KARACHI: He brought smiles to people’s faces. He did dozens of characters, perhaps more than that, in just one show to prove what a versatile actor he was. He gave the art of improvisation a distinct flavour that elevated the quality of the scripts, which he would be asked to follow as an actor, a couple of notches. He was, of course, none other than Moin Akhtar — the artiste who passed away in 2011 of a heart attack at the age of 61.

Friday, Dec 24, was Akhtar’s 71st birth anniversary. To pay tribute to him Google celebrated his life with a nice little doodle. Describing his contribution to his chosen field of work, the website wrote, “A champion of everyday people, Akhtar is widely regarded as one of Pakistan’s greatest comedic actors. He was born in Karachi, Pakistan on this day in 1950. He began his stage career at 16 years old and quickly became known for his masterful impersonations and side-splitting skits. After a breakout 1966 appearance on a popular Pakistani talk show, Akhtar became a household name.”

The legendary artist was born on Dec 24, 1950

It’s a fair description, although one is not sure he was that young when he first appeared on the showbiz horizon. Still, what he went on to achieve — by starting out as a stand-up, then graduating into a top-drawer actor and a variety show host who to date has no parallels — is astounding. In his mid-fifties, he was already one of the most influential artistes of the country.

Visually, Google’s doodle is spot-on in quite a few ways. First up, it shows Akhtar in a suit, something that he was very particular about. He was a well-dressed, cultured man. In his regular, away-from-showbiz, life he spoke eloquently in Urdu. He can also be seen, in the image, having a firm grip on the microphone. He was meticulous about voice projection. Finally, his gaze typifies the confidence that he exuded when he interacted with his guests or interviewees.

An apt doodle!

Published in Dawn, December 25th, 2021