After a three-month chase, I finally met Faisal Qureshi on the sets of a play, the title of which has not been finalised yet. As I sat waiting for him in a small room, he was doing a scene in the other room where he was yelling at someone on top of his voice.

Moments later, Faisal appeared, dressed in a shiny shalwar kameez and sporting his trademark boyish grin, hair in waves, sans the ‘Bashar beard’ and moustache. He settled down with a cigarette, requesting one of the fellows around him for green tea. Smoking? Wasn’t he a health and fitness freak? “Aik he to buri aadat hai,” he said with a twinkle in his eyes.

Between the chubby Boota to the dangerous-looking Bashar, Faisal has performed in a few short of a hundred TV plays, won awards and accolades, has judged a dance competition, hosted shows, breezed through Muskurati Mornings and (literally) donned another hat to sell toilet bowl cleaner with equal charisma and ease. With 22 years in showbiz up his sleeve, this most versatile actor of his time is everywhere … maybe even over-exposed?

Overworked? Maybe. Over-exposed? Heck no! At least that’s what this veteran actor thinks

“Sometimes your work is visible even if you do a couple of plays. There are some who do a dozen plays but no one ends up seeing them. If you are doing three plays every week on all the channels, that’s not overexposure because there are so many channels. But six plays on one channel, that is overexposure."

He further adds, "One can’t help it if producers only want popular stars like Noman Ijaz, Reema, Atif Aslam, Fawad Khan or Ali Zafar on a show and nothing less! In the last two or three years, there have been 30 or 60 new entrants but it will take them time to mature as actors."

“As far as appearing in commercials is concerned, even in other countries I have seen celebrities do ads for not only big brands but the strangest of products like paint or chairs! Brett Lee is selling shops. That is what being a celebrity is all about plus you have to make money while you shine like a star. I think, people here make too much hoo haa about it.”

Today, Faisal looks younger and better than ever. Is it a combination of botox, workouts and diets, or is joi de vivre the secret?

“Following the advice of my very good friend Sajid bhai, I’m always trying to reinvent myself, each day of my life. These could be minute changes in my performance or in just being a human. It could be a look or a gesture, my body language or just the way I behave. Mostly I am on a strict diet and fast for days … just living on water and fruit. If the character does not require being a certain weight then I am a little easy with food.”

Bashar Momin personified

Faisal feels he needs improvement in several areas of his life. “I am way behind where I should be in my personal and professional life. I read and watch movies daily, that is my real food. It can be a film from anywhere. IMDB zindabad. Then I discuss it from all angles with my friends. It is a learning process for me. I love to read. I always tell people when you read, you acquire depth. As a nation we don’t read and we cannot see the issues creeping in our society because we lack that depth.”

Sahir Lodhi may have pioneered male hosting in morning shows but Faisal seemed to have blazed the path for others to follow and TV channels became comfortable with the idea of male hosts in what was previously a female domain. “I was happily surprised when I was offered the morning show.”

Determined to reject the existing trend of morning shows, Faisal tried to introduce social issues and lighter, lifestyle-oriented content. “I used to watch breakfast TV abroad and I noticed that they would do basics like rearranging furniture, flower arrangements or simple things to start the day in a better way. I discovered that morning shows would feature just about anything for ratings, whether it is weddings or just halla gulla. I refused to do any of that. Tahir Khan and I agreed that occasionally I would do something that they would want me to do. The rest of the time, I would do stuff that I wanted to.”

For Faisal, doing a morning show was a tremendous learning experience. “I met at least four new people every day. As an actor you are often away from the ground reality but because of the morning show, I tuned in with the rest of the world.”

Faisal wanted to promote Pakistan as much as possible. “Our channels love to talk all kinds of trivia about Bollywood stars. Even if they puke or sneeze, it becomes a lead story but no one knows what is going on locally. I never know if it is Humayun Saeed’s or Shaan’s birthday, or if an actor is in the hospital.”

“Earlier I used to work for myself, but now I work for my fans. I have a responsibility to fulfill their expectations and can’t do something that will offend them. I don’t want them to say ‘yeh Faisal Qureshi ne kaisi film kardi yaar’!”

In the upcoming role of Aashiq Hussain

Four years later, the morning show began interfering with his drama shoots, especially ones being shot abroad. “After declining about eight plays, I felt I had to get back to being an actor even though I miss doing morning TV. It makes you disciplined although one drawback was that all my looks for upcoming plays would be revealed by being on TV every single day.”

While TV keeps Faisal on his toes, films take a back seat. “I haven’t been able to settle on a script; nothing that grabs me has come my way. Earlier I used to work for myself, but now I work for my fans. I have a responsibility to fulfill their expectations and can’t do something that will offend them. I don’t want them to say ‘Yeh Faisal Qureshi ne kaisi film kardi yaar’!”

Faisal believes that Na Maaloom Afraad (NMA) is the only hit our film industry can be credited for. “The film is being talked about on TV shows, I hear the music everywhere and it has made an impact. People want entertaining, light-hearted stuff. The public is depressed about so many issues that comedy always does well. It is one genre that works again and again."

“People see the common man from a distance and I often tell them that you will only be able to understand their problems if you travel by bus in the day and stand waiting in the heat at a bus stop. Only they know what they go through when there is not enough money at home to cook a square meal. This is the state of issues with the common man and what he needs is to be entertained with a light-hearted, comedy that sends him home smiling, not crying.

“Just look at how many comedy films are being made in Bollywood. I expect many NMA rip-offs to cash in on its success. We can make serious agenda-based films too but commercial films is what the average cine-goer wants. We have grown up on Qurbani, Kabhi Alvida na Kehna, Bandish, Aaina, Tere Ghar ke Saamne. People go to the cinema to see Indian films, but I am sure if you give them a good film, they will watch it.”

Talking about our actors experimenting with Bollywood, he said, “People have to make money too. One film in Bollywood pays more than 10 films here. Presently they might be doing what people think are unexciting roles but things will change. It is a start and gives newcomers a hope. When they are sidelined and mistreated on Indian shows, I don’t like it one bit. But how long will they treat them badly and stifle their talent? Our talent has now crossed the borders.”

The Peshawar tragedy and the situation in the country sadden him to no end. “It pains me to see what is happening in the country. People must realise their responsibilities, face reality and do something to take this country forward. We have to change the way we think.”

Faisal loves to create the appearance of his characters. “When I play a character, I put Faisal Q to sleep and bring that character to life. I experiment with different styles for my hair, beard and mustache or wear glasses. Soon I have to lose a lot of weight for an upcoming role. When I come across interesting people, I save the images in my mind for reference. People often criticise me by saying ‘Yeh daarhi kyu rakhli, shave kyun kardia…’ but I believe in doing exactly what I have to do, because acceptance comes a little later.

Talking about the plethora of plays being produced today, Faisal says, “Can anyone select 50 plays of yesteryear that they think were amazing? I can select 100 plays from the last 10 years that were remarkable. Good and bad work happens everywhere but our actors, writers and directors have made their mark today and are generating competition.”

Is he thinking of going into direction as most senior actors do?

“I have worked with a lot of people including Hassan Askari and Javed Fazil, done all kinds of work, given claps, moved trolleys, ran tracks because I love to learn. I rarely produce. I was thinking of going into direction but I have been told to stick to acting because people don’t want to lose an actor like me.”

His favourite performances include the much-acclaimed Boota, Harjaee, Man-o-Salwa, Ghost, Bashar Momin and Meri Zaat Zarra-i-Benishan.

“I have played a hero from 25 to 60 year old lead. I don’t like any of my performances. Sometimes people appreciate something a lot then I begin to think that maybe I did it a little better that people are appreciating so much.”

A character has to be challenging for Faisal to like it.

“There was a time when directors would say to me that there is this character which we want you to do because it is a difficult one to play. I looked at them and wanted to say ‘bhai jaan, kabhi koi asaan kaam bhi karwalen’! But when I did a simple role in Mera Pehla Pyar, I got a lot of flak for that. ‘App ne kyun kiya? Wo role to koi bhi karleta…’ My fan club owns me!

Neverthless, he says his wife and mother are his biggest critics. “If I go home and my play is on but they are not watching, I know I haven’t done so well.”

Can Faisal Qureshi be described in three words?

“No, you need 3,000 words,” he smiled. We certainly do.

Published in Dawn, Sunday Magazine, January 25th, 2015

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