| Shariff Dasari | ||
 | ||
| Shariff's face is seen for the only time in a family photo. | ||
| Age | Mid-thirties | |
| Gender | Male | |
| Occupation | NASA flight engineer | |
| Portrayed by | Paul Sharma | |
- "Need some help there, Matt?"
- ―Shariff's last words
Shariff Dasari was the flight engineer on board the Explorer. He was stuck by debris and killed.
His voice was portrayed by Paul Sharma.
Character biography[]
The character of Shariff was never seen close up, only heard on the radio frequency chatting with NASA in Houston. He seemed like a pretty fun guy as he was playing around with his spacesuit, jumping around in space and pulling on his tether to take him back to the Explorer Space Shuttle. He had a wife and child and kept a family photo on his suit. Shariff also went to Harvard.
When Ground Control asked for a tighter estimate on his progress installing a battery, Shariff told Houston not to be anxious, claiming it to be bad for the heart. Houston told Shariff to stop working and take the rest of the day off as he worked hard enough.
Shariff is hit.
However, it would later seem that Houston had every reason to be anxious because a field of debris from a destroyed Russian satellite later posed a serious hazard to the mission. Shariff seemed incredulous to the idea that the Russians shot down one of their own satellites. While commander Matt Kowalski was attempting to retrieve Dr. Ryan Stone, Shariff attempted to help the two and asked Matt if he needed any assistance, but Matt told Shariff not to wait for them and get inside. While attempting to return to the shuttle and open the airlock, he was killed after a chunk of debris which was the size of a softball pierced his helmet, tearing through his head and exposing him to the vacuum of outer space. Matt noticed this and attempted to come to his aid, but was unable to. His body was later discovered by the only two survivors of the debris field, mission specialist Dr. Ryan Stone and astronaut Matt Kowalski. After finding the Explorer destroyed, his body was tethered to the wreck and was left floating among the debris.
Shariff Dasari's body, showing the fatal head injury he received.
He was described in the script as: "SHARIFF DASARI is an Indian engineer in his mid-thirties. He is attached with tethers to a platform on one side of the Hubble. This is his second mission into outer space."
Shariff's family was described in the script as: A LAMINATED PHOTOGRAPH floats next to Shariff, tethered to his suit via a small chain. In it, a YOUNG BOY LAUGHS with abandon, happy in the embrace of a man unseen save for his TWO STRONG ARMS. Transfixed, Ryan is unable to look away, something complicated confusing her eyes.
Quotes[]
Shariff's face is seen briefly as he attempts to return to the Explorer.
- Kind of like winning the lottery, isn't it?
- The system is ready to activate
- (singing) Woohoo… Jaise Baadal Paani Ka, Yaarana Hai Oh Jaise Paani Ka, Yaarana Hai.
- Nearly there. Replacing battery module A1 and C.
- Kowalski! Is this great or what?
- They shot down their own satellite?
- Heads up!
- No, no, no, Houston, don't be anxious. Anxiety is bad for the heart.
- Need some help there, Matt?
Trivia[]
- Although Shariff was voiced by an actor, his face was never actually seen, allowing the character to be made from CGI. (It was seen, but only after his death, which would reasonably have been computer generated.)
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