Hello Hello!! Jaidi
Yes, this flashback is about none other than Athar Shah Khan Sahib, whose goofy, schmucky and klutzy Jaidi is one of the most memorable comic characters to have ever emerged out of PTV classic drams.

I have always felt that Shah Sahib, as Athar Shah Khan is fondly known as, is one of the most underrated and less talked and written about writer. The kind of rib-tickling humor and acerbic satire that he was able to put across through his colorful character and delectable situations was unique in essence.

Prior to Athar Shah Khan’s arrival on showbiz horizon, there weren’t many writers the underbelly of whose dialogues was satirical in nature. Anwar Maqsood and Farooq Qaiser, in a way, are successors to shah sahib.

Athar Shah Kahn’s creative journey began in late 50’s or perhaps early 60’s. And his early claim to fame was a comic series (read: sitcom, for those days the word hadn’t made.

it to our angreazi (English) dictionaries) Aik Se Badh Ker Teen or Lakhan Mein Teen (my memory doesn’t serve me). The series had Ejaz and Muhammad Qavi Khan, apart from Athar Shah himself, in the cast.

After his short stint at Lahore Television Shah Sahib shifted to Karachi. And this is where he created history of sorts. Two of his plays Intizar Farmayey and Hello, Hello earned viewer ship that could easily be labeled unprecedented - at least at the time when they were being aired.

Intizar Farmayey was the play where that Technicolor, bald, bespectacled and goofy, yet some what intellectually inclined character of Jaidi was created. His mad antics and whacky mannerisms were a fun replete treat to witness. His trademark huge, rounded glasses acquired more fame than some of Haseena Moin’s zany inventions.

Jaidi became so famous that he even earned a show with radio Pakistan, Karachi. On the show he would respond to serious questions of the listeners in his own crazy, unreasonable, illogical fashion.

But what really became the hit amongst all and sundry was Jaidi’s English translation of Idioms and phrases from Urdu language. For example, if Jaidi were to translate Khisiani Billi

Khamba Nochey, he would say, “ashamed cat scratches the pole.” And who can forget his self-made, lop-sided, romantic affair with Sophia Loren.

In the 80’s Shah Sahib didn’t do much television, for many a new scripter had emerged on the scene and were doing well? It was in the 90’s that he came back with a brilliant anachronistic play, Ba Adab Ba Mulahiza Hoshiyar.

This play was aired at the time when PTV was going through a lean patch. Directed by Qasim Jalali (who also played the part of a despotic emperor) Babmsh was a huge success. The way it mocked the short comings of a hollow society was unmatched. Sadly, ever since, Shah Sahib hasn’t done substantial for television.

Another sparkling aspect of Athar Shah Khan’s multitalented personality is his comic poetry. He is one of the most sought after Mizahiya Shaer of Pakistan. And many of his couplets and quartets have become proverbial. It’s sincerely hoped that he keeps on coming up with great stuff.