Daily Times

One of the finest actors of his generation, the handsome, talented and winsome Kunwar Ali Nafees started his career in show business at the tender age of eight. In a span of just a few years, Kunwar added a number of television plays, serials and films to his credits and became one of the best known child actors in Pakistan. At the height of his popularity as a child actor, he decided to take a break from acting, in order to focus on his studies. Kunwar made a triumphant return to show business in 2005. His comeback serials, Dost, Dil Ki Madham Boliyan and Riyasat, were huge hits. He has since starred in a number of highly successful television serials, including Bheegi Palkain, Chaar Chaand, Maikay Ki Yaad Na Aaye, Mar Jain Bhi To Kya, Mera Yaar Mila De, Muqaddas, and Wafa Ke Mausam. In an exclusive interview for the Daily Times, he talks to Ally Adnan about his acting career, making the transition from a child to an adult actor, the world of show business, the craft of acting, his current projects, and his plans for the future.

You started you career in show business as a child actor, in the 1990s, took a break of a few years, and returned to acting as an adult in the year 2005. Was taking a break more difficult or returning to acting?

It was definitely more difficult to take a break from acting but I had to do it to focus on studies. Returning to show business, on the other hand, was a breeze.

I had a great time working as a child actor. Buray Phasay, Pehla Qadam, Doosra Qadam, Band Darwazay, Uljhan and, of course, Aanch were good plays. They helped me get a lot of recognition at a very young age. I enjoyed the popularity and attention. It made me feel special among friends and cousins. It was great to make a little money, as well. Those were great times. I was really sad to give acting up and, that too, to focus on something as boring and tedious as school.

Making a return to acting was not difficult at all. I was both surprised and grateful that folks in the industry remembered me. They welcomed me back to show business with open arms. Dost, Dil Ki Madham Boliyan and Riyasat were my comeback television serials. They did very well with television viewers.

Child actors often have trouble becoming successful actors when they grow up. Why was your transition from a child to an adult actor so smooth?

I think it was smooth because I had a break between my acting career as an adult and as a child. Child actors find it difficult to make the transition to adult actors primarily because viewers think of them as kids and have a hard time visualising them as grownups. I largely avoided that problem by taking a break.

The actor believes some measure of envy, resentment and a bit of hypocrisy fuel the stigma that people attach — very unfairly — to show business

People still remember you as Asees from Aanch. Does that make you happy?

Yes, it does. I am glad that people remember my character from Aanch. Asees was a spoilt brat. The character was not likable. I was surprised that it became popular with viewers. I think it reminded them of similarly spoilt kids that they knew. I enjoyed playing the role of a pampered kid and, even though I had to put in a lot of hard work and effort to get it right, it was great fun. I still get compliments on performing well in Aanch.

Did your experience as a child actor help you secure your comeback projects, drama serials Riyasat, Dost and Dil Ki Madham Boliyan, in 2005?

It absolutely did. I had learnt acting as a child and, fortunately, retained my histrionic skills. I was confident and had no trouble performing for the camera. Moreover, I had a lot of friends in the industry. They liked working with me and gave me the right opportunities, along with a lot of encouragement, support and guidance. I owe a lot to my friends and mentors in show business. They have been great. I am very grateful to them.

Did you face any challenges returning as an adult to acting?

Yes, I did. One, I had to make sure that people saw me as an adult and not an overgrown child. That was more difficult than one would think and I had to work hard to assume the persona of a grownup man.

Two, people had high expectations of me. I had done well as a child actor and everyone expected me to do even better as an adult. That was a huge burden. I am grateful that I was able to carry it well. Dil Ki Madham Boliyan was a huge hit and my portrayal of Jawad in the serial got me a lot of accolades, praise and award nominations.

You have a master’s degree in business administration from one of Pakistan’s finest educational institutions. Why did you decide to make acting your career instead of working in the corporate world?

I decided to make acting my career because I absolutely, positively, truly love acting. It gives me a lot of satisfaction, pleasure and happiness, and is hugely rewarding. I believe that one must follow one’s heart. That is what I did!

My education in business administration groomed me very well. It made me confident and knowledgeable. It gave me an edge over actors who did not have a sound education. It did not, however, take away my love for acting. I returned to show business as soon as I could.

Historically, the world of show business has had a stigma associated with it. A lot of Pakistanis do not consider it to be respectable. How have you found the world to be?

I think the world of show business is truly wonderful! It is energetic, exciting and invigorating. It has introduced me to some of the best people that I have met in my life. It is a warm and supportive environment. Of course, like any other industry, it does have its share of vice and bad people, but the problem is not any worse than it is elsewhere.

I feel that Pakistani people have an ambivalent relationship with show business. On one hand, they are in awe of the world of show business, totally enthralled by its glamour, glitz and allure; and, on the other hand, they seem to have disdain for what they perceive to be superficial, fake and artificial. I believe that some measure of envy and resentment, and a bit of hypocrisy, fuel the stigma that people attach – very unfairly – to show business. That being said, the love-hate relationship between Pakistani people and show business professionals is improving by the day. This is very good. People need to judge others on the basis of merit and not the line of work they choose.

How did you learn to act?

I think I am a natural born actor. I hope I don’t sound conceited when I say this but acting comes very easily to me. I watch a lot of films and television programs to hone my skills as an actor but the ability is innate.

Do you enjoy acting?

I do! In fact, I enjoy nothing more than acting.

In your career as an actor, you have played both lead and supporting roles and continue to do so. Normally, an actor who has done well in a lead role will refuse to play supporting roles subsequently. Why do you continue to accept secondary roles in television dramas?

I want to be a part of good projects and am not driven by screen time, or billing, at all. It is better to have a powerful secondary role in a great television serial than to land a poor lead role in a bad production. As an actor, I look for roles that afford me substantial opportunities to perform, and are interesting, layered and complex.

What other criteria do you use to select acting projects?

The quality of writing, direction and production are very important. I also like to work with teams that are driven, genuine and motivated. Working with positive people, in a positive atmosphere, brings out the best in me.

Your first – and only – film, ‘Zibahkhana’, did not do well commercially. Do you regret making your cinematic debut with Omar Khan’s slasher?

Not at all. The film has done very well in the festival circuit and won many awards including the Jury Award for Best Film at the Riofan Film Festival, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, the Special Jury Award for Best Gore at the Fantastic Film Festival, Austin, Texas, and the Best Film award at the Fantaspoa Film Festival, Port Alegre, Brazil.

I actually consider myself lucky to have been selected, from amongst a very large pool of established actors, to play the role of Vicky in Zibahkhana. Working in the film gave me a lot of confidence. It motivated me to do my best as an actor, expand the portfolio of characters I could play, and explore my entire histrionic range. Omar Khan was a trailblazer, ahead of his time. He contributed to the resurgence of Pakistani cinema that we celebrate today.

Why have you not worked in a film after Zibahkhana?

There are two reasons. One, I have been very busy with television and, two; I have not been offered the right role in the right film. I have a great interest in doing cinema but will wait for a role in a film that meets my criteria for selection of acting projects.

You are one of Pakistan’s most successful voice actors and have done voiceovers for commercials, dubbed foreign language films, and lent voice to several actors. Voice acting is not very lucrative and rarely comes with fame and celebrity. What attracted you to voice acting?

I was working in the corporate world when I started voice acting. My employment contract did not allow me to work in films and television serials, but there was no restriction on voice acting. I wanted to act and voice acting was the closest I could get to acting.

You provided voice for Okan Yalabik’s character, Pargali Ibrahim Pasa, in Mera Sultan, the phenomenally popular Urdu version of the Turkish drama series Magnificent Century. Did you reinterpret the character of Pasa and add to it, when dubbing for Mera Sultan?

Okan Yalabik is a very good actor who performed very well in Magnificent Century. It would have been wrong for me to reinterpret the character of Pasa for Mera Sultan. My goal with the serial was to faithfully support Yalabik’s performance in Urdu.

What are your current acting projects?

Nibah is currently showing on ARY Digital and doing very well in ratings. It is the story of a family whose life is turned upside down by the death of the mother. The serial is a deep and sensitive exploration of the way in which love, illness, tragedy, and adversity affect human relationships. It has a stellar cast that includes Asif Raza Mir and Amina Sheikh.

I also play the lead role of a young man named Faisal in Big Bang Entertainment’s upcoming serial Anna. Faisal is sincere, genuine and honest. An idealist and a true romantic, by nature, he gives up everything for love, only to discover that love has a way of demanding more no matter how much one gives. Anna deals with the themes of love, snobbery, sacrifice and hypocrisy in a highly intelligent manner. I think it is an excellent drama serial, which will be a huge hit.

I will start work in director Aabis Raza’s upcoming serial, very soon. It has not been named as yet.

What are your personal and professional plans for 2018?

My personal plans include settling down and getting married. I also plan to start a business of my own. On the professional front, I plan to do one or two feature films and continue to work on television. I plan to focus on my craft, attain greater facility in acting, and achieve excellence in my field. I plan to work in the best of projects with the best of people. I am determined to make 2018 my greatest year as an actor, thus far.

Published in Daily Times, March 14^th 2018.