Shakeel Siddiqui

{{Infobox person

| name = Shakeel Siddiqui

| image =

| caption =

| native_name_lang = شکیل صدیقی

| birthname =

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1964|5|26|df=y}}

| birth_place = Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan

| nationality = Pakistani

| occupation = {{flatlist|

Actor
Comedian
Director
Play writer

}}

| children = 7, including Sharahbil Siddiqui{{cite web|url=https://www.bolentertainment.com/episodes/khush-raho-pakistan-sharahbil-accepted-faysal-qureshi-as-his-father-29-oct-2021/|title=Sharahbil Accepted Faysal Qureshi As His Father - Denied To Recognize Shakeel Siddiqui - Khush Raho Pakistan Season 8 - 29th October 2021|access-date=28 March 2023|publisher=BOL Entertainment}}

| module = {{Infobox comedian

|embed=yes

| medium = {{flatlist|

Stand-up
Television
Film

}}

| genre = {{flatlist|

}}

| subject = {{flatlist|

}}

| notable_work = Comedy Circus
Comedy Nights Bachao
Comedy Nights Live
Comedy Kings

}}

| othername = Teeli

}}

Shakeel Siddiqui ({{langx|ur|شکیل صدیقی}}; born 26 May 1964) is a Pakistani television stand-up comedian, stage and film actor, theatre director and playwright.

Initially interested in singing, on the insistence of a cousin he began his career as a stage actor in the early 1980s, inspired by comedian Lehri and collaborating with the likes of Moin Akhter and especially Umer Shareef.{{Cite web |last=Hasan |first=Mahmood |date=16 April 2013 |title=Pakistan is rich in comedians, India in actors: Shakeel Siddiqui |url=https://saudigazette.com.sa/article/40758 |access-date=26 March 2023 |website=Saudi Gazette}}

In the 2000s, he also rose to prominence in India after appearing as a contestant in Comedy Circus.Comedian Shakil vows to return to Bollywood. {{cite web |url=http://www.geo.tv/1-18-2009/32942.htm |title=Comedian Shakil vows to return to India - GEO.tv |access-date=2009-11-02 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120405224208/http://www.geo.tv/1-18-2009/32942.htm |archive-date=2012-04-05 }}

Shakeel Siddiqui also appeared as a celebrity guest in Salman Khan's reality game show, Dus Ka Dum (2008).{{cite web|url=http://www.screenindia.com/news/Salman-Khan-s-adieu-to-10-Ka-Dum/359273/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080912015436/http://www.screenindia.com/news/Salman-Khan-s-adieu-to-10-Ka-Dum/359273/|url-status=dead|archive-date=12 September 2008|title=Salman Khan's adieu to 10 Ka Dum|date=12 September 2008|publisher=Screen}}

Shakeel is also known as Teeli in Pakistan.{{Cite web |date=14 November 2016 |title=Pakistani comedian Shakeel Siddiqui to perform in Dubai |url=https://gulfnews.com/entertainment/pakistani-cinema/pakistani-comedian-shakeel-siddiqui-to-perform-in-dubai-1.1929047 |access-date=2021-11-17 |website=Gulf News |language=en}}

Career

=Early career as stage actor=

Shakeel in his earlier career did not quite click until he was discovered by Umar Shareef, who eventually made him an important theater artist. Both worked in several stage dramas together, including Bakra Qiston Pay (Goat On Installments), Yeh To House Full Hogaya (Full House), Nayee Ammi Purana Abba (New Mother, Old Father), Dulhan Main Lekar Jaonga (I Will Take The Bride), Beauty Parlour, Budha Ghar Per Hai (The Old Man Is At Home) and many more.{{cite web |date=16 April 2013 |title=Pakistan is rich in comedians, India in actors: Md Shakil Ansari |url=http://www.saudigazette.com.sa/index.cfm?method=home.regcon&contentid=20130416161565 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140714192324/http://www.saudigazette.com.sa/index.cfm?method=home.regcon&contentid=20130416161565 |archive-date=14 July 2014 |publisher=Saudi Gazette}}

= Theatre director and playwright =

Outside acting, Shakeel had also directed and written plays, including Dunya Do Numberi, which was staged in Karachi's Arts Council of Pakistan in 2020.{{Cite web |date=28 September 2020 |title=Comedian Shakeel Siddiqui's theatre play 'Dunya Do Numberi' staged |url=https://dailytimes.com.pk/671770/comedian-shakeel-siddiquis-theatre-play-dunya-do-numberi-staged/ |access-date=26 March 2023 |website=Daily Times}}

= Success in India and departure (2008–2016) =

Due to the 26/11 attack in Mumbai, all the artists from Pakistan, including Shakeel, were asked to leave the country.{{cite web |url=http://www.saudigazette.com.sa/index.cfm?method=home.regcon&contentid=20130416161565 |title=Pakistan is rich in comedians, India in actors: Shakeel Siddiqui | Life | Saudi Gazette |access-date=2014-07-10 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140714192324/http://www.saudigazette.com.sa/index.cfm?method=home.regcon&contentid=20130416161565 |archive-date=2014-07-14 }}[http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/mumbai/MNS-packs-off-Pak-comedian-Shakeel/articleshow/3980509.cms MNS packs off Pak comedian Shakeel | Mumbai News - Times of India] Some news channels and blogs reported that Shakeel was beaten and forced to leave India by locals due to 26/11 Mumbai attacks.{{cite web|url=http://www.geo.tv/1-15-2009/32675.htm |title=Famous comedian Shakeel Siddiqui beaten up in India |publisher=GEO.tv |date=2009-01-15 |access-date=2014-02-21}}{{cite web|url=http://www.pakspectator.com/shakeel-siddiqui-of-comedy-circus-beaten-in-mumbai/ |title=Shakeel Siddiqui of Comedy Circus Beaten in Mumbai | The Pakistani Spectator |publisher=Pakspectator.com |date=2009-01-14 |access-date=2014-02-21}}{{cite web|url=http://vidpk.com/22854/PAKISTANI-COMEDIAN-SHAKIL-SIDDIQI-BEATEN-BY-SHIV-SENA/ |title=Pakistani Comedian Shakil Siddiqi Beaten By Shiv Sena |publisher=Vidpk.com |date=2009-01-14 |access-date=2014-02-21}}

However, he later denied being beaten or abused and claimed that the producers of Sony were threatened by the members of MNS of "dire consequences" if they continue to allow Pakistanis to perform on their shows. As a safety precaution, the producers and the artist agreed to have him leave the country. This claim coincides with later reports.{{cite news| url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/MNS-stops-Pak-comedian-from-shooting/articleshow/6065816.cms | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120606144216/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2010-06-19/india/28290778_1_maharashtra-navnirman-sena-mns-cine-workers-association-pak-comedian | url-status=live | archive-date=2012-06-06 | work=The Times of India | title=MNS stops Pak comedian from shooting | date=2010-06-19}}{{cite web|url=http://www.allvoices.com/contributed-news/6113049-threat-for-pak-comedian-to-perform-in-india |title=Threat For Pak Comedian To Perform In India |work=Allvoices - http://www.allvoices.com |publisher=Allvoices.com |access-date=2014-02-21}}{{cite news| url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2611_fallout_Pak_actors_feel_the_heat/rssarticleshow/3785939.cms | work=The Times Of India | first1=Bharati | last1=Dubey | title=Mumbai | date=2008-12-03}}

In early 2014, Shakeel made a comeback to Indian screen with Comedy Classes on Life Ok.[http://movies.ndtv.com/television/krushna-abhishek-bharti-singh-shakeel-siddiqui-and-sudesh-lehri-team-up-for-ache-din-institute-673548 Krushna Abhishek, Bharti Singh, Shakeel Siddiqui and Sudesh Lehri Team Up for Ache Din Institute]. NDTV. Indo-Asian news service. 1 October 2014.

Selected filmography

= Stage dramas =

class="wikitable"

!Year

!Title

1989

|Bakra Qiston Pay

2003

|Yeh To House Full Hogaya

2004

|Nayee Ammi Purana Abba

=Television dramas=

class="wikitable"

!Year

!Title

!Role

!Channel

1994

|Aitraaf

|Jumman

|PTV

2009–11

|Yeh Kaisi Mohabbat Hai

|Geo TV

2013

|Ideals

|TV One

=Films=

class="wikitable"

! Year!! Title!!Role!!Language

1995

|Munda Bigra Jaye

|Urdu

1996

|Baazigar

|Punjabi

1998

|Kabhi Haan Kabhi Naa

|Hero Bhai

|Urdu

=Television reality shows=

class="wikitable"

! Year!! Show!!Role

!Country!!Notes

rowspan="2" |2008–09

|Ustaadon Ka Ustaad

|Contestant

| rowspan="7" |India

|{{won}}

Winner

|Comedy Circus : Kaante Ki Takkar

| Celebrity contestant with Urvashi Dholakia

2010–11

|Comedy Circus Ke SuperStars

| Celebrity contestant with Urvashi Dholakia

2013–14

|Comedy Club

| Celebrity contestant with Sucheta Khanna

2014–15

|Comedy Classes{{Cite web |date=1 October 2014 |title=Krushna Abhishek, Bharti Singh, Shakeel Siddiqui and Sudesh Lehri Team Up for Ache Din Institute |url=https://www.ndtv.com/entertainment/krushna-abhishek-bharti-singh-shakeel-siddiqui-and-sudesh-lehri-team-up-for-ache-din-institute-673548 |access-date=2021-11-17 |website=NDTV.com}}

| Urdu teacher

2015–16

|Comedy Nights Bachao

| Himself and various roles

2016

|Comedy Nights Live

| Various roles