sides with the military regime for personal gain.
The play was written by Noor-ul-Huda Shah and had it not been for Shafi’s brillant acting it wouldn’t be half as good a drama. Also, Faiz’s Bol sung by Tina Sani made the sound track out of this world.
May god rest his soul in peace.
I am really saddened by this. Maybe it is all the other bad news coming from Pakistan that magnifies the grief. But I was moved when I heard this news.
I remember Shafi from a generation of PTV actors who were superstars, particularly in serious character roles. This was a time when the real stars were not the ‘choclate heros’ but serious, more mature, older dramatic actors… Abid Ali, Mohammad Qavi, Shafi Mohammad, Firdous Jamal, Talat, and many others. It was quite a time for dramatic actors and the PTV drams seemed to be written for them. The golden age of PTV drama.
Shafi, I thought, had a particular sensibility and relished at bringing out divided personalities.. the soft-spoken villain was something he did particularly well (amongst many others). However, towards the end of his career I thought he was doing too many roles that did not fit him and his stature. It is a great loss, especially for his family to lose him so young. My prayers are with them.
Owais bhai
Many thanks for this post. What a loss – Shafi M was a brilliant actor and a trend setter.
May his soul rest in peace – his plays will live on..
I saw only one PTV drama in which he acted; can’t recall the name at this time.
His untimely death at such a young age is really saddening. May Allah(SWT) Grant him a peaceful abode, and give strength to cope with his loss to his bereaved family.
It is a great loss of show biz. Shafi Muhammad was an actor of great qualities. His face expressions and beautiful voice always gave him prominence among his co-artists.
Hatim Hussain