CELEBRITY
Along with being an accomplished actor , you have also dabbled in production and directing – how did this transition occur ? I was working as an actor with Asim Raza , who is a film and TVC director and producer at the Vision Factory , an independent film studio founded in 1997 by Asim himself for some ad projects . While I was there , I developed a keen interest in how things work behind the camera . Eventually , I was offered an internship and I decided to take it .
Later on , I worked with the Vision Factory as an assistant director , director and then later as a producer . A few years later I branched out and started The Vision Factory Films with Asim Raza . Our first production was Ho Mann Jahaan .
Do these responsibilities ever come in the way of your acting ? For example , Ho Mann Jahaan where you joined Asim Raza , as a producer and played the role of Arhaan . Not in the least actually . Working behind the camera has been such an educational and learning experience for me in all regards , be it acting , directing or producing . Due to this experience , I am now a better judge of what acting jobs to take on . If anything , it has been more fruitful for my acting career .
Tell us about your process in picking a role . When you read a script it either speaks to you or it does not . When I read a script that excites me , I know I want to be a part of it ; I prefer characters that can be essayed in shades of grey .
What is a typical day like ? Well , it usually starts with a shoot and ends with it if I am shooting ! However , usually , I am an early riser and I try to get as much done as possible in a day .
I have a healthy and full breakfast and head to the office which takes up most of my day . I try to squeeze in gymming in the evening and then head home to my family and give them time as much as I can , as that is the most important in the end !
Project Ghazi was up for release earlier this year , but after the glitches during the premiere , it has vanished from the scene . What are your thoughts on that ? I signed on to the project based on the script and my initial meetings with the director . Nadir Shah is a talented director and I could see how strongly he felt for the script when we met .
Once you take on a project you have to see it through to the best of your abilities . That is exactly what I did . There is a lot of hard work that has gone into the making of this film and I am hopeful that whatever glitches and issues the team is facing , they will be able to resolve them soon enough .
What would you say has been the most memorable and challenging role to play during your career in the industry ? I am still waiting for it .
Ho Mann Jahaan was when you made your big screen acting debut . How was the experience ? It was a lovely experience in every aspect . I was involved in it as an actor and as a producer , so for me , it was my baby .
Asim and the entire team have been very close to me and we had a ball of a time together . I think we all connected with the movie emotionally . It was a wonderful journey that we all took together as a tightly knit unit .
Do you think there is nepotism in the industry ? Does it make it difficult for new and fresh talent to emerge or make a mark in the industry ? I think these sorts of things exist in any line of work . According to me , the best approach is to keep your head down and work hard .
What do you think is the current situation of the Pakistani entertainment industry ? And what needs to be improved to see it at the top in the near future ? We have been blessed with a lot of talented artists . Our dramas are being watched all over the world and our musicians have been celebrated internationally .
As for film as a medium , we are still in the process of understanding it and developing our own flavour . I think it is a constant process which will take time but I am very hopeful and I know we will make our way around it soon .
Do you feel that Zindagi Gulzar Hai has helped bring you into the limelight ? No , if anything , it was a very bad career move . I did not learn anything on the sets . Nobody , neither the director nor the producer , took out the time to educate