i dont know if u have read these artical before or if someone else posted them but i am posting them:
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'Ghar Kab Aao Ge’ made him a household name. With Ahsan’s boy-next-door image, he rose to stardom. While every one was hoping that he would be signing with big banners, he left the films and joined the tube again. Today he is appearing in a host of mega budgeted serial and after getting successful in Javed Fazil’s hit serial DunyaDari he is on an uprise as leading directors are said to be chasing him. He has already bagged plays like Betti, Chashman, Zindagi, Bahar and Mohabbat.com and on the pipeline are plays like Saya, Uljhay Suljhay, silsila, Taqdeer and Khilona. The latest entrant in the tube shares a few thoughts in an informal chat with showbiz.com.pk.
Post Ghar Kab Aa Ge and he is a star overnight, since then Ahsan has no looking back, and now today after Javed Fazil's DunyaDari has been a hit, Ahsan's joy knew no bounds, as he know what it means to be a hit, 'I knew that it would be appreciated as it was a director's play. With such a big cast, it was really very difficult to keep yourself up to mark but I tried my level best and today it has become my recognition'. Besides working in Dunya Dari, he has also worked in Shalakot, a serial penned by Ashfaq Ahmed which also remained quite famous, 'It w0as a usual classical play in the philosophical style of Ashfaq Ahmed. I really liked working in that.'
Among his new serials Tapish directed by the famous KTV's actress Sadia Imam is on air on the ARY. The cast includes Sadia Imam, Saba Perviaz, Ghulam Moheyydin, Azhar Ali, Ghalib Kamal, Fiza Ali, Parveen Akbar along with Ahsan. While he is very much optimistic abut Khyaal, another serial by Javed Fazil and infact his first telly serial after the Ghar Kab Aao Ge. It has not yet been on air for some reasons and Ahsan is desperately waiting for his role in that play. It has been shot in London and alongwith Ahsan there are others like Vinne, Zeb Ch, Shazia AKhter, Noman Aijaz and Asad. Betti is one play with whom he is very much hopeful, directed by Usman & Zulfiqar, the play is about the sensitive issues of our families. Ahsan who is doing the lead in that play feels very much happy over the way his work is going on in that serial, 'well, Betti is sure to be a hit. The story is so good and the both directors are so talented and dedicated that they know what to do. They are technically very strong and I am sure that my character will be appreciated a lot from that play'.
So, how is feeling after the success of Dunya Dari, 'I am very happy infact I am not satisfied as an actor. You must have to do extremely good and feel better. People always had the very impression that I am a good dancer but now I have refuted the very concept and by the grace of Allah Almighty today I am in the category of good actors'. There must be quality of expectations after the success, how you cope with that? 'I go for the best thing and I want to be go for the standard work, I am not meant to be a sitcom actor. I have got so many offers but I want to do a quality work', replies an ever smiling Ahsan.
After trying hard in Lollywood in the past four years, he is at last now established as a telly actor, DunyaDari has established beyond doubt that he has got guts needed for a good actor. No doubt he has improved a lot, from his first movie Nikah and Ziddi to today DunyaDari, he has come a long way. Though, still he is very much conscious about his makeup as he uses to be in his early days but now there seems to be a change, some inborn confidence that a person is bound to feel after the success, when asked Ahsan he told, 'I am working hard and trying to work as hard as possible. People want me to do something good. Any actor can't survive by doing bad work and that is the very reason that I am working with all good directors'.
At the very moment he is working on a hosts of project including Betti, Khilona, Silsila, Aashi, Mohabbat.com and many more, so much so that Ahsan doesn't even remember the name of the plays. Doesn't it effect your performance as an actor, to which Ahsan has to say like that, 'I know at times it becomes very difficult to manage so many projects at a time but I try my level best. Actually, I get so many good projects that at times it is difficult to refuse them' continues Ahsan, 'I like to work with all the good directors, It is my good luck that I worked with top notch directors like Syed Noor, Sangeeta and Hassan Askari in Lollywood and I feel myself equally lucky that I am working with the best of the telly directors like Perviaz Malik, Javed Fazil and Usman Zulfiqar. Perviaz Malik is the only qualified director and it is always pleasant working with him. Usman Zulfiqar are among the best directors, the good thing about them is that they know how to take the work from an artist. You can learn a lot from them, it is just like respecting someone and getting the success in return. Javed Fazil is a complete institution, he works very hard on his projects and knows what he exactly want from a subject.'
So, that means that you sign the serial without seeing the script and listening your character, 'No, that doesn't mean that I always do like that. There are some people whm you are confident of and that is why I even compromise on other things. But, I look out for a lot of things while signing a serial. First of all, which team I am going to work with, what character I am going to play then I listen to the script and then demand the price. Of course, price is the factor that I look out more as it is the only thing that you can get out of a project.' To him working on Ptv gives you the exposure that Private doesn't give you. 'People like PTV as they are very much family oriented and close to our traditions. But technically speaking PTV's quality doesn't match with private, as the production quality and the result of private productions is better than the PTV'.
Any competition with any one? 'No, I don't feel that I have any competition with anyone because no one is at my level either most of the actors are seniors or juniors. I do my own work and leaves the rest on Allah. I am not jealous with any one rather I am satisfied with my work. If my co-stars feel threatened then it is their business. But I never think over doing competition with any one'. His favourites in acting includes Humayun Saeed and Shahrukh Khan, 'I think that there is only one hero and that is Humayun Saeed' while among his co-stars all are her favourites and he ran into telling each and every one's name including Sana, Farah Shah, Sadia Imam, Janna Malik, Amna Haq and Maria Wasti. Why all, 'As they all are very good and are very much helpful', says Ahsan.
No plans for movies now, 'Well, since the success of Ghar Kab Aao Gay I have received the number of offers but I want to break away from the stereotyped roles and that is why I am concentrating more on plays than movies. I want to play some good roles rather than the dancing heroes, second hero sort of roles'.
When asked about his plus and negative points, Ahsan was quick to remark, 'I am short tempered at times but most of the times I am cool. My morale goes down very soon if someone do something bad with me. I am sincere, friendly, caring and courteous.'
Ahsan's future plans includes making his own studio and then working on his productions, 'I will stuck to this field as I know that I can't get established in any other place.'
--Yasir Nisar
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Winning Streaks
By Yasir Nisar
“Success comes to those who wait”- the ideal case in point could well be this cutie-pie Ahsan Khan. Born and raised in London, this gorgeous guy made way to his soil to carve a niche for himself. Set the ball rolling as a film actor, he later drifted towards the tube. From the most talked about film actor to the most in-demand TV actor, it hasn’t been too long a trek by most standards.
You started your career from films but then drifted towards the tube, what were the reasons behind that?
I started working simultaneously for television and films, but for that particular period of time I was focusing more on films. I got the opportunity to work with the leading directors of the film industry like Syed Noor, Sangeeta, Iqbal Kashmiri, etc. but after my breakthrough in Ghar Kab Aao Gay I realized that the films that were being churned out of the industry were very unimpressive and lacked class. On the other hand. I was offered some major television projects like Javed Fazil’s Khiyal; Ashfaq Ahmed’s Shalakot; Ayub Khawar’s Mehboob, etc plus I was getting the lead roles in both the plays, therefore my focus shifted from the films to the tube.
But you have recently signed a film after such a long break, what provoked you to sign that?
During the course of my growing television career I have had a lot of offers coming in from the big screen, but they have not measured up to my standard. This project Teray Bin Jiya Na Jaye, which I have now signed, promises to deliver us from the run-of-the-mill films that are being made these days. Teray Bin Jiya Na Jaye is a Perez Malik Production; he is the only qualified filmmaker in Pakistan. Imran Malik is directing this film and the playback singers and the choreographer are Indian. The film is being shot in Europe. The cast includes myself, Zara Sheikh, Imran malik, Sherry, Haneef Raja, Naghma and Nadeem Baig. But the foremost reason for my signing this film is because I get to play the main-role.
You are working in a lot of plays right now don’t you think that you are getting over exposed?
Most of the offers that I am receiving these days are from the top-most directors in the field, like S. Suleiman, Javed Fazil, Faisal Bokhari, Ayub Khawar, Pervez Malik, Usman Zulfiqar… And they’re offering pivotal roles that are impossible for a true actor to snub. This should answer your query as to why I have chosen to work in so many plays. Secondly, still much is left to be desired and since the viewer-ship has become so divided due to the increase in the number of channels, I believe over-exposure in not an issue that I should be too worried about for the near future.
You have been known for your show performances, but it has been quite some time that you have done that, any reason behind that?
It’s true that I have a natural flare for dancing and I am pretty good at it!! But dancing has never been a goal that I have set out to achieve. These days acting takes the first priority, but I haven’t given up dancing per se - I still do perform on and off for various shows but only if they’re worth it. Like my performance in the Kodak Film Award Show was highly appreciated. A few dance numbers, which my fans could look forward to, are those in the upcoming film Teray Bin Jiya Na Jaye.
Having worked both in Karachi as well as in Lahore, what difference do you find in both?
I feel there’s not much of a difference for me as an actor in either city, but I think that the Karachites have a much more professional attitude towards their work. Therefore the work environment is much better suited for an actor to polish or bring out his/her talents. This is the reason I am taking up more projects in Karachi than Lahore these days.
Why have you not settled in Karachi, while many Lahori artists have?
I have already more or less settled in Karachi, but I think these terms ‘Lahori’ artist and ‘Karachi’ artist are not appropriate as they create regional rifts. And we as actors should be free to work anywhere within Pakistan or abroad as we please. For instance, the very first project of my career was an English long-play, shot in London, which as a collaboration between English and Asian Filmmakers. This was to be screened for a film festival being held in the UK - I got this chance because I was born and was living in England back then, yet I was not labeled as a British artist.
What are your criteria for signing any project?
First, and foremost there should be a good director and a good script and of course a challenging role, which goes without saying. I also make sure that the team of artists I am working with is also competent coz acting is all about ‘actions and reactions’. So if the artists one is working with respond well, one also gets the chance to work to the best of ones ability. Yes and a good paycheck don’t hurt either!!!
What are the pre-requisites of becoming an actor?
Well, Pakistan has no drama schools or acting institutions to boast of where one can learn about this stuff as a proper subject. That is why so much of our potential talent goes to waste. The only people who can survive are those who have an in-born flare for facing the camera and grooming themselves with on-the-job training/experience. And of course good looks are a plus point.
Do you think that you are film material keeping in view the likes of Shan, Momi, Saud and Babar?
HAHAHAHA… the kind of Punjabi gandasa films that are normally being made here, do not suit my personality. Otherwise, If the given the challenge I am confident that I can act equally well in films as I am on television.
You’ve been a permanent part of some of the productions, what is the reason behind that?
The reason being that I am not a fussy person and get along well with most of my cast and crewmembers. Secondly, I work according to the director’s demand so that they also feel comfortable working with me. That is the reason they keep calling me back after I have once worked with them.
Lollywood is passing through a bleak period right now, what factors do you think can help in making it stand once again?
The crux of the problem lies in the fact that there are no producers willing to think “out of the box”. The same themes and storylines are rehashed and presented to the audience. There is a major lack of novel ideas. With the increasing globalization of the world, the Pakistani Film Industry has to raise its standard significantly if it wants to compete with the onslaught of foreign films on an international level. I would say that, 99% of the success of a film lies in its script - which the Lollywood films severely lack. Although we have intelligent directors and talented actors, the deficient screenplays and dialogues ruin their efforts to churn out a quality film. The remaining 1%, which includes the technical side of filmmaking, has nothing worth commenting on either - the cameras are outdated so are the developing and printing methods. The music and song quality speaks volumes for itself in a nutshell; a drastic change in terms of educated people taking over charge is needed. Not necessarily MBA’s but at lest those who are creative and have a professional outlook towards this field.
Any character that you have played that is close to your heart?
Such a role is still to come but there have been many, for instance the role in Ashfaq Ahmed’s play ‘Shalakot’ was a memorable one so was Pervez Malik’s ‘Taqdeer’ and ditto with Javed Fazil’s ‘Duniya Daari’.
Any plans for your own productions or direction in future?
For the time being I am too engrossed in my busy acting schedule. I have plans not only to work in Pakistan but also internationally. I’ll soon be going to do an international project in the future I seen myself opening my own production house and produced a few plays, but these plans are not for any time in the near future, but Inshallah they are lined up as my next career move as for direction I have nor thought about it.
