Lehri (actor)
| Lehri | |
|---|---|
 |
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| Born |
Safirullah Siddiqui 2 January 1929 Kanpur, erstwhile British India |
| Died | 13 September 2012 (aged 83) Karachi, Pakistan |
| Occupation | Actor, comedian |
| Years active | 1956–1986 |
| Awards | 12 Nigar Awards |
Safirullah Siddiqui, commonly known as Lehri (2 January 1929 – 13 September 2012) was a leading comedian and actor in Urdu film industry of Pakistan. He is still considered as one of the most acclaimed comedians of South Asia. Lehri is also known as comedy king in Pakistan film industry. He won 11 Nigar Awards which is consider as most prestigious award in Lollywood.
Safirullah was born on 2 January 1929 in Kanpur, British India. After independence, he along with his family migrated to Pakistan and settled in Karachi. He performed on radio and stage before setting foot in the film industry.
Lehri acted from the late 1950s until the 1980s. He won Nigar Award 11 times for various films between 1964 and 1986, his first film, Anokhi, was released in 1956, and his last production was "Dhanak" in 1986. The vast majority of his films have been in Urdu, though he did perform in a few Punjabi productions.
Lehri's forte was the quip and in his monotone, his audience became used to finding a brand of quiet, almost surreptitious humour. To critics and to his fans, his restrained style came to personify the 'decency' of times gone by. After mid-80s, Lehri was reduced to occasional appearances on television and newspaper columns. By the time private-sector television arrived, though, the film industry was struggling and all that it had once encompassed was looked upon both with a sense of loss and with fondness.
Lehri won 11 Nigar award which is consider as one of the most prestigious award in Urdu and Lolywood film industry in Pakistan.
Lehri retired in late 1986, after his retirement, his health started deteriorating, then Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto set up a monthly stipend for him of Rs. 2,500, which he continued to receive until his last days, however there was no increase in the amount until his death. He died on 13 September 2012 in Karachi, aged 83, from lung, kidney diseases, diabetes, high blood pressure and heart issues. He had been under treatment and was on ventilator due to prolonged illness in a private hospital at the time of his death.
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