'I mourn the death of an unsung actor'

'It’s really sad to see a promising career cut short so rudely.'

Actor Ashraf-Ul-Haq, best remembered for his small but striking appearances in Mrig Lamba’s Fukrey, Anurag Kashyap’s Gangs Of Wasseypur and Ananth Mahadevan’s Red Alert, succumbed to an illness recently. He was 45.

His friends from the industry pay tribute to him:

Tigmanshu Dhulia

I am very saddened to hear of Ashraf-Ul-Haq’s demise. He was from Assam. While shooting Paan Singh Tomar, we constantly discussed Assam politics. 

I will always remember him as an actor, who wanted to excel.

Image, left: Ashraf Ul-Haq (left) in Paan Singh Tomar

Richa Chaddha

It always hurts when you discover a fellow-actor was suffering. He was a graduate from the National School Of Drama and really contributed to making Fukrey the success that it was.

Mrig Lamba

I cast him in Fukrey through a casting agent. Once I saw him, I knew Ashraf-Ul-Haq was perfect to play Smakiya. 

I auditioned many actors for Smakiya but Ashraf-Ul-Haq just walked away with the role. 

I feel sad. It’s a loss for our cinema. I had the privilege of working with him. I’d have definitely liked to work with him again. Actors like Ashraf-Ul-Haq are rare. Unfortunately, like many talented actors in Mumbai he never got his due in Bollywood.

Abhinay Deo

Ashraf-Ul-Haq was very professional and had a very realistic and natural approach to acting. He quickly understood what I required and adapted himself to the role. The kind of performance he gave was perfect. 

Image: Ashraf-Ul-Haq in the Maaza ad.

I had no idea he was so unwell. It is very sad to lose someone from the film fraternity and that too someone I had enjoyed working with.

After Delhi Belly, I called him for a few ads. He was a thinking actor. 

My heart goes out to his nine-year old son.

Anant Mahadevan

Ashraf-Ul-Haq played a key role of a Naxal in my film Red Alert: The War Within. One look at him, and I knew he would blend perfectly with the rugged realistic feel of the true-life story.

He was quite a trouper. He roughed it out in the tough jungle terrain.

I never got a chance to cast him again but I knew he would make a mark in any role he essayed. It’s really sad to see a promising career cut short so rudely.

Jaideep Ahlawat

I can’t believe he is gone.

He was with me in the first film that I signed, Aakrosh. We met during the shooting and became friends. (They also worked in the film Gangs Of Wasseypur I.) 

He was a very good actor, full of ideas, full of life. His performances were laden with nuances. He didn’t deserve such an early and painful death.

Image: Ashraf-Ul-Haq in Gangs Of Wasseypur

Ali Fazal 

I am saddened at the thought of Ashraf-Ul-Haq going away so suddenly. Such an amazing actor! He stood out in Fukrey, and in many of his other films.

Unfortunately, many great actors come into recognition after years of filtering. It happened to Irrfan and Nawazuddin Siddique. Ashraf-Ul-Haq never got there.

I mourn the death of an unsung actor. My heart reaches out to his wife and son.