Written by: Hurmat Majid
Posted on: November 29, 2022 | 
| 中文
Ismail Tara
Ismail Tara, the legendary comedian, passed away at the age of 73 in Karachi on the 24th of November. The veteran actor battled severe illnesses in his final days and passed away due to kidney failure. His funeral prayers were attended by many fellow actors and comedians, as well as prominent members of the government and bureaucracy. Members of the drama and film industry expressed great sorrow at his demise and admitted that comedy in Pakistan has suffered a great loss, and Tara has left behind a great void that cannot be easily filled. The actor is survived by a wife, daughter and four sons.
Ismail Tara in his youth
Tara was born on November 16, 1949, in Karachi and has been involved with the performing arts since 1964, when he was in his late teens. Anyone who is familiar with the Pakistani comedy scene is familiar with Ismail Tara’s contribution to it. Best known for his humorous political drama, Fifty-Fifty, which was loosely based on the American show Saturday Night Live, Tara was one of the few actors who revolutionized the comedy scene.
Ismail Tara and Majid Jahangir, the iconic Fifty-Fifty duo
Fifty-Fifty combined satire, parody and slapstick humor at a time when censorship was at its peak in the late ‘70s and early ‘80s. It was a means to make the people think critically about the social and political scene, and some of the 2-minute skits still hold relevance in today’s Pakistan. Through Fifty-Fifty, Tara and his fellow artist Majid Jehangir, rose to the top of the comedy world. Anwar Maqsood, the original scriptwriter, had a dispute with the director in 1981, however, Tara also contributed to the writing of some episodes of the well-known television series.
The actor has as many as five Nigar Awards to his name. He won these awards over the course of his life for Haathi Mere Saathi, Aakhri Mujra, Munda Bigra Jaye, Chief Sahib and Deewarein. The actor has also been credited with several TV dramas and 14 Lollywood films, the last of which was Jawani Phir Nahi Aani (JPNA) . JPNA was his comeback to the big screen as he had returned to the silver screen after a span of about fifteen years.
Ismail Tara in Halla Gulla
Discussing his return to the cinema at the time, Tara said: “I was doing films quite regularly during the ‘90s and 2000s but then people stopped making films. But then suddenly this new crop of Lollywood film-makers emerged making quality movies, which made me reconsider my decision.”
Ismail Tara and Qavi Khan
Tara’s passion for his craft can be assessed from the fact that he performed a live stage show in front of hundreds of people, only hours after finding out that he had lost his 8-year-old son. “I did not tell my fellow actors before the show. After we packed up for the night, I mentioned to them the tragic loss that I had just suffered, and they were shocked at how I had been able to still go out on the stage and perform. But I simply felt that the show must go on.”
He declared that: “Our standard of comedy has declined since the PTV days. During those days you had to be careful about what you said, but now you can get away with just about anything.” Tara said that while this newfound freedom was good, writers should still maintain some restraint and boundaries when writing jokes for all mediums of acting.
Ismail Tara (first from right) in Bulbulay
Discussing the early days of his career, Tara said: “Everyone knows I enjoy putting on a variety show. When I used to do Fifty-Fifty, I remember that a lot of the characters I performed had the potential to do their own serials, but we would wind up their stories in a span of two minutes on the show.” However, the comedian admitted that over the years when he stayed away from comedy, his humor got rusty. “Comedy is like a muscle in your body. You need to keep exercising it to make it stronger, otherwise, it becomes useless.”
In recent days, Tara returned to television but in more serious roles, like the ones he played in the drama Angna (2022) and Woh Pagal Si (2022) , where he played the role of a conniving father who wanted his son to marry a rich heiress and then do away with her riches.
(L to R) Nadeem, Ismail Tara and Behroz Subzwari
Tara belonged to the generation of comedians and actors that were not only principled in their beliefs, but also determined to make a difference in their craft. He received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Government of Pakistan in 2021. He was one of the few artists in the country who were bestowed this honor within their lifetime.
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