‘He was deeply worried about his daughter’, Sohail Ahmed recalls Allah Rakha Pepsi’s final days
Pakistani actor and comedian Sohail Ahmed has shared the emotional account of final days of late comedian Allah Rakha Pepsi, revealing the beloved performer was quietly battling immense emotional pain over daughter’s troubled marriage before his sudden demise.
During his latest appearance on comedy talkshow ‘Hasb-e-Haal’, Sohail Ahmed reflected on his long-time friend's personal struggles, saying Allah Rakha Pepsi was deeply distressed by the hardships his daughter was facing in her marriage.
Recalling their conversations, Sohail said that the late comedian often confided in him about his son-in-law's abusive behavior and repeated financial demands.
Sohail Ahmed said, "Beti ki taraf se bhi bechara bohat pareshan tha, uska damaad usse bohat zyada tang karta tha, usne aik do dafa usse maara bhi tha, aur bara dukhi tha iss maamle mein ke yeh kis badtameez ke saath maine rishtedaari bana li hai. Woh bechara batata tha ke meri beti ko kehta hai ke paise lekar aao baap se. Kehta, paji, usse pata nahi kya zehan mein aaya ke main fankaar hoon to kitne paise kamata hoon. Aapko pata hai main mehnatkash aadmi hoon, jitne paise kamata hoon usse mushkil se meri roti chalti hai. Ghar bhi mera kiraye pe hai."
Which translates to, "He was deeply worried about his daughter. Her husband used to harass her and had even beaten her a couple of times. He was heartbroken and would ask how he had ended up related to such an ill-mannered person. He would tell me that his son-in-law kept asking his daughter to bring money from her father. He used to say, 'I don't know why he thinks I earn a lot just because I'm an artist. You know the reality. I'm a hardworking man who barely earns enough to feed my family, and I even live in a rented house."
Sohail Ahmed further revealed that while Allah Rakha Pepsi was being laid to rest, a young man informed him that the comedian's daughter had been divorced that very day. He said this heartwrenching news came just hours before Allah Rakha Pepsi suffered a fatal heart attack.
It is worthy to mention that Comedian and stage actor Allah Rakha, popularly known by his stage names Pepsi and Panipuri, passed away at the age of 50 after suffering a cardiac arrest.
At the time of the incident, he was performing on the private television programme ‘Public Demand’ when he suddenly suffered a heart attack on air. He was immediately rushed to the hospital, but despite efforts to save his life, he could not survive.
The latest episode of Public Demand later aired footage showing the moments after he collapsed and was taken to the hospital. The programme also featured emotional tributes from fellow artists, who mourned the loss of the beloved comedian known for bringing laughter to audiences for decades.