Daily Times

After four successful years as one of Pakistan’s top models, Usman Butt is all set to make his debut as an actor as the male lead in Bol Entertainment’s upcoming serial, Dilaara. In an exclusive interview for the Daily Times, the handsome young man talks to Ally Adnan about his life, career and much else.

Your father works for the national flag carrier of Pakistan. As a child, did you dream of becoming a pilot?

Yes, I did.

I believe that most, if not all, kids dream of becoming pilots at some stage in their childhood. It is a career that represents adventure, freedom and power. As a child, I was fascinated by flying and wanted to emulate my father by becoming a pilot but my desire to join the world of show business was much greater than that of making a career in aviation. As I grew older, my dream of joining the entertainment industry prevailed over all others and I came to want only one thing: a successful career in show business.

What attracted you to the world of show business?

As a young man, I was fascinated by the glamor and glitz of show business. I had always liked to dress well and appear presentable. A career in show business seemed like one that would allow me to indulge my passion for looking good, making a decent living, and leading a life of style. As I grew older, I started watching a lot of films and became a true cinephile. A career in acting became increasingly interesting and, by the time I was eighteen, I was certain that I wanted to become an actor and nothing else.

“The dark side of show business is darker than one thinks”

You are a certified fitness trainer and used to run your own gym in Lahore. Why did you shut the business down?

I believe in being fit and healthy. I became a fitness trainer because having a fit, health body was important to me and I wanted to do it the right way, in an informed manner. Setting up my own gym was an extension of my career as a fitness trainer. It was great while it lasted.

Why did you shut the gym down?

I decided to wind the business up for two reasons.

One, I got tired of running the gym. The unprofessionalism of the gym staff, the unbecoming behavior of clients, and the problems of running a business in Pakistan became a little too much to handle. The business ceased to be the fun it was in the beginning. I did not want to do it anymore.

The other – and probably the real – reason for shutting the gym down was my desire to be in the entertainment industry. The gym started taking up all of my time and made it impossible for me to pursue my dream of having a career in show business. I needed to move on and become a model and an actor.

Do you still train?

Yes, I do. I absolutely do.

I am quite a diet conscious person and a firm believer of leading a fit and healthy life hence my routine includes a controlled diet plus fitness activities like swimming, cardio etc.

What exercise regimen do you follow to stay fit?

My exercise regimen consists of four elements: aerobic exercise, weight training, stretching, and proper nutrition. I am very regular and, come rain or shine, do not skip going to the gym. I eat very carefully, making sure that my diet is balanced and healthy. I avoid junk food and limit my intake of fat and carbohydrates. Meat, beans, fruits, vegetables, and dairy products form the bulk of my diet. Eating well and exercising regularly keeps me healthy, hale and happy. I get depressed if I overeat or skip the gym.

You entered the world of show business as a model. What attracted you to modeling?

Modeling is a great field. It is a great way to enter the world of show business. One can make good money, dress up in the finest of clothes, and travel the world in style as a model. A career as a model holds a lot of allure and cachet. In my opinion, modeling is a great place to start for actors. It helps one get rid of stage-fright, break free from self-created barriers, and develop confidence, poise and self-assurance. It affords great networking opportunities with fashion designers, photographers, talent scouts, casting directors, filmmakers, writers, and many others. And it helps one understand the inner workings – and machinations – of the entertainment industry.

A lot of models move to acting after a few years of modeling. You seem to be have done the same. Why?

Modeling is a stepping-stone to a career in acting for a lot of people. It certainly was for me. I enjoy modeling, and plan to continue to model, but always wanted to be an actor in the long run.

You seem to prefer acting over modeling.

Yes, I do. Modeling relies, very largely, on good looks whereas acting needs a lot more. It allows an artist to demonstrate the full range of his talent and skills. Acting is also considered more respectable than modeling. A career in acting has greater longevity than one in modeling. It allows one to be in the public eye and enjoy the benefits of a career for years, if not decades, whereas modeling careers tend to dwindle as one moves into the thirties.

How did you learn to act?

I learnt in three ways. One, I watched, and, if you will, studied, the performances of a lot of great actors in cinema and television. Two, I attended a few acting workshops with the amazing Sania Saeed at Olomopolo Media. And, three, I made sure to learn on the job, from my wonderful director and costars.

The world of show business is known for the emotional, financial and sexual abuse of newcomers. What do you think of this dark side of show business?

The dark side of show business is darker than one thinks. The emotional, financial and sexual abuse of newcomers is rampant in the world of show business. It may be controversial to say so but I must say that, in a lot of cases, the abused and abuser are both complicit in what is essentially a crime. In their desire to achieve stardom, quickly and easily, a lot of newcomers willingly succumb to abuse. Predators can sniff desperation, weakness and pliability from a mile and attack people who appear to be easy victims.

Have you experienced sexual harassment during your four years in the business?

Yes, I have. A lot of people have offered to trade sexual favors for work but I have always refused and managed to protect my honor, respect, and person.

Did you have to pay a price for turning down the sexual advances of people in power?

Yes, I did. A few lost projects. Some delays. And a lot of gossip and slander.

But you succeeded in the end.

Yes, I did and so can others.

How can newcomers avoid abuse?

They need to rely on their talent, abilities and skills. They need to be patient. They should not act and appear to be weak and desperate. They need to stand up to abuse and turn down all sexual advances. And, most importantly, they should know that long term success comes from talent, hard work and professionalism; giving in to abuse can help one get a minor break, or two, but not much more.

Your first television serial, Dilaara, will be on air soon. How does it feel?

It feels great. I have seen rushes of Dilaara and am very proud of the work of the entire team. I am very excited that the serial will be on air soon and cannot wait for the day the first episode will be broadcast. I believe that the serial will be a huge success.

How did you land the role of Shuja in Dilaara?

The renowned writer, Faseeh Bari Khan, who is the head of content at Bol Entertainment, saw me participate in acting workshops with Sania Saeed and liked my work. He referred me to Khalid Ahmed, the director of Dilaara, who flew me out to Karachi for a series of auditions. I was selected to play Shuja a few weeks after the auditions.

Do you think you were picked to play Shuja because of your acting talent or your looks?

I would like to say that it was acting talent but the truth is that I was probably selected because of my looks. The director may have seen some potential during the auditions but couldn’t possibly have seen acting talent because I did not have any at the time.

What is Dilaara about?

Dilaara explores a very serious problem – mismatched marriages – that is prevalent in our society. A lot of marriages in the country are the result of coercion, deception and blackmail, both emotional and physical. The serial chronicles the devastating consequences of one such marriage. It is the sad story of a young girl who deal with deception, abandonment and injustice in a manner not common in our society. Bee Gul has populated the very interesting story of the serial with number of very powerful, highly complex characters. I do not think that a play of this nature has ever been done on Pakistani television before.

How does the character of Shuja in Dilaara fit into the story of the serial?

Shuja is one of the three principal character of Dilaara. He is a sensitive young man of upright character with a keen sense of right and wrong. His life is turned upside down when he finds himself drawn into what most people would call a forbidden relationship. The serial shows him deal with the conflict between right and wrong, in a tragic scenario where moral, ethical and cultural values are shrouded in a cloud of deception and dishonesty.

Did you face any difficulties while working in Dilaara?

I was in awe of the work of the senior artists involved in Dilaara, specifically writer Bee Gul, director Khalid Ahmed, and actors Abid Ali and Hina Bayat. While this did not intimidate me, it did put me under a bit of pressure to do my best to live up to their very high standards. There were a few times that the pressure became uncomfortable.

Do you fear that fame will come at the cost of loss of privacy?

No. Fame is good. I find complaints of the lack and loss of privacy to be a bit disingenuous. Actors, models, musicians, and others, all need fame to become celebrities. Superstardom will elude them if they fiercely guard their privacy and share no personal information with fans.

What plans do you have for your show business career?

I want to continue to work both as a model and as an actor. As a model, I will be shifting my focus to television commercials and doing fewer print advertisements. Walking the ramp has largely lost its allure with me; I plan to do so only for a few select fashion designers in the future. As an actor, I want to continue working in television serials and, hopefully, do a feature film in the next year or so. A lot depends on the success of Dilaara. I have my fingers crossed.

The writer lives in Dallas and writes about culture, history and the arts. He tweets @allyadnan and can be reached at allyadnan@outlook.com

Published in Daily Times, June 6^th 2018.