Johnny Walker- King of Comedy

#5

No I am not.

That Ashfaq Ahmad is a well-known Pakistani writer and I am nowhere near him.I am a retired British Civil Servant, a freelance journalist,a freelance interpreter helping Asylum seekers and a part-time writer.

A little while ago, on ARY TV I watched a play written by Ashfaq Ahmad.I have forgotten the title but I must admit, after a long time I had seen a good play.

The story revolved round an ambitious boy coming from a rich family.He wanted to be a pilot and he was crazy about aeroplanes from his childhood,had pictures of aeroplanes,uniformed air force officers,pilots etc all over his bedroom and he always dreamed of flying.He was in love with a girl but she too was at times, fed-up with his mad ambition.He goes for selection in Pakistan Airforce and is successful in all the tests and interviews.Finally he goes to the airforce doctor who gives him the shocking news that he cannot fly as he has a very bad eyesight and the chances are that he would eventually go blind.Completely shattered,the boy breaks the news to his parents who spend lot of money on his treatment but his condition does not improve.He then quietly leaves home without telling anyone.His beloved waited for him for long but when he did not turn-up,marries somebody else.Years later this girl goes to some shrine with her husband where there are lots of people selling flowers,perfumes,garlands etc. She fancies some bangles spread out on a piece of cloth on the floor being sold by a poor man.She sits down and selects some bangles while her husband goes to buy something else.As soon as she speaks to the man,he recogonises her with her voice as he was blind.While talking to her,the girl also thinks that she had heard that voice before but she was not sure who he was.She buys some bangles and goes away.That man too moves away from there.Needless to say he was the same boy who wanted to be a pilot.

Pakistani television plays are definitely better than those on Indian TV.

Ashfaq Ahmed...

Are you the same Ashfaq Ahmed... who used to do that horrible radio program `tilqeen shah`, who thinks of himself as an intellectual, who is married to an equally bad writer `Bano Qudsia` and who is amongst the leading lights spreading backwardness amongst common Pakistanis?

-YLH

`1` and `2`

Thanks. My apologies for omitting Anand as indeed I have not included in my list many other films in which Johnny Walker excelled.

`3`.Thank you for your comments.
Actually I had written a much longer article but perhaps due to shortage of space,it could not be accomodated in Chowk.

The Rubai that JW recited on stage in London was incomplete in my published article.It should have been like this:

`DULHAN KA CHEHRA,MOHALLAY BHIR MEIN HAR EK KA DILPASAND NIKLA
MERA MUQADDAR HIMALAY SE BHI CHAAR CHEH FIT BULAND NIKLA
UTHAYA GHOONGHAT TO KIA DEKHA,EK BAZAR BAND NIKLA`

Johnny Walker,among other things,was known to be a helpful and a generous person like Mohammad Rafi.

Johnny Walker was very fond of Shikaar.

Long ago, Johnny Walker`s brother known as Tony Walker,produced a film called `Wanted` which flopped.I did not hear about Tony Walker again.

Old fans must remember this song from,I think, film `Aar Paar`

`ARE TOBA TOBA TOBA
TOBA KAI-KO KARTA,PYAR SE DARTA
TOBA RE SANAM, TOBA TOBA....

ARE WA WA WA WA WA WA TOBA TOBA
MEIN NA PYAR KAROONGI
NAINA CHAAR KAROONGI
TOSE SANAM, MERI TOBBA....`

This song was picturised on Johnny Walker and old actress Shakila`s sister NOOR.
Johnny Walker married NOOR and she never appeared in films again.

Having lived in England for decades,I have noticed that English people pronounce the letter `L` in a distinct style.Johnny Walker adpted that in Urdu, perhaps unconsciously,which sounded very funny.An example from `Taxi Driver`

`Agar Demo`L`o Saab cha`L`a jaega to Si`L`vi ka kia hoga?`

Ashfaq Ahmad,

Thanks for writing about Johnny walker. He surely will be remembered by generations to come.

Adios

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Ashfaq,

You missed `Anand` in the list.