Pictured with his co-star and fiance, Sajal Aly in a still from Aangan.
When’s the wedding, I ask, and being ‘naturally private’ as he professes to be, I am told, “Soon.”
I ask a less intrusive question: what are the two of them like when they are on set together? Ahad laughs. “We’re really tough on each other. People would assume that we’re all lovey-dovey but, in fact, we’re just constantly on edge, critiquing each other. After a scene is shot, I’ll say, ‘Sajal, that wasn’t quite right, I think you should do it again’, or she’ll point out that my pronunciation wasn’t right. Maza aata hai [It’s a lot of fun].
“Most of my acting projects have been with Sajal and I think that’s because no other actress can take on such truly challenging roles. Somehow, we have often found ourselves to be cast together. But when we are approached for a role, we never consider whether we will be acting together. We think as independent actors and see if the story interests us.”
Even as he talks, it seems to me that Ahad is itching to change the subject — his relationship with Sajal is very obviously not something he talks about often. At another point in our conversation, though, he discusses how he had contracted dengue fever recently and Sajal was his ‘saviour’.
“I wouldn’t wish dengue on even my worst enemy. I thought that I would die,” he says. “There I was, in the hospital, barely able to walk and she really helped, fending people away from my room and taking care of me.”
Does the couple reply regularly to the large contingent of ‘Sahad’ fans spread out all over the internet? “I try to respond to fans and so does she, but it’s amazing how much love they send our way,” he says.
“After every episode of our dramas, they make collages and write long reviews. On my birthday, I got a call from my office that I needed to come in because so many people had sent me gifts there — little fake trees with my pictures dangling off the branches and cupcakes with my photograph on them. It’s overwhelming and I wish I could do more for them. I mean, these are the people that we need to invite to our wedding,” he laughs.
He has just turned 26. Does he feel that he’s too young to get married? “When it’s time, it’s time,” he tells me.
Onwards and upwards Does he also feel that this is his ‘time’ and in a few years from now, newer actors may be taking over the roles that are being offered to him right now? “Of course, and I know that,” he says, “and I don’t mind, at all. I think new people should constantly be coming in. That’s the only way the industry will grow. By then, it will be my time to do something else.”
Other than last year’s Hum Films’ project, Parwaaz Hai Junoon , his work has all been with television. Does he plan to sign on to a movie soon? “I’m considering a few scripts and I might,” says Ahad.
“It should just be something that is unique and exciting, regardless of whether it’s for TV or cinema. We should also be focusing more on digital. I feel that, in the coming years, filmmakers and TV channels are going to lose out on profits because people are preferring to watch shows at their convenience on YouTube. We need to cash in on this by creating platforms on the internet from where people can stream our productions.”
He continues, “This is something that I’m looking into. Sometime in the future, I want to create projects that put Pakistan on the map, internationally. Baba [his father, yesteryear heartthrob Asif Raza Mir] is going to be seen in a major HBO series next year, called Gangs of London . I hope to, maybe, someday, work on something like that. I have also become unafraid of failing. I sign on to a project that interests me, give it my all, and then stop worrying over whether it’s going to be a success or a flop.
“And I definitely plan to continue to work in theatre once a year.”
The actor reflects on how life has changed since YKS, what patriotism means to him, future projects and a whole lot more
The actor talks about playing Hamlet, bringing the play to Pakistan and his next TV drama with Sajal Aly