Post on 13-Mar-2023
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Adnan Malik
by
Ally Adnan
Photographs by Yaseen Lakhani
Truly a renaissance man, the twenty-something Adnan Malik is one of Pakistan’s
hottest young stars today. Model, filmmaker, actor, video jockey, fashion
designer and businessman, Adnan is working in virtually every area of show
business to learn the ins and outs of the industry before he settles down to make
films, his true calling. Adnan studied cinema at the Vassar College in New York
and returned to Pakistan in 2004 to start his career as a model film maker and
much else. He currently heads the award winning AMP (Adnan Malik
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Productions) multi-platform boutique production house based in Karachi. He is
currently starring in Hum Television’s top-rate series, Sadqe Tumhare. In an
exclusive interview for the Friday Times, he talks with Ally Adnan, at length, about
himself, his life in show business, cinema, friendships and family.
1. You never seem to wear any socks. Is that a style statement?
Ha! Ha! Ha!
It is less a style statement and more an effect of watching too many
episodes of Miami Vice while growing up.
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2. Are you aware of your status as a true fashion icon in Pakistan, one who
people look to for current trends and styles, and do you enjoy it?
I am flattered that some people consider me a fashion icon but I am not
even sure if I am current and trendy. Dressing up well is important to me
and I just try to be myself. I believe that how one presents himself on the
outside is a reflection of what he is on the inside. I have always admired
well-dressed people.
3. You started
your career as a
model, worked as
an anchor and a host
on television,
produced videos,
produced films,
worked as a director
and are acting now.
Do you plan to do
virtually everything
in show business, or
will you settle for
one vocation in the
future?
The various facets of
show business are
intrinsically
connected to each
other and I enjoy
each one of them. I
really enjoy acting,
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but I find myself most comfortable and most honest behind a camera. I
studied filmmaking in college and love all aspects of it. I think my true
calling is story-telling. I am enjoying doing multiple things currently. It is a
great learning experience which I feel will contribute to making me good a
filmmaker. That is where I think I will end up.
4. You father is a very successful doctor. Did you ever consider medicine as a
career choice?
I did consider a
career in medicine
for a hot minute
but concluded
that it was not
right for me. Abu
supported my
decision not to be
a doctor. That
being said, I feel
that my father
and I share the
same philosophy
and ethos.
Healing others is
very rewarding. It
gives one a
purpose in life and
an opportunity to
give back to the
people. I try to do
the same, albeit
through a different medium. If you see my work, especially the
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documentaries focusing on gender identity, you will see that there is more
to it than just entertainment. I enjoy work which has social and cultural
relevance. Stories of people on the periphery of society, and those
struggling with cultural and social boundaries, appeal to me. I try to tell the
stories in a way that brings the conversation in the mainstream. In my own
way, I try to do good and give back through my work.
5. Is show business a viable career choice in Pakistan today?
Of course, it is!
There are many avenues to making a lot of money in show business. People
are cashing in on the success of the business in Pakistan. There is literally
an actor, or a director, or a cinematographer lurking under every stone.
6. What are the perks of being a celebrity and in show business?
I enjoy the rewards of celebrity more than the perks. I love doing what I do;
money, glamor, recognition and other perks, if you will, is secondary. What
I enjoy and find truly rewarding is people telling me that my work has
impacted their lives in a positive way. It makes everything that I do all the
more worthwhile.
7. What is the downside of having a career in show business?
The lack of privacy. I am a very private person and uncomfortable with
people prying into my life.
People have a lot of rather specific expectation from those in show
business. It is challenging to stay focused and not to allow these
expectations to modify your course.
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There is a lot of envy and
jealousy – traits that I,
thankfully, do not have – in
the industry. I do not like that.
People tend to judge you very
quickly without trying to
actually understand who you
are. This is not one.
The work is very grueling as
well and the schedules
demanding and
unpredictable. There are
weeks when I have to work
around the clock and weeks
where I have nothing to do.
This makes it difficult to lead a
healthy and balanced
personal life.
8. If you had not be well-educated, affluent and well connected, would your
entry into the world of show business been more difficult?
These factors must have helped but I believe that talent shines through
regardless. Talent matters and always has an impact.
9. Are people who are poor, do not speak good English, and lack a solid social
standing treated fairly when trying to enter the field of show business?
No, they are not. Breaking class barriers is tough not just in show business
but in all fields. And the problems of unfair and poor treatment are not
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unique to Pakistan. The underprivileged suffer similarly all over the world.
Fortunately, a lot is
changing and some
great initiatives are
being taken to address
the problem. The
Karachi Youth Support
Network (KYSN) guides
and supports
youngsters whose
talent may otherwise go
untapped due to
financial and social
hardship. The MAD
(Music, Art and Dance)
School recently
organized a show that
featured musicians and
dancers from Lyaari. I
used the same group of
performers for a major
commercial. I hope the
initial break was the
jump start that they needed for a career in show business.
10. You are hardworking and productive young man of many talents. Now that
you have arrived, do you feel that you owe anything to the industry? Do
you think you need to give back anything to the business?
Of course, I do. It is my responsibility and duty to try and give back as much
as I can.
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I owe a lot to Pakistan. It is certainly not easy to work and live in Pakistan
but no other place would have given me the number of fantastic
opportunities I have had. I cannot imagine doing, what I do over here,
anywhere else in the world. Pakistan is my country. It has treated me well.
I owe Pakistan. I try to do my part through both formal and informal
channels. I sit on the board of the truly wonderful Citizens Archive of
Pakistan (CAP) which is a non-profit organization dedicated to cultural and
historic preservation. I am very proud of the organization’s educational
programs am very happy to spend both time and energy with CAP.
11. Your films Bhuli Hui Hoon Daastan and Telephone Pyaar both, in their own
individual ways, paid homage to Pakistani cinema. Did you watch a lot of
Pakistani films growing up?
I did not see a lot of Pakistani films while growing
up because the industry was in a decline at the
time. My brother, Saqib was and is obsessed with
Pakistani cinema. He would drag me to the cinema
every now and then. The films I saw at the time did
have an impact on me. Shami Ara’s film Miss
Singapore with Babra
Sharif was an inspiration
behind the Punjabi Love music video. I became
truly interested in Pakistani cinema after studying
filmmaking in the United States. When I returned
home, I wanted to learn about our cinema
heritage. Bhuli Hui Hoon Daastan as a project of
self-discovery. I wanted to place myself as a
filmmaker in my own country.
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12. Pakistani cinema today is on a path of what many believe is critical and
commercial success. Do you believe this to be a re-birth or resurgence of
Pakistani cinema?
I think it is a reinvention of Pakistani cinema. These are very exciting times.
There are so many films on the floor right now! The change really came
about when it made business sense to make films. I made the point in Bhuli
Hui Hoon Daastan. Once we allowed Indian films to be shown in our
cinemas, people started returning to cinemas, cinemas got upgraded and
the industry started making money. It was a chain reaction. As the
monetary returns grew, it became feasible to make films locally. Today
there are more than fifty films in production. That is pretty amazing!
13. Are the Pakistani films of 2014 over-rated?
It will take time for the industry to develop and mature, and start producing
films that are world class. Since we do not really have a cinematic identity
yet, these are curious, but exciting, times for filmmakers.
14. What kind of cinema do you like?
I know what I do not like: Affected, mainstream, blockbuster films.
I like films that have a strong narrative, focus on story and character
development, and have interesting dialogue, where form follows content.
A film needs to engage all of my senses for me to truly like it. Some of the
contemporary directors whose work I follow are Paul Thomas Anderson,
Jacques Audiard, Vishal Bhardwaj, Alejandro González Iñárritu, and
François Ozon.
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15. Do you plan to make feature films?
Oh yes, I do. It is definitely on the agenda and will, hopefully, happen
sooner rather than later!
16. Your video My Punjabi Love for You seemed to be a simultaneous tribute
to both Quentin Tarentino’s Kill Bill series and Rangeela’s Aurat Raaj. The
slick visual and superior technique of the video notwithstanding, what did
you want communicate through the video?
Tarentino is a true cinephile and all of his films are
referential to older films. My Punjabi Love for
You was similarly a homage to films – the Kill
Bill series, Aurat Raaj, Miss Singapore, and Sex and
Fury - that have influenced me. The narrative of the
video is a subversive comment on masculinity and
the role of women in our culture.
I first heard the song three years ago
and started visualizing the video as
an epic revenge drama. I loved the
propulsive nature of Bumbu Sauce’s
song. It is retro, grungy, and raw. It
has a dramatic guitar riff. The fact
that a man is singing from a strong
Punjabi woman’s perspective is
cheeky. I just loved the song and
instinctively knew that it had to be
an action video!
I spent a fair amount of time
developing the character of Parveen
Bano for the video. She was a strong
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woman whose tremendous strength and resilience becomes evident as she
faces adversity and violence in life, forcing people to take her seriously and
to not sexualize her. She kicks some major butt in the video.
17. There is a great deal of focus on gender issues in the narrative. Why?
I was raised with
very strong and
independent
women around
me. At heart, I
believe in
matriarchy, and
think that the
world would be a
much gentler
place if it was run
by women.
Parveen Bano,
played by
Aamina Sheikh,
starts out as a
victim and
transforms
herself into a
strong, self-
believing, kick-
ass wonder
woman. She
beats men at
their own game,
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rescues her kidnapped husband, but then choses to leave him. I think she
is a strong role model for women here.
Gender identity, issues and politics are important to me. I want to force
people to talk about them. Our country has produced female leaders like
Benazir Bhutto and yet displayed misogyny and inexplicable cruelty as in
the cases of Mukhtaran Mai and Malala Yousafzai. We need to confront,
understand and address gender issues in Pakistan.
18. Your second video - Zoe Viccaji’s Phir Milli Tanhai - seemed more personal.
It was sensitive, subtle and refined, with a restrained use of technology and
very little, if any, dependence on visual splendor. Was it a sign of you
having matured as a maker of videos, or did it just find you in a mood
different than the one in which you made My Punjabi Love for You?
Phir Milli Tanhai was more of an impressionistic piece. In the video, I depict
the story of a break-up the way I see it and the way I have experienced it.
It was about first love and moving on. I wanted to weave an emotional
tapestry in the video and to have the visuals speak louder than the
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narrative. But my focus was not on visual gimmickry and splendor; it was
on the emotion.
19. What did you study in the United States?
I studied film theory and production at Vassar College. I had gone to the
United Sates to study economics like a good desi boy, but after three
semesters of misery, took classes in film and art history class. That is when
I really found myself.
20. Not many people return to Pakistan after completing their studies in the
United States. Why did you come back?
My final thesis film at Vassar was Bijli which tells the story of a
transgendered Muslim who passes as a man, during the day and dances in
drag at night. The film did well and was a finalist at the student academy
awards. It won the Best Short Film at the Kara Film Festival. The film’s
success made me think about returning to Pakistan and making films. I had
always wanted to return and work in my own country. I had never imagined
being away from my family for too long. In 2004, there was a perception
that Pakistan was going places and there were many opportunities in the
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country. Things seemed to come together at the time and I returned to
Pakistan.
21. You returned to Pakistan in 2005 and will complete a decade in show
business soon. How has the world of glamour and your success changed
you as a person?
In my head, I have always had a sense of glamour and success; so not much
has changed! Ha! Ha! Ha!
On a serious note, I do not think glamour and success have changed my
core in any way. My values and my belief system are completely intact.
They have not changed at all. In fact, my purpose in life is much clearer
today than it was before I entered show business. I feel more grounded and
honest now!
22. Have you seen your friends change in the last decade?
Of course. People change. Life happens. We do not live in a vacuum. Some
people have been through tough experiences and some have had it easier.
But my core group of friends is still the same and their values are still the
same. Though, unfortunately, they are scattered all over the world now!
23. What role do friendships play in your life?
Friendships play a very important role in my life. I am blessed to have some
very talented, empathetic, well-adjusted people in my life.
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24. Are you close to your family?
I am very close to my family. It is the single most important thing in my life.
We do not live together any more, and are individuals who like their space,
but we are very close and connected nonetheless. My family is my strength
and my guiding light.
25. You play the roles of a very intense young man in the television
serial, Sadqay Tumhare. Are you as intense in your real life as well?
I am actually a rather mellow person and I do not carry the kind of anger
that my character, Khalil, does. But, yes, we share traits. I play a lot of
sports, I like to be the best at what I do, I believe in fate and can be very
romantic.
26. Your performance in Sadqe Tumhare is competent, assured and highly
nuanced, decidedly more than is expected of an actor making his debut on
television. How did you prepare for the role of Khalil?
Playing the role was an enormous challenge though. Khalil Ur Rahman
Qamar’s writing is beautiful. We were not allowed to change a single word.
It was really daunting to memorize long dialog. In order to fully get into
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character, I spent
weeks many
rehearsing and
watching the angry
young man
performances of
Amitabh Bachchan. I
trained physically and
lost weight to play
Khalil who is a
cricketer. I imagined
his body would always
be aching. In order to
show anger, I would
clench my stomach
muscles. Someone
told me later that the
Chinese believe that
the stomach is where
one has all the
fire. So, all along I had
been channeling this
fire. I actually let myself get lost in the character, especially towards the
end when he becomes hopeless and a weaker man prone to sulking and
brooding. Some of the character’s darkness actually spilt into my personal
life!
27. You are working with some senior and more experienced actors like
Muhammad Qavi, Farhan Ally Agha and Shamyl Khan. Was this
intimidating?
No, not at all.
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All my co-actors were very
supportive. Qavi Sahab
was the first person I shot
with. He had worked with
my mother in the past and
I felt instantly
comfortable him. Samiya
Mumtaz brought her
theater training to our
sets and was very helpful.
She was great to work
with. Shamyl was
excellent to work with. He
is a measured and
professional actor. We
had a lot of scenes
together and he really
helped soothe my nerves.
I was actually very lucky
to have a very supportive
and talented cast in my
first television serial.
28. Did you enjoying working with Mahira Khan?
Mahirah and I have been good friends and have known each other for many
years. We used to be VJ’s at MTV and have always shared good chemistry.
She is a very thoughtful, sensitive and generous actor. She is extremely
talented, yet very down to earth. In fact, she was one of the reasons I
agreed to do the serial in the first place. A lot of people had doubts of
whether I could pull this off, but she believed in me from day one.
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29. Sadqe Tumhare has been a tremendous success and you are at the
receiving end of a lot of accolades and compliments for your histrionic
ability as well as for your star power. Are you enjoying the adulation?
It is very rewarding to have one’s hard work appreciated. There are two
kinds of fans. One, those who are interested in your celebrity, and, two,
those who have been moved by your work. I can always tell them apart. It
is the latter whose appreciation means a lot to me.
30. People are referring to you as the new Fawad Afzal Khan. Is that a
compliment for you, or for Fawad?
That is very kind. Fawad is a very talented actor who has spent a lot of time
in the industry. I have a lot of respect for him. It is definitely a compliment
to me.
Ally Adnan lives in Dallas where he works in the field of telecommunications. He
can be reached at allyadnan@outlook.com.
Exclusive photographs for the Friday Times by Yaseen Lakahani.