Ismail Tara
Born
Muhammad Ismail Merchant

(1949-11-16)16 November 1949
Karachi, Dominion of Pakistan
Died24 November 2022(2022-11-24) (aged 73)
Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan
Occupations
  • Actor
  • Comedian
Years active1964 – 2022
Known forFifty Fifty (TV comedy show)
Awards5 Nigar Awards

Ismail Tara (Urdu: اسماعیل تارا; 16 November 1949 – 24 November 2022), born Muhammad Ismail Merchant, was a Pakistani actor and comedian.[1]

Beginning in 1964, he worked in stage plays, television serials and Lollywood films till his death in 2022.

He was best known for his work in Fifty Fifty, which aired on PTV in the 1980s.[2]

He was a five time Nigar Awards winner for the best comedian in Haathi Mere Saathi (1993), Aakhri Mujra (1994), Munda Bigra Jaye (1995), Chief Sahib (1996) and Deewarein (1998).

Early life

Tara was born Muhammad Ismail Merchant in Karachi into a Gujarati-speaking Memon business family, and began his career in 1964, at the age of 15, when he got a role in a play staged by a small theatre.[3]

Career

Tara first rose to prominence when he became a part of the Zia Mohyeddin Show in 1972–1973.[3]

Tara is best known for the popular TV show Fifty Fifty, ending up writing some of its scripts along with fellow TV comedian Majid Jahangir when the original scriptwriter Anwar Maqsood had a fall-out with the show's cast in 1981.[4]

Personal life and death

Tara had to perform a comedy theater the same day his 8-year-old son died. After his performance, he told the audience about his son's death.[5]

Tara died due to kidney failure in Karachi on 24 November 2022, at the age of 73.[6]

Filmography

Television

Year Title Channel
1978 Fifty Fifty PTV
1987 Gharama
2005 Rubber Band ARY Digital
2007 Mamoo PTV
2008 Choki # 420 Aaj Entertainment
Paanch Saheliyan Geo Entertainment
Yeh Zindagi Hai
2009 Nadaaniyan
2012 One Way Ticket Hum TV
Pak Villa Geo TV
Dheeli Colony Urdu 1
2013 Orangi Ki Anwari TVOne
Yeh Shadi Nahi Ho Sakti ARY Digital
Bulbulay
Namak Paray Hum TV
2015 Love In Gulshan-e-Bihar TVOne
2018 Jinn Ki Aayegi Baraat BOL Entertainment
2018 Mirchiyaan
2019 Barfi Laddu ARY Digital
Bhai Bhai Express Entertainment
2020 Ulta Seedha Apna TV
Shokhiyaan Geo Entertainment
2022 Woh Pagal Si ARY Digital

Films

YearMovieRole
1993Haathi Mere Saathi
1994Aakhri Mujra
1995Munda Bigra Jaye
1996Chief Sahib
1997Hum Kisi Se Kum Nahin
Jan Jan Pakistan
Raju
1998Deewarein
Kabhi Haan Kabhi Naa
1999Mujhe Jeene Do
2000Mujhe Chand Chahiye
2002Yeh Dil Aap Ka Huwa
2008Khulay Aasman Ke Neechay
2013Main Hoon Shahid AfridiMalick Khalid
2015Jawani Phir Nahi Ani
Halla Gulla
2016Sawal 700 Crore Dollar Ka
2018JackpotMr.China
The Donkey KingPehalwan Chacha
2019Ready Steady No

Stage plays

Title Language
Soney Ki Chirya Punjabi
Mehndi Lagi Mere Hath
Tere Nakhre Hazar
Pholay Badshah
Wah Wah Moin Akhtar Urdu

Awards and nominations

References

  1. ↑ "Biography of Ismail Tara". tv.com.pk website. Archived from the original on 3 April 2013. Retrieved 14 January 2023.
  2. ↑ "Majid Jehangir-Ismail Tara: damp squib". Dawn (newspaper). 20 March 2012. Retrieved 30 December 2020.
  3. 1 2 Paracha, Nadeem F. (4 December 2022). "IN MEMORIAM: THE MAN OF A THOUSAND FACES". Dawn News. Retrieved 18 March 2023.
  4. ↑ "Death of a comic genius (Ismail Tara and Majid Jehangir took over the writing duties of 'Fifty-Fifty' TV show from Anwar Maqsood)". Dawn (newspaper). 23 April 2011. Archived from the original on 8 November 2012. Retrieved 30 December 2020.
  5. ↑ "Ismail Tara: A famed comedian who did theater despite son's death". ARY News. 26 November 2022.
  6. ↑ "Pakistani actor Ismail Tara passes away in Karachi". Daily Pakistan. 24 November 2022.
  7. ↑ Reporter, The Newspaper's Staff (24 March 2022). "Ismail Tara, Sajid Hassan among 18 conferred civil awards". DAWN.COM. Retrieved 8 April 2023.


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