{{short description|Pakistani actor and comedian (1949–2022)}} {{Use Pakistani English|date=December 2020}} {{Use dmy dates|date=December 2020}} {{Infobox person | name = Ismail Tara | native_name = اسماعیل تارا | image = | alt = | caption = | birth_name = Muhammad Ismail Merchant | birth_date = {{birth_date|1949|11|16|df=y}} | birth_place = Karachi, Pakistan | death_date = {{death date and age|2022|11|24|1949|11|16|df=y}} | death_place = Karachi, Pakistan | other_names = | years_active = 1964 – 2022 | occupation = {{flatlist| *Actor *Comedian }} | known_for = ''Fifty Fifty'' (TV comedy show) | awards = 5 Nigar Awards }}
'''Ismail Tara''' ({{langx|ur|اسماعیل تارا}}; 16 November 1949 – 24 November 2022), born '''Muhammad Ismail Merchant''', was a Pakistani actor and comedian.<ref name=tv>{{cite web|title=Biography of Ismail Tara|url=http://www.tv.com.pk/celebrity/Ismail-Tara/94|website=tv.com.pk website|access-date=14 January 2023|archive-date=3 April 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130403025911/http://www.tv.com.pk/celebrity/Ismail-Tara/94|url-status=dead}}</ref>
Beginning in 1964, he worked in stage plays, television serials and Lollywood films till his death in 2022.
He was best known for his work in ''Fifty Fifty'', which aired on PTV in the 1980s.<ref name="Dawn">{{cite news |date=March 20, 2012 |title=Majid Jehangir-Ismail Tara: damp squib |newspaper=Dawn (newspaper) |url=https://www.dawn.com/news/614554/majid-jehangir-ismail-tara-damp-squib |access-date=30 December 2020}}</ref>
He was a five time Nigar Awards winner for the best comedian in ''Haathi Mere Saathi'' (1993), ''Aakhri Mujra'' (1994), ''Munda Bigra Jaye'' (1995), ''Chief Sahib'' (1996) and ''Deewarein'' (1998).
== Early life == Tara was born 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.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last=Paracha |first=Nadeem F. |date=4 December 2022 |title=IN MEMORIAM: THE MAN OF A THOUSAND FACES |url=https://www.dawn.com/news/1724626 |access-date=18 March 2023 |website=Dawn News}}</ref>
==Career== Tara first rose to prominence when he became a part of the ''Zia Mohyeddin Show'' in 1972–1973.<ref name=":0" />
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.<ref name="Dawn2">{{cite news|title=Death of a comic genius (Ismail Tara and Majid Jehangir took over the writing duties of 'Fifty-Fifty' TV show from Anwar Maqsood)|url=https://www.dawn.com/news/623231/death-of-a-comic-genius|access-date=30 December 2020|newspaper=Dawn (newspaper)|date=April 23, 2011|archive-date=November 8, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121108231156/http://dawn.com/2011/04/23/death-of-a-comic-genius/|url-status=live}}</ref>
==Personal life and death== 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.<ref name=Ary>{{Cite web |url=https://arynews.tv/ismail-tara-famed-comedian-theater-son-death/amp/ |title=Ismail Tara: A famed comedian who did theater despite son's death |date=2022-11-26 |website=ARY News}}</ref>
Tara died due to kidney failure in Karachi on 24 November 2022, at the age of 73.<ref name=dp>{{Cite web |url=https://en.dailypakistan.com.pk/24-Nov-2022/pakistani-actor-ismail-tara-passes-away-in-karachi |title=Pakistani actor Ismail Tara passes away in Karachi |date=2022-11-24 |website=Daily Pakistan}}</ref>
== Filmography == === Television === {| class="wikitable" |+ !Year !Title !Channel |- |1978 |''Fifty Fifty'' | rowspan="3" |PTV |- |1987 |''Ghar Rama'' |- |1992 |''Haveli'' |- |2005 |''Rubber Band'' |ARY Digital |- |2007 |''Mamoo'' |PTV |- | rowspan="3" |2008 |''Choki # 420'' |Aaj Entertainment |- |''Paanch Saheliyan'' | rowspan="3" |Geo Entertainment |- |''Yeh Zindagi Hai'' |- |2009 |''Nadaaniyaan'' |- | rowspan="3" |2012 |''One Way Ticket'' |Hum TV |- |''Pak Villa'' |Geo TV |- |''Dheeli Colony'' |Urdu 1 |- | rowspan="4" |2013 |''Orangi Ki Anwari'' |TVOne |- |''Yeh Shadi Nahi Ho Sakti'' | rowspan="2" |ARY Digital |- |''Bulbulay'' |- |''Namak Paray'' |Hum TV |- |2015 |''Love In Gulshan-e-Bihar'' |TVOne |- |2018 |''Jinn Ki Aayegi Baraat'' | rowspan="2" |BOL Entertainment |- |2018 |''Mirchiyaan'' |- | rowspan="2" |2019 |''Barfi Laddu'' |ARY Digital |- |''Bhai Bhai'' |Express Entertainment |- | rowspan="2" |2020 |''Ulta Seedha'' |Apna TV |- |''Shokhiyaan'' |Geo Entertainment |- |2022 |''Woh Pagal Si'' |ARY Digital |}
===Films=== {| class="wikitable" |- ! '''Year''' !! '''Movie''' !! '''Role''' |- | 1993 || ''Haathi Mere Saathi'' || |- | 1994 || ''Aakhri Mujra'' || |- | 1995 || ''Munda Bigra Jaye'' || |- | 1996 || ''Chief Sahib'' || |- | rowspan="3" |1997 || ''Hum Kisi Se Kum Nahin'' || |- | ''Jan Jan Pakistan'' || |- | ''Raju'' || |- |rowspan="2" | 1998 || ''Deewarein'' || |- | ''Kabhi Haan Kabhi Naa'' || |- | 1999 || ''Mujhe Jeene Do'' || |- | 2000 || ''Mujhe Chand Chahiye'' || |- | 2002 || ''Yeh Dil Aap Ka Huwa'' || |- | 2008 || ''Khulay Aasman Ke Neechay'' || |- | 2013 || ''Main Hoon Shahid Afridi'' || Malick Khalid |- |rowspan="2" | 2015 || ''Jawani Phir Nahi Ani'' || |- | ''Halla Gulla'' || |- | 2016 || ''Sawal 700 Crore Dollar Ka'' || |- | rowspan="2" |2018 || ''Jackpot'' || Mr.China |- | ''The Donkey King'' ||Pehalwan Chacha |- | 2019 || ''Ready Steady No''|| |}
=== Stage plays === {| class="wikitable" |+ !Title !Language |- |''Soney Ki Chirya'' | rowspan="4" |Punjabi |- |''Mehndi Lagi Mere Hath'' |- |''Tere Nakhre Hazar'' |- |''Pholay Badshah'' |- |''Wah Wah Moin Akhtar'' |Urdu |}
==Awards and nominations==
* Nigar Awards: Winner for best comedian for Haathi Mere Saathi in 1993 * Nigar Awards: Winner for best comedian for ''Aakhri Mujra''n 1994 * Nigar Awards: Winner for best comedian for ''Munda Bigra Jaye'' in 1995 * Nigar Awards: Winner for best comedian for ''Chief Sahib'' in 1996 * Nigar Awards: Winner for best comedian for ''Deewarein'' in 1998 * The 1st Indus Drama Awards: Nominated for Best Actor Sitcom in a Leading Role and received Award for TV Comedy Series Fifty Fifty (1980s) * Pride of Performance from the President of Pakistan 2022<ref>{{Cite web |last=Reporter |first=The Newspaper's Staff |date=2022-03-24 |title=Ismail Tara, Sajid Hassan among 18 conferred civil awards |url=https://www.dawn.com/news/1681475 |access-date=2023-04-08 |website=DAWN.COM |language=en}}</ref>
== References == {{Reflist}}
== External links == * {{IMDb name|0850142}}
{{NigarAwardBestComedian}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Tara, Ismail}} Category:1949 births Category:2022 deaths Category:Memon people Category:Pakistani people of Gujarati descent Category:Pakistani male film actors Category:Pakistani male stage actors Category:Pakistani male television actors Category:Pakistani male comedians Category:20th-century Pakistani comedians Category:21st-century Pakistani comedians Category:Male actors from Karachi Category:Nigar Award winners Category:Male actors in Urdu cinema Category:20th-century Pakistani male actors Category:21st-century Pakistani male actors Category:Recipients of the Pride of Performance
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