Goodbye to Pakistani cinema
http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=story_16-3-2003_pg7_24
By Shoaib Ahmed
LAHORE: Actor Ahsen Khan has said he will no longer work in Pakistani cinema because it would be a “waste of talent” to work in an industry that is a “laughing stock” and full of “aimless non-professionals”.
In an interview to Daily Times on Sunday, the young British-born actor said he was also fed up with the politics involved in the industry, and would stick to acting on television from now.
Mr Khan, who has appeared in five films including blockbusters such as Nikkah and Ghar Kab Aao Gay, said he would regret it too much if he were to continue making films in Pakistan.
The actor, who was trained at the Padmani Kolapuri acting institute in South Hall, London, complained it was usual in the film industry for actors not to be paid and for roles promised them to be changed. “In Wada, the producer offered me the lead role. I did some scenes and a song with (actress) Noor, and then went to England for a drama serial, after telling the producer I would be back in three weeks.” The producer gave him the green light to go, but later in London he found out the film had been released without him.
He said it was impossible to survive and get work in the industry without partaking in the politics that abound. “Syed Noor has his own group, Sangeeta has her own, the Evernew people have their own and Javed Sheikh is forming his own lobby.” He said he had experienced such lobbying first hand during the shooting of Anchal. Apparently, actress Resham tried to get him off the cast and replaced with Arbaz Khan, with whom she was supposedly having an affair at the time.
He said until a professional attitude was adopted, all the claims that Pakistani cinema was improving were all just so much hot air. “Only the guy that wears polka dotted shirts and pays countless visits to the uneducated producers at Royal Park (Lakshmi Chowk) can survive (in the film industry),” he said.
Mr Khan said a lot of the actresses in the industry were conspirators and two-faced. He excluded Sana and Noor from this category, saying they were his favourites actresses.
“I thank God I can work on television. I would not have survived in films,” he said. “Television is full of educated and professional people.” Several TV dramas starring the actor are about to air on satellite, including Pervez Malik’s Taqdeer, in which he is paired with Karachi-based model Naheed; Usman Zulfiqar’s Baiti with Saira Khan, the Shaukat Zainul Abideen directed Muthi Bher Asman with Noor; the Ayub Khawar directed Mehboob with Sawera Nadeem; and Javed Fazil’s Khayal.
However, he is to appear in a movie, though it will be shot in England. “The only reason I’m doing this film is because it’s written by Haseena Moeen and directed by Pervez Malik. I will never be in another Lahore-based film.”