Pakistan’s King of Comedy Amanullah Khan passed away at a private hospital in Lahore on Friday. He was 70 years old.
He was taken to hospital after he complained of facing difficulty in breathing, said Zarghoon, the daughter of the comedian. He breathed his last at Bahria Town hospital.
The comedian was also suffering from pneumonia, kidney and respiratory diseases, according to his daughter.
Amanullah Khan was regarded as one of the best comedians on stage in Pakistan. He has influenced many artists as well as people.
He ruled the stage for decades and was conferred with a presidential award in recognition of his services.
Amanullah Khan has a world record of 860-day night theatre plays including Shartia Mithay, Bara Maza Aaye Ga, Begum Dish Antenna.
His comedy acts are based on regular habits and daily lives of the common people. Amanullah with his face expressions used to captivate the audience wherever he performs and it was no surprise that he got a big round of applause every time he entered onto the stage.
He has also toured India, and many famous Indian comedians, including Kapil Sharma and Chandan Prabhakar, considered him their inspiration and teacher.
Prime minister Imran Khan expressed profound grief over the passing of the veteran artist. The PM said that Amanullah Khan was a valuable asset to the stage, theatre and drama industry.
PML-N chief and Opposition Leader Shehbaz Sharif also condoled the death of the star. He called it a great loss for the worlds of stage, comedy and acting. He said his fans would never be able to forget his performing talents and services in the acting profession.
Actor and director Sarmad Khoosat took to twitter to express his sadness upon hearing the news and wrote: “He wasn’t just an artist par excellence; he was an intellectual in the truest sense. A man with a witty and a beautiful mind. We will miss you.”
https://twitter.com/KhoosatSarmad/status/1235826520398020608
Actor Humayun Saeed took to twitter to express his condolence and wrote, “Amanullah sahib was a legend and the undisputed king of comedy. May his soul rest in peace.”
Cricketer Shoaib Akhtar also condoled his death and wrote: “He was an industry in himself leaving a legacy behind. What an irreplaceable loss.”