The popular comedian Mohammed Bachar, known to Moroccans by the nickname “Zeroual”, died a few days ago, joining his companion and uncle Ali Bachar, known as ” Kachbal”, after a long period of illness.
Indeed, Zeroual was transferred last Tuesday to the Hassan II regional hospital in Settat, where he passed away, after all attempts at resuscitation failed. He died at the age of 80 years, just like his companion, who died in 2018.
The late Zeroual lived at the end of his life in poverty and marginalization, after having experienced years of glory throughout the 1970s and 1980s. Kachbal and Zeroual were indeed a highly sought-after comedy duo both in Morocco and abroad. They were known for their satirical songs which had delighted several generations of Moroccans.
The success of this duo was mainly due to the simplicity, lightness, but also to the cleverness with which they approached a certain number of subjects and problems inspired by the daily life of Moroccans, offering sketches that were as hilarious as they were critical of society and its defects.
The duo is originally from the region of Ouled Bouziri, on the outskirts of Settat, the capital of Chaouia. They began their journey with the Halqua in the villages of the region, before the independence of Morocco. But it was during the 1980s that they became particularly popular with Moroccans who waited every Saturday night for their appearance on television. Thanks to Driss Basri, Minister of the Interior and Morocco’s strongman at the time, that they were so popular.
Be the first to comment