Daily Times

There are many actors out there who may be remarkable in their craft but it takes a lot for some to be modest and creative altogether. On my radar is Zahid Ahmed, who is an incredibly humble actor in Pakistan today. It goes without saying that he is a standout success story. Whether it was playing Rameez in Alvida, Haider in Besharam or Shuja in the recent Daldal, Zahid has done justice to almost every character on screen. He is focused on creative scripts and hopes to play characters that are exotic. It was an incredible honour to meet him and his family in person in Islamabad and also get to photograph the talented actor while I was there. Needless to say, this interview will definitely keep you hooked. Don’t say I didn’t warn you!

Do you assess yourself as an actor after shooting a scene for a drama?

Not sometimes, but every time (laughs). An actor is his worst critic and I am one of those people. If I have about 300 scenes in a drama, I will come out satisfied with perhaps one or two. I think there is always a margin to improve.

If you were to challenge yourself as an actor, which role would you choose to do and why?

I have done a lot of stuff that other actors would probably stay away from; I have played a rapist, a psycho and now I’m playing this dirty long haired guy. It is content that pulls me to a project. Every other character needs to be completely different from something I have done already. I would love to play the role of a mentally handicapped person or somebody who has an identity or gender crisis. So, I would say mostly tabooed characters and that is what a true artist would want to do. It all depends on the kind of content our television allows to broadcast but as much as it does allow, I want to play it to that limit.

What new projects do you have in store for your fans?

You can expect everything under the sun. I am always going to surprise you. My dramas ‘Pukaar’ and ‘Visaal’ are currently on air on ARY Digital. The Netflix project I spoke about last year will go into production after Eid and I am also very close to finalizing my first feature film.

Will we get to see Zahid Ahmed on the big screen soon?

I am all for it. Several film projects have been discussed but I am hesitant to jump on this ship of ensemble cast and the rom-com genre. I would like to do a feature film that has more substance and that demands more from the actors. But yes, from television, it is the big screen and as I said, I am close to finalising my first script. It needs to be a solid film and by that I mean great screenplay and a good storyline which is not necessarily a typical romantic comedy genre but something apart from it.

Will you consider direction or production in the future?

I am inclined towards direction because I am a very creative person and that was my call in to this field. A director has that vision where he is pulling all the strings and making things happen on screen. Production has more to do with making money, which might be an option later on but immediately after acting, I am more inclined towards direction.

You are also the face of Amir Adnan for 2018 and have done a recent shoot for the label. How was that experience like?

It was a great experience. I am going to do more campaigns with him throughout the year and the reason why I was able to do it was because Amir is a very welcoming person. Fashion is a different monster altogether. But I am an artist in the end and I am working every day, shooting six days a week. I let my work do most of the talking but it is necessary to build the forth wheel as well. Somehow actors are always integrated in the fashion world. I don’t find myself chasing after designers or fashion covers. It is just that when people welcome you warmly, I feel most comfortable and Amir Adnan was fantastic in that sense.

Do you think actors are influential in today’s day and age? If so, how?

Absolutely – they can shape opinions about a lot of things that are going on in a society such as dictating fashion, what is cool or not, or even politics, if some like to indulge in it. I can say that people look up to celebrities for all sorts of reasons.

Are you more of a perfectionist or a let goer?

Oh a perfectionist! I hardly let go of anything (laughs). As far as communication is concerned, representation of my work on the social media, down to every caption, I am a perfectionist.

Is being a perfectionist a hurdle for you as you have to be on the top of your game 24/7?

That is the kind of challenge I like it to be. In terms of outsourcing work or engaging other people outside of myself or my significant other, I find it a bit of a challenge. I set the bar very high. I can’t delegate work as much as I would like to.

Does fame change people? What are your thoughts?

It changes the people around them more than the people themselves. Like I said, I am so busy working 6 days a week and at least 12 hours a day that as actors we only realise that we are admired or respected when we appear publicly. I haven’t let fame get to my head at all and I have to work a lot more. As far as enjoying fame is concerned, I just like the adoration people give. When somebody comes up to me and says that their entire family is a fan of my work, that is my money’s worth.

Do you think the quality of storytelling is lost because of censorship?

Yes, a lot of it is. But we have seen examples in the recent past like Udaari which was a fabulous project on child molestation. Nobody would want to talk about it but it is all about how you present it, keeping in mind the social norms that we have to uphold. Only then will people talk about it. Personally, I think that channels need to take the responsibility of making sure that they come up with a project once a year that touches on a tabooed subject, not because it is spicy but because it is relevant.

What is absolutely necessary to progress in the field of the media overall?

In any field, it needs to be sincerity. In media specifically, it needs to be sincerity but also variety – the lifespan of an actor who is good at doing a heroic role will have just that. But someone who is playing around with positive, negative, psychotic and comedy roles, his or her spectrum and lifespan will grow. As far as you asked about journalists and photographers, you see all the big names who have experimented, grown and diversified. So never keep a tunnel vision and always look at things from a third person perspective and try to be as applicable to a wider spectrum in your own domain.

Some actors have everything but humility. However, Zahid is an exception to this rule. He is the nicest person you will ever come across and it is his hard work and commitment to his craft that has made him who he is today; Zahid Ahmed.

Published in Daily Times, April 27^th 2018.