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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.