Mushtaque B Barq
Fate writes its own script and erases many imperfectly planned and wobbled editions. This perfect edition guides a man to follow it. His presence in a gathering automatically serves the need for a keen eye that identifies it for being translated into reality. A divine script selects an expert to broadcast or telecast it for the rest to be conceded. A man, for no good reason, recognises his face unless a mirror is placed in front of him. His façade is a mystery to him, like his talent, so a mirror or mentor knows how to project the facades and the facts. Once your mentor, or for that matter, the mirror, explains your intricacies, which otherwise go unattended, you are lured to delve deep, and with the passage of time, you are chiselled and battered to meet the requirements of your mentor. After those early hiccoughs, a few edges might pierce through the sternum, but a determined archetypal allows the hammer to do the rest for the reason that ‘breaking is making’. Ashraf Shawl is one such artist who was picked up in a gathering to meet the needs of a lens installed for a television show in 1973. A man from downtown, or, to be more precise, from Nowhatta, translated so many scripts on the screen through his intense practice and purpose. Acting in those days might have been an unacceptable job or, for that matter, off-limits within the given social structure. One can understand the plight and challenges of an actor when things are still unveiled or partially visible to the rest of the world.
But those who are hell-bent to perform despite the odds create history, and the same is true for Ashraf Shawl. Starting his career as an anchor, he never looked back, which is a mark of a man who knows his sky. He took up the role of co-producer and created a niche of his own. In 1989, the incorporation of Telecine India with the first documentary film entitled Lal Ded was one of the major works he is credited for. His other remarkable productions are as follows: Kashmkash, Tapassaya, Kokilaa, Aaina, Adhoore Log, Milan, Bachay Mann Ke Sachey, Chehre, Fasslah, Nazraana, Ek Kahani Ek Afsaana, Himalaya Tein Tahlistan, Unveilling the Shangrilla, Lowrence Chinaron Ke Chaon Mein, Glimpses of Himalayan Valley, Cancer (Indian Classics Dogri), Shikari(Indian Classics Dogri),Khel Shatranj Ka, Lol-e-vear, Gulrez,Kudrat, Nishkarsh, Gul Aur Bulbul and Akh Khwaab.
Some of the greats of Doordarshan shared their valuable views as a mark of respect. Pran Kishore, an eminent writer, ace broadcaster, and legendary playwright, writes: “Ashraf Shawl is one of the dignified and noble souls. He is a talented actor but humble man, and he worked with me on radio plays for a long time. When we met after a gap of a decade, he looked the same—no change, which is a mark of a good man.”
“Ashraf Shawl was associated with DDK Srinagar almost from its inception. When DDK Srinagar started regular drama productions around the mid-seventies, he was a part of many of them. He was one of my favorite actors and featured in a number of my productions during my long stint of ten years as a drama producer. One of his strong aspects was his good screen presence. Endowed with a good personality, he could make a good visual impact. He was a full-timer with no other occupation, thus giving full attention to his performances. He had a yearning for hard work and learning. Over the years, he matured into a very good actor and gave some good performances.
On a personal level, we developed a mutual liking for each other and would spend a lot of free time together. Over a period of time, he produced a number of good programs for various channels of Doordarshan” writes Ashok Jailkhani, Ex-ADG Doordarshan.
“Ashraf Shawl, a prominent figure in the Kashmir Television Industry, is compared to Raj Kumar in the Indian film industry. Known for his unique appearance, height, and metallic voice, Shawl gained public recognition as a youth program and later as an actor. Despite being a school pass out, his Urdu pronunciation is better than many university pass outs. Shawl’s greatest advantage is his love of loneliness, commanding emotions both on and off camera. His unique friendship style and influence make him a unique figure in the industry” writes M. Amin Bhat: playwright, President AMK.
About Ashraf Shawl, Ex- Director Doordarshan and Media Educator Shri Rajesh Kaul writes: “Normally in the valley, an actor starts his acting in the theatre and then tries his skill on screen. But for Ashraf Shawl, it was the other way around. He started acting on Srinagar Television around 1973–74 with the then-drama producer Zafar Ahmad, who probably noticed certain characteristics of a suitable actor on a television screen in him. Ashraf, a humble, soft-spoken and well-mannered person did not prove him wrong.
Ashraf, an acknowledged actor of yesteryear, had a key quality: ‘passion for performing.’ His confidence to portray roles in productions was convincing and would connect with audiences. Shawl’s physicality to convey the emotions, motivation, and intentions of a character, through physical movement as well as speech, excelled day by day. His Passion and hard work were noticed and other producers like the late C.L. Hackoo and JenabFarooq Nazki, Shri J. K. Zutshi, Shri Ashok Jailkhani, etc., and offered him varied characters to play in their productions. Shawl portrayed the characters in the most compelling way. His
Memorizing skill, persistence, and speech are commendable.
Ashraf had a good association with the then popular and versatile actors like ‘Tariq Shah’ and ‘Vijay Sure.’ His close association with ‘Vijay Suri’ and ‘Ashok Jailkhani’ attracted him to stage acting. He performed on stage with equal ease. His performance in Dr. Madan Mohan Sharma’s written and Vijay Suri’s directed play JANWAR got him accolades. A good actor should have a willingness to accept criticism and continuously work toward improvement. Ashraf Shawl was always open to criticism, or, to put it straight, he would request for that, “Ba Maray Vanu Kateth Gayi Galti” (you will see me dead if you do not pinpoint my mistakes). Later, he shifted his attention to the production and direction of TV programs and established a production house of repute. I wish him good health and peace.”
“Ashraf Shawl is a great versatile artist of his style with a unique voice quality. It used to be a proud moment for any artist to work with him. He has always been cooperative with his fellow artists, whether on sets or outside sets. Apart from being an artist of high calibre and category, he is a very noble, sober, soft-spoken, and pious human being.” Writes G M Wani , a senior actor.
Dr. Ayash Arif, a film maker and actor, writes, “Ashraf Shawl is one of the finest actors we have among the first line of actors. He is a noble man, a productive producer, a dedicated director, and above all, a buddy so close to my heart. His acting and seriousness in roles have left an inexplicable mark for one and all. His name will always pop up in the acting chronicles of Kashmir.”
A famous newsreader, journalist and poet Shri Brijnath Betaab writes: “Ashraf Shawl is one of the three male pioneers of television acting and drama, the other two being the late Tariq Shah and Tariq Javid. He had a unique style of acting for which the term method acting could be used. He was not loud, and in that, the influence of many Bollywood stalwarts could be seen. Since these actors were not trained as such, they evolved with experience. They were lucky that some of the best TV producers and directors were posted in Srinagar Doordarshan, and they groomed Kashmiri actors and actresses like Ashraf Shawl. It was during the initial years of Srinagar Doordarshan that the public started recognizing and appreciating them. When Tariq Shah shifted to Mumbai, Ashraf Shawl dominated. Later, when outside productions and in-house programming were started, Shawl contributed to production as well. He became one of the prominent “outside producers” of Kashir Channel and produced and directed TV films and serials not only in Kashmiri but also in Urdu. I always found him cool and calm. I would call him friend of friends”
Mushtaq Bala, a film maker, writes: “Ashraf Shawl is a brand, an institution in him. He knew his role and the character he was portraying. From anchor to ace director and actor, I have been highly impressed by his dedication and hard work. He has given many hits and is known for his seriousness and film techniques that he employed after gaining much experience in the field. He would make his co-actors feel comfortable, but he was a tough competitor for his contemporaries. He would always listen and share to improve his performance. I still remember a tall boy buying some snacks outside Budshah Tomb situated at Zaina Kadal. I spotted him watching TV (DDk Srinagar) sometime in 1972–73. I immediately jumped, introduced myself, and asked him if I could get a chance to be on TV.
Next I was a participant in a quiz program produced and directed by Mr. Farooq Nazqi and anchored by Mr. Ashraf Shawl. Since then, we have been friends. He has always treated me as a younger brother and guided me in many spheres of life.”
Another famous actor and director, Mr. Omer Imtiyaz, writes: “Ashraf Shawl is an actor of par excellence who has always performed with naturalism. He is the kind of performer who has used his acting skills to give soul to the characters he portrays. Shawl Sahib is among the few top actors in our industry, rather the first, whose amazing level of natural acting performances left a deep impression among his viewers. He has been an inspiration for many who later became actors, and working with him was a dream comes true for all of them. I, too, was the luckiest actor to work on a number of projects with this doyen of the acting field. In a nutshell, I should say he is the charismatic personality of our industry who has always been successful in evoking emotion through his acting potential.”
An ace TV actor, Shri Kamal Razdan, writes: “After the inception of DDK Srinagar in 1973, many artists emerged as stars, had tremendous fame in public, and Mr. Ashraf Shawl was rated in the top rank. Being fluent with the right accent in Urdu, he used to perform mostly in Urdu plays. Mr. Shawl had a great sense of camera and the utilization of expression and body language. He was the first artist to have a sense of the underplay method of acting and, therefore, was commonly called Dilip Kumar. All due to his being a method actor who used to emboss a proper impact in his performances? Since more than a decade has passed, when DDK is not producing new programmes and plays in particular, the local talent has also started vanishing. The impact that Mr. Shawl and others produced among viewers has also declined because it is an art of practice. Our younger artist, who believes in method acting, should watch the performances of Ashraf Shawl as testimony.”
“Ashraf Shawl was a generous, brilliant television actor and producer with a larger than life persona. He was a great friend and generous soul, always infused with self-esteem and celebration. His life appeared more like an open book, with all aspects intertwined. I met Ashraf during his theatre days in the early 1990s. They played main characters together in a mega-serial ‘Maquam’, shot in Jammu. Ashraf had a rare inquisitive sense and charm, attracting the best of minds and talents. His Kashmir Lodge/Tourist centre hotel suites were filled with guests from all walks of life. I performed in Ashraf’s home productions and hosted numerous short films and features, some of which were telecasted at DD Metro. Ashraf was immaculately dressed, with the same physical demeanour, affection, and warmth.” writes Jugal Kaul, a senior actor.
While taking to him on the phone I found the man well-versed in film grammar. After a lot of persuasion, he was convinced to share his acting career with me, which I found thrilling amidst the struggles. A groaning voice on the other side of the phone would give you an idea of the voice quality the man is blessed with.
Mushtaq B.Barq is a Columnist, Poet and Fiction Writer. He is the author of “Feeble prisoner, “ Wings of Love” and many translation works are credited to the author like “ Verses Of Wahab
