Vinay Trilokekar: A TRIBUTE TO OMAR SHARIFF

A TRIBUTE TO OMAR SHARIF

On Friday,the July 10, 2015 Sharif Ali, friend of 'Lawrence of Arabia' (Peter O'Tool) , Doctor Yuri Zhivago, Abwehr Major Grau (of the 'The Night of the Generals' fame), New York Jewish gambler and husband of Fanny Brice, the 'Funny Girl' (Barbara Steisand) , Gengish Khan, Mexican outlaw John Colorado from 'Mackenna's Gold', the world's best bridge player, golfer and a regular in casinos, a graduate in mathematics and physics, a Spaniard, a Russian,a Mongol, a Maxican, a German, Sohaemus, king of Armenia from 'The Fall of the Roman Empire and along with them died Mr. Omar Sharif, one of my favourite actors, at the age of 83. He had been diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease. Farewell!

I remember the first time I saw him and of course it was in ' Lawrence of Arabia'. David Lean introduced the actor that legendary and dramatic shot. Sometime in the middle of the movie the camera zooms on the face of the hero, Lawrence of Arabia, who is looking far away at--- the camera shifts -- there is nothing but an expanse of dunes of desert sands of Arabia, spread across the length and breadth of the wide 70 mm entire silver screen. And then the camera focuses on a small dark black spec right at the top of the screen. Now the spec is taking some shape as it is nearing the camera. But it is all hazy - It's coming nearer and near and you see a man, in black overalls, a black robe. He is coming riding a camel out of a shimmering heat haze. And there was this tall, smart and dark eyed handsome Arab, who had debonair, cheerful and exotic accent. To me he was as handsome as Clark Gable.

His charismatic appearance in this epic film had got him the Oscar nomination and then he won a further Golden Globe three years later for Doctor Zhivago. By then he was already established. His portrayal of Doctor and a poet heart and his romantic interludes scenes between Lara Antipov (Julie Christie) and Tonya Gromeko (Geraldine Chaplin) were quite moving and I felt 'Lara's theme' was quite heart- rendering.

I did watch his 'The Night Of The Generals', 'Funny Girl', 'Fall Of The Roman Empire' and 'Mackenna's Gold.

In 'The Night Of the Generals' he played the role of German Major, who is investing the murder of a prostitute.

In 'Funny Girl' he is really with the funny girl, Fanny with her long nose. Somehow, it reminds of Aamir Khan's dialogue from '3 Idiots' - किस हो नहीं पाती यार, क्योंकी नाक बीचमे आ जाती है। (Never have been able to kiss because her nose comes in the way.)

In Mackenna's Gold , as Mexican outlaw, John Colorodo, he competes with the hero of the film - Mackenna (Gregory Peck).