“I love my character in ‘Tou Dil Ka Kya Hua’. Wonderfully written by Khalilur Rehman, marvellously executed by Shahid Shafaat, it is a character for which I have worked extra hard,” says Imran Ashraf. Imran Ashraf, whom we all know as the rising versatile actor of Pakistan, with unparalleled performances in recent Pakistani dramas such as ‘Alif, Allah Aur Insan’, ‘Iltija’, ‘Dil-e-Jaanum’, ‘Sadqe Tumhaare’ and ‘Tou Dil Ka Kia Hua’ started his acting career more than a decade ago. It comes as a surprise to us that in the initial days of his career, Ashraf got to work with some of the best actors and writers of Pakistan. Boota from ‘Toba Tek Singh’, the unforgettable PTV classic written by Khalilur Rehman Qamar starring Faisal Qureshi, Mishi Khan, Maria Wasti and Farah Shah was Ashraf’s debut drama serial in which he appeared as a child star. But his first performance as a mature actor was in a drama serial, which had Noman Ijaz and Arifa Siddique, after which Ashraf appeared in two telefilms as well alongside Faisal Qureshi. After a long gap, he re-appeared in Dilawar Malik’s ‘Wafa Kaisi Kahan Ka Ishq’ for Hum TV. Ashraf has this interesting fact to tell that his initial experiences of acting were terrible. He would be overpowered by nervousness and in one of his scenes with Sakina Sammo, he almost fainted. Ashraf believes that adjusting in media is a difficult task for him and will continue to be one, because he is straightforward and does not hesitate while speaking the truth. “I was a struggler. I am a struggler and I will remain a struggler,” he says. When asked about his recent experiences of working with some of the popular playwrights of Pakistan such as Saji Gul, Faseeh Bari Khan, Seema Ghazal and Khalilur Rehman, Ashraf says that acting in the works of these writers makes you feel complete. “You have the security that your job is to act only. The dialogues need no amendment. Everything else is perfect. I am lucky that I have worked with Khalilur Rehman Qamar. His dialogues are the best. In his play ‘Tou Dil Ka Kia Hua’, I worked so hard for the execution of a multi-faceted character that at times, I myself wonder at the extra effort I put into it. It is a dynamic character and I have never come across so many variations in one character,” he says. When asked about his personal favourite character, Ashraf said that he is in love with all of his characters, but Ashar from ‘Gul-e-Rana’ is one that he can relate to. Saji Gul’s ‘Iltija’ on special children seems to have left an impact on Ashraf’s personality, who now feels that he can better understand the problems of special children, and wishes to do something for them if provided with a chance. “The child star in ‘Iltija’, who was a special child in real, was a very cute girl. I love children, provided they are not ill-mannered,” he says. Ashraf is a keen observer, which has helped him in doing versatile roles. But when asked about his influential roles such as that of a hooligan in ‘Sadqe Tumhare’, a teacher in ‘Iltija’ and an obsessed lover in ‘Dil-e-Jaanum’, Ashraf responded by saying that it is not observation only that counts. “My method of acting is a bit different. Whenever I am offered a role, I feel as if I was that way ever-since I was born. If I got the role of a hooligan in ‘Sadqe Tumhare’, I made myself feel as if I were born an SHO’s son. If I were a transgender in ‘Alif, Allah aur Insan’, I made myself feel that this is how I was born. It really helps you in portraying your character effectively and in a realistic manner,” he said. Working with Shahid Shafaat and Ahson Talish were two great experiences for Ashraf, and he believes that his role in Ahson Talish’s ‘Alif, Allah Aur Insan’ gave him his true identity as an actor. Ashraf is a truthful and charming person. His humbleness and simplicity incline you to keep talking to him. He even opened up about his love for food, but considering his position of a person belonging to showbiz, he sacrifices food for the maintenance of a heroic physique. He believes that sacrifices are must when you are in love with something, and his love is his career, which demands that he may eat appropriately. This passion, loyalty and a focused temperament makes Ashraf a respectable person whose footsteps one can follow. The writer can be reached at m.ali_aquarius85@yahoo.com Published in Daily Times, December 15th 2017.