Daily Times

Tell me a bit about yourself.

I’m 32 years old. I started filmmaking in 2006 and ventured into acting in 2007. I performed countless theatre plays in Islamabad as well. I am also a filmmaker by profession and have done many TVCs and shorts and sent some of the projects to film festivals. I am more into parallel cinema than commercial. I’ve recently transitioned into commercial cinema. That aside, I am a geek as I love DC comics. I hate Margo – yes, I know hate is a very strong word but I do as I am a diehard DC fan.

Being a newbie in the entertainment business, what struggles do you have to put up with?

I feel that everyone has to put up with the struggles of being a new face in the industry as people don’t bank on your talent or invest in you because you are not sellable. As a director and actor, I feel the same way and I really wish that changes. I am a newcomer to commercial cinema and have been doing theatre for the past 10 years. I think that producers, brands or anyone who requires actors or singers should consider talent as it will sell itself.

When was your first break as an actor?

My first break was in 2007 when I did my first theatre play.

How was your first auditioning experience like?

My first auditioning experience was really bad. I’ve never given a good audition. Whenever I have to audition, I freak out and wind up in a mess.

You are set to star in the upcoming film ‘Parchi’. Describe your role in the film.

I play Bilal in the film. He works at a newspaper agency and has a 9 to 5 kind of a job. He earns for his family and the little money he gets, he sends it to his mother, who lives in a village. Bilal lends the rest of his salary to his brother Bash, portrayed by Ali Rehman. Owing to all these responsibilities, my character tends to get frustrated and he always seems to be on the edge, which is demonstrated on screen and has a fun element to it as well..

‘Work hard, don’t throw tantrums or pretend to be a celebrity. Do projects that make you happy and don’t ever sell out’

Do you have any insecurities being the latest addition in the entertainment fraternity?

I don’t think I have any insecurity. I do, however, seem to have an issue with these brands not banking on your talent. They believe in how well they can sell you if your face is commercial enough or capable of being sold. I feel that talent should count more than the commercial aspect of an individual.

What are your upcoming film/drama projects?

I am in talks with a few TV channels about a few projects but I can’t disclose anything yet! You will learn more about my projects in late January next year.

Who inspires you the most?

I am inspired by my grandfather. He was a lawyer and an advocate. In 1971, he quit law and rendered free advice to people who couldn’t afford lawyers. He did this for 25 years and it made me realize that earning money is not everything. You have to be a good human being at the end of the day and should help those who really need help. We often turn a blind eye towards a lot of people and are busy earning money all the time.

Which is the most embarrassing on set moment you recall?

I don’t think there was an embarrassing moment as we were all busy shooting for the film.

What was the most challenging scene to shoot for ‘Parchi’?

The most challenging part to shoot for ‘Parchi’ in terms of acting was a scene where my brother’s character Bash and I, Bilal get into a fight and he ends up slapping me, which was also shown in the trailer. It was supposed to be a very serious scene.

Since you are new to television and film, aspiring actors can relate to you better. What guidelines would you render?

I would say, work hard, don’t throw tantrums or pretend to be a celebrity. Be a good human being and do your job like you’re supposed to; do projects that make you happy and don’t ever sell out.

The writer can be reached at haiderrifaat95@gmail.com

Published in Daily Times, December 20^th 2017.