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Talent has no boundaries and in this world, multifariousness is plethoric. It is, often, perceived as a feather in one’s cap. One glance at Hollywood would sum up the huge list of singers-turned-actors ranging from J-Lo and Beyoncé to the likes of 50 cent and Eminem. Because all the singers don’t clinch the sky-spot in roleplaying, many nip this idea in the bud, immediately after the first fatal attempt, but the ones for whom life acts sweet, there is always the quotation “Even the sky is not the limit”.
Pakistan has been following the same trend of straggling since long. The legendary Madam Noorjehan is the best example in this regard. Starting her acting career in Pakistan with the film titled “Chan wey” to calling it to rest with her penultimate film “Mirza Ghalib” in 1961. Furthermore, the Pakistani-Canadian artist, Adnan Sami Khan, has also tried his hand at the acting business, by playing the lead in Syed Noor’s “Sargam” along with Zeba Bakhtiyar. The semi-classical pop-singer, Sajjad Ali, also joined the tribe when he acted in his first tele-film “Love Letter” in 1989 and later on, starred as the lead in his self-directed film “Aik aur love story” in 1999.
Fast forward to the glamorous times of today, we have a huge prospicient list that bears the likes of the mega shots of today “Ali Zafar, Goher Mumtaz, Junaid Khan, Fawad Khan and Atif Aslam”. The multifaceted heartthrob of Pakistan, who has the best album of 2004 “Huqa Pani” to his credit, Ali Zafar, has followed the trend like never before. He has reached the pinnacle of his acting career now after crossing the border and emerging with hits like “Mere Brother ki Dulhan” and “Tere bin Laden”. The lad’s third venture “London, Paris, New York” is expected to release in spring 2012. Boy oh boy! Zafar is totally on the right track.
According to Ali: “2011 has been a wonderful year for me both musically and cinematically. My album Jhoom and second film ‘Mere Brother Ki Dulhan’ turned out exceptionally well and they made my year. The credit goes to my fans and supporters of course who have been on my back throughout this journey.”
Meanwhile, the Gibson USA Ambassador for Pakistan, Goher Mumtaz, has been taking watchful steps in his transition from being a musician to an actor. Starring for the first-time in the romantic comedy “Kountry Luv” aired on A-Plus, Goher has done justice to his role of “Shawn”. It just guarantees a bright stack of new projects ahead for him, as his first attempt wasn’t a fatal one.
Let’s listen to Goher’s take on his fresh identity as an actor:
Q. How was the experience acting in the drama serial “Kountry Luv”?
“Lovely. It was a short 20 days shoot. I loved the script and told them that I can only do it once as I have free dates from band’s commitment because Jal is my top priority as always. They were very kind to offer me the lead role of a spoiled brat kicked out from UK by his father to go to Pakistan and live there for a while. The interesting parts were the story twists and humour in the drama. And I seriously learned a lot from that 13 episode serial.”
Q. Do you intend to do more such projects and do you have some big shot “Bollywood film” as your next venture?
“I have always been offered by Bollywood ever since Jal started Indian concerts and started appearing on Indian channels. I have been offered lead roles but I didn’t like script at all. Also that movies take time for at least 4 months shoot and I could not take this much time out from band as Jal has always been the priority, so Let’s see now if I get time out , then I will surely do Bollywood.”
Q. How has this acting career affected your musical career, as we have seen Farhan rising as a solo star after your play?
“Many international singers, musicians tried doing acting, but that does not mean that they have stopped producing hits or have stopped making music. Ali Azmat did a play during Junoon days, in fact Salman Ahmed did a very famous play called “aahet” but that didn’t mean they both stopped making hits. Junaid Jamshed acted too, band didn’t break up. Fawad is doing well in acting and in music, Ali Zafar is a great singer-turned-actor and list goes on, and that doesn’t mean the end to the music they all produced. In fact, it is the value added thing for a band that their band mates are getting more popular and that will eventually add more fans for the band.
Moreover, many people think that ever since i started acting, Farhan felt insecure and left the band. Farhan never expressed this and i want to believe that it is not the case (as far as i know him) because if that IS the reason, then only God can help him. I certainly don’t agree by peoples comment that Farhan got insecure just because Goher is in the limelight more than himself. We have spent great time together and I have great wishes for his career too. He is talented and left the band by saying that “I want to find my own identity and I will not do Jal’s songs on concerts”. As for me, I do everything with a passion by considering it a new form of art, weather its acting, it’s singing, or it’s running a recording studio and I will be dedicated to every form of art till death. Jal just released two videos in one month and the pace of Jal is faster than ever because now Shazi and I are focusing on Jal’s next album, coming out in March 2012.”
On the same track is another rising musician-cum-actor, Junaid Khan, the lead vocalist of Call the Band. He has made his mark on the acting domain both in the genres of comic and serious roles. His current play “Mujhey roothney na dena” along with another superstar of the same creed, Komal Rizvi, portrays him as a grave, decent guy and a selfless friend. No doubt, he has raised the bar in this serial and promises to entertain the nation, especially the female lot, with more of his acting in future.
“Experience has been great, I am shooting for my 3rd play for Hum TV within a year, out of which one has already been on air by the name “Mujhe roothney na dena” and the remaining two will be aired in March 2012. It is good to see the TV world wholeheartedly accepting us. Both mediums, TV and Music, are fun to do in their respective ways. An artist looks for a medium of expression and through TV, you get to play various characters which test our skills but still, for a musician, music is the ultimate medium and I will never stop doing that. I am soon to release a solo music video very soon.” -Junaid Khan exchanging some words about his “acting” turnover.
Moreover, the matinee idol and the frontman of the pioneer rock band of Pakistan, Entity Paradigm, Fawad Afzal Khan, is where the spotlight is these days, owing to the acme of the popularity of “Hamsafar”, the serial which has bewitched both grandmothers to teenagers alike. Versatility should be the middle name of this genuine artist. From a comic role in “Jutt and Bond” to the most complicated one in “Dastaan” and the film “Khuda key liye, Fawad’s performance has been no less than exceptional. He was also nominated as best actor in Lux Style Awards 2011 and has done a number of commercials to his credit.
Conclusively, one man worth mentioning, for this turnover, is none other than one of the most popular South Asian singer, Atif Aslam. His debut venture as an actor in Shoaib Mansoor’s “Bol” was highly publicized, but his performance leaves a lot to be craved, and neither was his role substantial enough. That is to say, that he is brilliant with the voice, but not good enough with actions.
That’s the case with the musician-turned-actors, and if thought in reverse, about the actors-turned-musicians in Pakistan; one will not find any quality option. Hence, with the rise of such a league of adept actors, previously renowned as musicians, the competition has sure gotten a lot tougher for the army of exclusive actors, which once used to rule the screens. It’s a great sign for the Pakistani showbiz industry, and perhaps Bollywood too, provided the strings keep getting harped upon, simultaneously.
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