Zahid Ahmed AT # 3 Born To Act - Page 14

Zahid Ahmed- Dawn of A New Era | title song mp3 download OST | cast, drama review

Growing up in the eighties, watching quality Pakistani drama serials was the norm, not only because the standard of acting was so phenomenal, but because story lines were so original and direction so apt. It was an era of golden Pakistani TV which transcended borders, helping those who had emigrated to distant lands keep in touch with their own culture.

And then there was a lull. I'm not sure if it was due to lacklustre production or not being able to compete with the plethora of readily available satellite TV channels, but it seemed for a while, at least, that viewership fell as did the appeal.

In recent years, however, we have seen a resurgence thanks to a new wave of producers, actors and writers. Pakistani dramas are once again receiving adulation from around the world. But there is still one small issue - the majority of the drama serials seem to be targeted solely towards the female audience. Maybe writers seem to think that men don't enjoy a good piece of drama anymore.

One of the new generation of actors who agrees thatsomething is amiss is Zahid Ahmed.

"Men have become uninterested, including myself and that's a big loss if one cares to think. We men loved Dhoop Kinaray, 50/50 and dramas of that era, so there should be no reason we (male viewership) are not the channels desire anymore. I would and I will contribute towards more gripping subjects that can bring male viewership back."

That era saw some wonderful characters brought to life by acclaimed actors and when asked which eighties character he would like to play and what he could bring to the role, Zahid nostalgically recalls:

"Moin Akhatar's, Rosey'... An actor's ultimate test is to convincingly portray man and woman in the same show. Plus, I've cross dressed in theatre a few times. I look like quite the attractive woman (he laughs) so I could add that."

From his critically acclaimed portrayal of The Quaid-e-Azam' in Anwar Maqsood's theatre productions, Sawa 14 August and Ponay 14 August, this relatively new kid on the block has made quite the impression with his debut in TV dramas.

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Zahid gave up a career in telecommunications and groomed himself (pretty well) to fit the demands of the current acting scene. Although he claims that speaking to random people at airports and borrowing their chargers' is the best thing about being an actor, something tells me he is a little more serious about the field than he admits.

His recent portrayal of Rameez in drama serial Alvidahas proven that intense and negative roles can be just as impactful as conventional ones. I wondered if he could relate to any elements of this multi-layered character that he played so convincingly:

"God, no, thankfully. My mother is still with my father (he says laughingly). But yes, Rameez'spassion for Haya is similar to Zahid's passion for acting."

It is this passion that has brought him so rapidly to the forefront of the Pakistani drama scene. Starting with his debut as the lead role of drama serial Mehram earlier this year, Zahid is currently busy working on forthcoming projects, one of which is a period drama by the name of Mor Mehal. The big budget production is directed by Sarmad Khoosat, in which Zahid plays the leading role along with a star-packed cast. If one thing is for certain, the actor is not willing to be typecast and knows the importance of reinventing oneself in this field:

"An actor should break himself down the minute he thinks he knows' anything. Be reckless. Be notorious...take for instance that you ask me to do Rameez again, the same character, ten years from now. Would you like it if I did the same way? Not really. Every next role I want to do is different, but I fear writers will go insane trying to give me variation, so I am thinking of hiring a few writers who write just for Zahid Ahmed and his never ending thirst for diversity."

It's clear that the actor who doesn't take himself so seriously is most definitely serious about his acting. Moments before hearing the word action', Zahid says that he immerses himself in his character by correlating the graphs of the story and the scene' with the degree of emotion' and the character profile'. With so many processes going on in his mind, it is not a surprise that there are some bad days too.

"Any day that starts before 11am is a bad day. If I am not happy about the set I am working on, if my co-actors are lame or loud (which he prudently refrains from naming), if the director is annoying, you get many bad days and hours. The best remedy I apply is music. I plug in my super loud earphones in every free opportunity I get...yes I am going deaf soon!"

Aside from exposing himself to high decibels of music, Zahid is fascinated by the spiritual realm and conversations around the untapped potential of the human soul'. He has also recently developed a fondness for sea food.

"...I think it compliments my personality a lot...prawns, shrimps sharks, yum! I don't know. I eat a good prawn and it feels "right". It feels like yes, this food is in sync with my soul."

Follow him on social media networks and his love for his work is abundantly clear for all to see. Not only does the actor ooze talent, but he is a humble being who is known for interacting with his fans. I, for one, certainly look forward to his upcoming projects as, one thing is for sure, diversity and pure entertainment will most definitely be on the cards. Here's wishing him all the best for his future work and being a part of a renaissance he so very much believes in.

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