Daily Times

Be it the role of a staunch Congress supporter in ‘Dastaan,’ of a hard-hearted child molester in ‘Udaari,’ of a mystic roaming in the alleys of Turkey in ‘Alif,’ or of an orphaned young man dwelling in a pre-Partition haveli in ‘Angan,’ actor and philanthropist Ahsan Khan has always proven himself as a versatile actor.

Be it television, film or theatre, Khan takes his work seriously and leaves an imprint of his characters in the viewers’ minds. That is why we also haven’t been able to forget his role of a sincere friend in “Mata e Jaan” and of a doting brother in “Vasl”. However, Ahsan Khan has not confined himself to the art of acting, but we also know him as a passionate dancer and a lovable host, who with his latest, fun-filled TV show called “Bol Nights”, has won the hearts of many. He invites guests who are heartthrobs and keeps the conversation natural and candid. As a social worker, Khan works with JDC, TCF, SENA and Saylani Welfare Trust and runs campaigns in order to help the poverty-stricken class. Daily Times caught up with this wearer of many hats and talking to him was a delight amidst these dreary times, for he looks at it as a healing period. Khan says, “I am hopeful that we’ll come out of this pandemic. As a nation, we need to understand that any calamity is to be overcome with valour and endurance. The belief that there is light at the end of every tunnel is much needed these days. It’s a time to be spent with our closed ones, from whom we had unwillingly detached ourselves owing to our fast-paced lives. The whole world has been given a break to slow down, to reflect and to mend its ways. Passing this time in a positive reformation of personalities will be a successful way out of it once it’s all over.”

What is your real calling; acting, dancing, hosting or social work?

The real calling is social work! Yes, acting was and will remain my first love, but the real calling is social work.

Did you go for social work related to children after ‘Udaari’ or were you involved in it before the serial was offered to you?

With its one of its kind treatment of the issue of child abuse, “Udaari” brought a huge change in me. Although everyone knew of the existence of the heinous crime, but the way it was represented in the serial without any sugar-coating was what elucidated it for many, and paved the way for other similar stories. I never looked back after having done “Udaari”, neither did any other Pakistani. Unreserved and open conversations on the issue commenced right after that project. It was after “Udaari” that I started working for the abused children’s cause. I am now the ambassador of Child Protection Bureau, Punjab and voice the concerns of children maltreated in various ways. I was also invited to deliver a speech on child abuse at an event held in the United States and I am currently acting as one of the supporters of Children’s Literature Festival. These are some of the practical changes which “Udaari” brought in me along-with the addition of two awards in my shelf for that role.

We once got to know about a book of yours based on child abuse. When will that be out?

That book is still under formation. I have been collecting stuff for it and compiling it, but it won’t be out for another six months or so. It’s actually a coffee table book which will describe my feelings as a performer in “Udaari” along-with stories of abuse which I have heard from the children themselves and which children wish to share so that their other age-fellows may be able to stave off molestation. It will also incorporate discussions by psychiatrists dealing specifically with experiences of young survivors of sexual abuse.

When you are given scripts based on novels such as ‘Dastaan’ and ‘Angan,’ do you go through the novels to have a better understanding of how your character was originally conceived?

Yes, I always read the novels. In fact, I also went through the novel of “Alif” before enacting my character in it. I have done multiple plays based on novels and I always peruse the original creation. It helps you get more into the character and enjoy it with all its nuances.

‘Yes, I always read the novels. In fact, I also went through the Alif’s book before enacting my character. I have done multiple plays based on books and I always peruse the original creation. It helps you get more into the character and enjoy it with all its nuances’

Did the element of mysticism in ‘Alif’ reshape your thinking pattern in any way?

To tell you the truth, I had a cameo in “Alif”, which by the grace of God, did not look like a cameo because I put my heart and soul into the few scenes I had and tried to make my every performance as much strong as possible. As far as the change is concerned, I had always believed in the message which “Alif” tried to send across. I had received my awakening call much before “Alif” came on television. The tincture of spirituality was already there in my personality, for which “Alif” came in the form of a beautiful gift with Umera Ahmad’s dialogues as reminders that the real is something else.

How do you prepare yourself for Ramadan transmissions? What is your main concern when it comes to such transmissions?

I would give the credit to Sultana Siddiqui and Maimoona Siddiqui who believed in me and got me into this. Along-with them, Kanwal Masood and Khawar Asad from PTV are also among the motivators. As far as my role is concerned, the element of respect associated with the month of Ramadan matters a lot to me, and that is the reason why I go for PTV which takes care not to go over-board when it comes to Ramadan transmissions. PTV’s transmission is subtle, simple, and carries the purpose to teach by bringing in Islamic scholars and asking questions from them. I myself act as a student instead of as an impostor to enhance my understanding of matters pertaining to religion. Then I make use of my personal censor to decide what to say and what not to say while having a conversation with renowned religious scholars.

You have worked in countless serials. Which is your personal favourite and why?

My personal favourites could be “Udaari”, “Dastaan” or “Paarsa”. In-fact, I admire so many of my serials. It’s actually difficult to point out one specific project, for I give my hundred percent to every serial that I do. I give equal preference to my minor roles as well, and hold all my characters dear.

If you were to direct a serial, what would the story be about?

I would come up with a very romantic production, but an elegant one all the same. Also, I would really like to create something visually pleasing, with beautiful and breath-taking locations of our own country, Pakistan. I believe that there are multiple sites in Pakistan which are attractive but haven’t been explored. We need to move out of our domestic settings and show these sites to our viewers.

We do not know much about your theatrical work. Kindly tell us about it.

It was a production of Sadler’s Wells, a renowned theatrical company in London. I had watched many of the company’s performances before, and an offer from it was like a dream-come-true. It was an English rendition of “Heer Ranjha”, our cultural folktale. I had a wonderful experience working with British actors and performing before a huge audience.

It must be known that Ahsan Khan performed the role of Ranjha in a PTV serial as well, having the same title as that of the original tale. The serial went on air in 2013 and became a big hit despite the dwindling number of good PTV productions back in those times. PTV viewers also remember him as a spoiled brat in “Ghuroor” in which he acted along-with top-notch actors like Saba Hameed and Yousaf Shakeel, and as a hero figure in “Barson Baad”, a Scotland based Pakistani serial dealing with domestic violence and drug addiction.

The writer is a freelance journalist and can be reached at m.ali_aquarius85@yahoo.com. He Tweets at @MuhammadAli_DT