Yeh khayal aaya: Remembering Farooq Sheikh

Radhika Bhirani

rbhirani@gmail.com

~~~ The thought of some people makes you happy, or melancholic, or angry or cringy. And then there are those whose 'khayal' makes you smile... from the heart. Farooq Sheikh is one.

Note the 'is' instead of 'was'. For the simple reason, fans would agree, that even in his absence, his presence is felt with a mere thought.

His smile. Genuine, enigmatic, radiant, candid and amiable. Just as he was.

"I have no 'akal' and no 'taakat' to make my own films," he told me in 2011, during one of my two short interactions with him.

It's one of my regrets. Not having had enough chances to speak to an actor who had everything likeable about him -- on and off screen.

His candour, his tameez and tehzeeb, are aspects that live on through memories valued by fellow journalists, film fraternity members and fans.

I, for one, am always reminded of his one of a kind, matter-of-fact tone when he told me that Lahore, a film that he did, was "in the theatres for three-four weeks and then 'Uska Ram naam satya ho gaya'. But by chance, people appreciated my work and I even got a National Award."

That was his innocence.

It was his innocence, in fact, that got him his maiden role as Sikandar Mirza in MS Sathyu's 1970s' film Garam Hawa.

Sathyu had seen the young and handsome actor during a play. At the time, the filmmaker was looking out for a new actor from the theatre world to fit in a film led by acting heavyweights like Balraj Sahni and AK Hangal.

"The innocence of Farooq’s face was necessary for the role, and so he made a perfect fit,” Sathyu had told me when the actor died in 2013.

He was promised Rs 750 for the role. And got it after 15 years, when he had become a popular and formidable name in Indian cinema.

Farooq Sheikh was never the 'hero' or 'star' material in an industry where hero-worshipping was the norm. But he had his own charm, and yet his own niche marked by a rare versatility.

Be it studios Siddharth in Chashme Buddoor, noble Nawab Sultan of Umrao Jaan, or the laughter-evoking Prem Kumar Chaubey of TV series Chamatkar, he was as good in serious roles as he was for comedy, across films, television and live productions.

That he was in many ways a blue-eyed boy in the industry is obvious with a look at his filmography. He worked with the likes of Satyajit Ray in Shatranj Ke Khiladi, Hrishikesh Mukherjee in Rang Birangi, Yash Chopra in Noorie and Faasle and Sai Paranjpe in Katha and Chashme Buddoor.

Barring his film outings, some of my fondest memories as a viewer are of his TV presenter avatar from Jeena Isi Ka Naam Hai. With no 'chai' or 'Koffee' for charcha, it was a simple celebrity talk show with a soul. That soul was lent by Farooq Sheikh, respectful in his demeanour as he was in his questions to the stars.

On the big screen, Farooq Sheikh did few, but memorable roles. For the new generation, his role as a concerned, but friendly and liberal on-screen dad to Ranbir Kapoor in Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani, was all things cool.

That moment in the film when Ranbir feels his presence in his absence, is, at the cost of repeating myself, the sort of emotion fans feel about Farooq Sheikh.

On a lighter note, let me wrap up by also mentioning that the actor was also very fond of good food.

Sathyu had in fact quipped that his love for kebabs and biryanis itself could have been "one reason for his heart attack"!

Kya kahein... Jeena isi ka naam hai...