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Ismail Tara

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Ismail Tara
اسماعیل تارا
Born
Muhammad Ismail Merchant

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

Ismail Tara (Urdu: اسماعیل تارا; 16 November 1949 – 24 November 2022), born Muhammad Ismail Merchant, was a Pakistani actor and comedian.[1][2]

He worked in stage plays, television serials and Lollywood films from 1964 until his death in 2022.[1][3]

He was best known for his work in Fifty Fifty, which aired on Pakistani television's PTV in the 1980s.[4]

He was a five-time Nigar Awards winner for the best comedian in the films Haathi Mere Saathi (1993), Aakhri Mujra (1994), Munda Bigra Jaye (1995), Chief Sahib (1996) and Deewarein (1998).[5]

Early life

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Tara was born on 16 November 1949 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.[1]

Career

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Tara first rose to prominence when he became a part of the Zia Mohyeddin Show in 1972–1973.[1]

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.[6]

According to a major Pakistani English-language newspaper:

"Ismail Tara, who passed away November 24, 2022, was a master of physical comedy and mimicry. It was the legendary skit show Fifty Fifty that launched him to nationwide fame and it was its presence, first on VCDs and then on YouTube, that sustained it and made him a household name with a whole new generation of viewers".[1]

Personal life and death

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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.[3]

Ismail Tara died due to kidney failure in Karachi on 24 November 2022, at the age of 73.[5] He was buried in his hometown Karachi, Pakistan.[1][5][3]

Filmography

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Television

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Year Title Channel
1978 Fifty Fifty[1][6][2] PTV
1987 Ghar Rama
1992 Haveli
2005 Rubber Band ARY Digital
2007 Mamoo PTV
2008 Choki # 420 Aaj Entertainment
Paanch Saheliyan Geo Entertainment
Yeh Zindagi Hai
2009 Nadaaniyaan
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

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YearMovieRole
1993Haathi Mere Saathi[2][5]
1994Aakhri Mujra[5]
1995Munda Bigra Jaye[2][5]
1996Chief Sahib[2][5]
1997Hum Kisi Se Kum Nahin
Jan Jan Pakistan
Raju
1998Deewarein[5]
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

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

Awards and nominations

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References

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  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Paracha, Nadeem F. (4 December 2022). "IN MEMORIAM: THE MAN OF A THOUSAND FACES (Ismail Tara obituary)". Dawn newspaper. Archived from the original on 9 December 2022. Retrieved 22 August 2026.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 "Biography of Ismail Tara". tv.com.pk website. Archived from the original on 3 April 2013. Retrieved 22 August 2026.
  3. 1 2 3 "Ismail Tara: A famed comedian who did theater despite son's death". ARY TV News. 26 November 2022. Archived from the original on 29 November 2022. Retrieved 22 August 2026.
  4. ↑ "Majid Jehangir-Ismail Tara: damp squib". Dawn newspaper. 20 March 2012. Retrieved 23 August 2026.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 "Pakistani actor Ismail Tara passes away in Karachi". Daily Pakistan newspaper. 24 November 2022. Archived from the original on 25 November 2022. Retrieved 23 August 2026.
  6. 1 2 Nadeem F. Paracha (23 April 2011). "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. Archived from the original on 8 November 2012. Retrieved 21 August 2026.
  7. 1 2 "Pakistan's 'Oscars': The Nigar Awards". The Hot Spot Film Reviews website. 24 November 2017. Archived from the original on 13 June 2020. Retrieved 22 August 2026.
  8. ↑ "Ismail Tara, Sajid Hassan among 18 conferred civil awards". Dawn newspaper. 24 March 2022. Archived from the original on 25 December 2024. Retrieved 22 August 2026.
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