Hameed Sheikh (Urdu: حمید شیخ) is a Pakistani film and television actor,[1][2] director, producer,[3] and professional language translator. In film and TV, he is best known for Khuda Kay Liye, Operation O21 and Moor[4][5]

Hameed Sheikh
Sheikh in 2015
Born1969
NationalityPakistani
Occupation(s)Actor, producer, translator, cultural heritage consultant
Known forKhuda Kay Liye
Moor
021
The Old Man

Since 2022 Hameed Sheikh has performed as on-set language and cultural consultant for the US series The Old Man, starring Jeff Bridges.[6]

Hameed Sheikh has worked for years to bring his native Pashtun, Pakistani, and Middle Eastern society into better focus via film and television, while lamenting the lack of government support within these cultures.[7]

Personal life

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Hameed Sheikh has lived in Los Angeles since 2021. He is from Quetta, the capital city of Balochistan, Pakistan. Sheikh is fluent in Urdu, Brahui, Sindhi, Punjabi, Dari, Persian, Seraiki, Balochi and Hindko.[8] Hameed sheikh is great teacher and Father of three he is very knowledgeable, intelligent in the Field of Arts/Movies his line of work has credibility from his past endeavours with many different cultures, Schools of thought/Arts and his multilingual knowledge is great for many walks of life in the field he is also great at teaching/consulting Actors, Directors about culture, life, Dialogue/Dialects and much more. Hameed Sheikh's life work to escalate the quality of Pakistani/Pasthun film and television is well known, if sometimes contentious. In a 2019 interview Sheikh stated, "There is a wealth of resources that we can use if we get support from Pakistan’s film industry and the government. We don’t even have an arts council in Quetta, let alone any infrastructure. How can we get anything done?"[9]

Career

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Kandhar Break

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In 2008, Sheikh produced Kandahar Break, a political thriller set in 1999 about a British engineer escaping the Taliban regime in Afghanistan. While filming a night scene in the desert, a group associated with the Taliban attacked the Pakistani members of the film crew. Four crew members were shot while leaving the compound and arriving at the set; they all survived. Much like the lead character of the movie, director David Whitney and his crew were forced to leave Pakistan with the help of local security forces. Only 75% of the shoot was completed by then. Later, Sheikh arranged funding for the remaining part, which was filmed in Tunisia.[10]

Moor

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Sheikh was approached by Jami, director and writer of Moor,[11] to play the role of an old man whose family was affected by the closure of a railway station in Zhob Valley, Baluchistan. In preparation for the role, Sheikh gained a lot of weight and changed his posture and gait (walking style). He described his role as "genuinely challenging," but didn't charge a fee for the project since he believed the film would open doors for young actors of Baluchistan.[citation needed]

Filmography

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Film

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Year Title Role Director Notes
2007 Khuda Kay Liye Sher Shah Shoaib Mansoor
2009 Kandahar Break: Fortress of War Omar Baloch David Whitney
2013 Hearts and Minds Tariq Charlie Guillen Winner, Jury Prize, Alexandria Film Festival
2014 O21 Dost Muhammad Jami
2015 Abdullah: The Final Witness Abdullah Hashim Nadeem Screened at Cannes Film Festival
2015 Moor Wahid Jami Pashto and English
2019 The Man from Kathmandu Pundit Harvashdam Pema Dhondup Nepali film
2020 Away, Together Rashid Sana Malik
2021 The Window Abid Ammar Lasani

Television

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PTV Quetta Center Produced Drama Series contains 7 episode (Palay Shah) Palay Khan in 1990 as a tribute to Palay Khan Khosthi involvement in the freedom movement against British Raj. Palay Khan was played by Jamal Shah, and Palay's brother Katey Khan was portrayed by Hayatullah Khan Durrani while Hameed Sheikh played the character of the Nephew of Palay Khan.

Year Title Role Director Notes
1984 Naqab Sang
1990 Palay Khan
20-- Zanjeer Ali Jan Syed Faisal Bukhari
19-- Wapasi -
1995 Kal - Co-produced with Jamal Shah
19-- Wapsi Kay Baad Muhammad Nawaz Magsi
19-- Ishq Babar Javed
19-- Matti Amanullah Nasir

Awards and nominations

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See also

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References

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  1. ^ Hameed Sheikh Will Play a Hindu Pundit In The Man From Kathmand, Images, 8 September 2018, retrieved 5 May 2023
  2. ^ Actors Hameed Sheikh and Samiya Mumtaz, BBC Asian Network, 9 August 2015, retrieved 5 May 2023
  3. ^ Mr. Hameed Sheikh, Balochistan Stars, 10 July 2020, retrieved 5 May 2023
  4. ^ Hameed Sheikh: When Mountains Speak, Wise Men Listen, The Express Tribune, 5 July 2014, retrieved 5 May 2023
  5. ^ Oscars: Pakistan Selects 'Moor' for Foreign-Language Category, The Hollywood Reporter, 14 September 2015, retrieved 5 May 2023
  6. ^ "The Old Man Star Pej Vahdat On His New Series, Meeting Jeff Bridges and Jon Watts, and More - Exclusive Interview". Looper. 23 June 2022. Retrieved 5 May 2023.
  7. ^ "Hollywood Can't Use 'Creative Licence' and Misrepresent Pashtun Culture: Hameed Sheikh". The Express Tribune. 6 December 2021. Retrieved 5 May 2023.
  8. ^ "I Feel People Outside Pakistan Recognise My Talents More, Says Hameed Sheikh". Images. 28 April 2019. Retrieved 5 May 2023.
  9. ^ "Hameed Sheikh Has No Desire to be Humayun Saeed!". Hip In Pakistan. 29 April 2019. Retrieved 5 May 2023.
  10. ^ "Film-makers under fire".
  11. ^ "5 Things You Need To Know About Jami's Upcoming Film 'Moor'". The Express Tribune. 5 June 2015. Retrieved 5 May 2023.
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