Dino Shafeek

Early life

Golam D Shafeek was born in Dacca (now Dhaka), East Bengal, British India (now Bangladesh) .

Career

Shafeek's first film role was as ‘Akbar’ in the film The Long Duel (1967), starring Yul Brynner.

It Ain't Half Hot Mum

It Ain't Half Hot Mum was a BBC comedy series written by Jimmy Perry and David Croft, the creators of Dad's Army. Set in World War II British India, it follows the fortunes and activities of a concert party troop attached to the Royal Artillery. The series aired on the BBC from 1974–1981 and starred Windsor Davies as the loud-mouthed staff sergeant-major of the troop's barracks in Deolali, Bombay Presidency. Michael Bates starred as Rangi Ram, the Hindu “Bearer to the British Concert Party” .

Shafeek plays "Chaiwallah Muhammad", selling tea from his ever-ready urn with his catchphrase "chai garam chai (Eng. 'tea, hot tea')." He also sings the musical interludes between the scenes, which are mostly popular World War II era hits accompanied by a sitar. At the end of the final credits he starts to sing "Land of Hope and Glory" only to be interrupted by the Sergeant-major shouting his ubiquitous ear-shattering "SHUTUPPP!!!." Muhammad was later promoted to bearer when Rangi Ram left the series (Michael Bates died after Series 5). The caustic though affectionate relationship between Muhammad and his superior Rangi Ram provides additional comedy through their representations of the different religions and castes in colonial WWII India.

Mind Your Language

During the run of It Ain't Half Hot Mum, Shafeek played the part of student Ali Nadim in the popular if politically somewhat incorrect ITV/London Weekend Television sitcom Mind Your Language (1977–79). Along with Barry Evans as their teacher, Ali was one of a lively group of foreigners in an English as a Foreign Language class at a London night-school. Ali was a Muslim Pakistani who had immigrated to the United Kingdom, and was frequently seen bickering with Ranjeet Singh (Albert Moses), a Sikh from India. Ali called Ranjeet names like “poppadum”, frequently calls him a “damn fool” and tells him that he will “kick [him] up the Khyber” ("Khyber Pass" being rhyming slang for "arse"). This antagonistic relationship is depicted regularly throughout the early episodes, with the characters frequently having verbal and occasionally physical arguments but as the series progresses, their relationship mellows into one of friendly and mutual supportiveness.

Ali also has a habit of verbalising more than he is required (or advised) to, for example in the episode “The Best Things In Life,” he unwittingly tells the police sergeant that Mr Brown was trying to bribe him. He is invariably the last student to arrive in class and jovially bursts into the room of settled and attentive students with a cheery greeting of “Hello everybodys” seemingly unaware that Mr Brown finds this habit irritating. Ali also had a catchphrase whereby he pronounces "Excuse me please" as “Squeeze me please” most noticeably when certain female students are in close proximity.

Other roles

The global distribution of the sitcoms in which Shafeek appeared elevated him to a prominent status as a character actor among both British and international viewers. His acting portfolio includes roles in various films and TV shows, notably "Carry On Emmannuelle," "Minder," and "The Onedin Line."

His last role was in High Road to China starring Tom Selleck.

Death

Dino Shafeek died suddenly from a heart attack at home on 10 March 1984, eleven days before his 54th birthday.