Farooq Sheikh facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Farooq Sheikh
Sheikh at Mirchi Music Awards in 2011
Born	(1948-03-25)25 March 1948 Amroli, Baroda State, India
Died	28 December 2013(2013-12-28) (aged 65) Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Resting place	Muslim Qabristan, Four Bungalows, Andheri West, Mumbai, Maharashtra, India
Education	St. Xavier's College, Mumbai Siddharth College of Law, Mumbai
Occupation	Actor
Years active	1973–2013
Spouse(s)	Roopa Sheikh
Children	Two

Farooq Sheikh (born March 25, 1948 – died December 28, 2013) was a talented Indian actor, a kind helper (philanthropist), and a popular television presenter. He was best known for his work in Hindi films from 1973 to 1993. He also had a big presence on television between 1988 and 2002.

Farooq Sheikh returned to acting in movies in 2008 and continued until his death in 2013. He played a key role in what was called Parallel Cinema, which was a new style of Indian movies. He worked with famous directors like Satyajit Ray and Hrishikesh Mukherjee.

Besides films, he acted in TV shows and plays. One of his most famous plays was Tumhari Amrita (1992), where he acted alongside Shabana Azmi. He also hosted the TV show, Jeena Isi Ka Naam Hai. In 2010, he won a special award, the National Film Award for Best Supporting Actor, for his role in the film Lahore.

About Farooq Sheikh's Life

Farooq Sheikh was born in 1948 in Amroli, a suburb of Surat in Gujarat, India. His parents were Farida and Mustafa Sheikh. His father was a lawyer in Bombay (now Mumbai). Farooq Sheikh came from a well-known family and grew up in a comfortable home in Nagpada, Bombay. He was the oldest of five children.

He went to St. Mary's School in Bombay. Later, he studied at St. Xavier's College. Following his father's path, he also studied law at Siddharth College of Law. However, he chose not to become a lawyer. Instead, he decided to follow his passion for theatre, which he had enjoyed since college.

At St. Xavier's College, Farooq Sheikh met Roopa, who would become his wife. They both loved theatre and got married after nine years. They had two daughters named Sanaa and Shaista. His time at St. Xavier's was very important for him. He made many friends there, including the famous cricketer Sunil Gavaskar. The well-known actress Shabana Azmi was also a classmate of Roopa's at St. Xavier's.

His Acting Journey

Farooque Shaikh

In his early days, Farooq Sheikh was very active in theatre. He performed in plays with groups like the IPTA. In 1973, while he was still in law school, he got his first big movie role. This was in the film Garam Hawa, where he played a supporting part. This movie is known for starting a new kind of Hindi art cinema. He was paid only Rs. 750 for this first film.

He first became known as a quiz master on the radio. But it was his work as a TV host on shows like Yuvadarshan and Young World on Bombay Doordarshan that made him a household name. In the 1978 film Gaman, he played a taxi driver from Uttar Pradesh. He hoped to save enough money to return home to his wife, but he never could.

Farooq Sheikh acted in many other important films. These include Satyajit Ray's Shatranj Ke Khiladi (1977), Noorie (1979), Chashme Buddoor (1981), and Umrao Jaan (1981). He also starred in Bazaar (1982), Saath Saath (1982), and Katha (1983). He often worked with actress Deepti Naval, and they became a very popular on-screen couple.

In the 1990s, he acted in fewer films. But he made a strong comeback in the 2000s. He appeared in Saas Bahu Aur Sensex (2008) and Lahore (2009). For Lahore, he won the 2010 National Film Award for Best Supporting Actor. Many young people remember him as Bunny's father (played by Ranbir Kapoor) in the popular film Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani (2013). His last film as the main actor was Club 60 (2013), which was released just before he passed away. He also appeared in Youngistaan and Children of War, which were released in 2014 after his death.

In the 1980s and 1990s, Farooq Sheikh was a familiar face on television. He played the main role in an episode about the poet and freedom fighter Hasrat Mohani in the TV series Kahkashan (1988). He also starred in the famous TV show Shrikant on Doordarshan. Other successful TV shows he worked on include Chamatkar and Ji Mantriji, which was based on the British show Yes Minister.

His theatre career, which started in college, reached its peak with the famous play Tumhari Amrita. This play, directed by Feroz Abbas Khan, also starred Shabana Azmi. It ran for 20 years, celebrating its anniversary in 2012.

Farooq Sheikh also hosted the TV show Jeena Issi Ka Naam Hai. On this show, he interviewed many famous people from the Hindi film industry. People loved his sense of humor and his honest, humble way of talking.

Not many people know about his important work for the UNICEF polio eradication program. He traveled a lot to states like Bihar and Uttar Pradesh. He worked closely with teams to help communities accept the polio vaccine. He also helped families affected by the 2008 Mumbai attacks.

His Passing

Farooq Sheikh passed away from a heart attack on December 28, 2013. He was on holiday with his family in Dubai at the time. His funeral was held in Mumbai on December 30, 2013. Many famous people, including Javed Akhtar and Shabana Azmi, attended. He was buried in Muslim Qabristan, Four Bungalows, Andheri West, near his mother's grave.

Filmography

Film

Television

Awards and Special Recognition

• On March 25, 2018, the search engine Google honored Farooq Sheikh with a special Doodle on what would have been his 70th birthday. Google noted that "Farouque Shaikh could easily show both deep sadness and light-hearted humor." They also mentioned that "Beyond movies, Shaikh was very important in Indian theatre. His play, 'Tumhari Amrita' with Shabana Azmi, made audiences happy for over twenty years."