Express Talent Hub, Bahria University scout for new talent
Theatre competition held for students aspiring to become actors someday
PHOTO:PUBLICITY
KARACHI:
Bahria University recently held a theatre competition to showcase its homegrown talent. The talent agency Express Talent Hub partnered with the institution to scout actors and other potential talent and give them a bigger platform. The partnership came as a move for Talent Hub to scout new faces for the agency to represent.
The competition saw the students present nine plays. The jury included Thespianz Theatre artistic director Faisal Malik and associate director Nauman Mehmood and classical dancer and actor Kaif Ghaznavi.
The first prize went to the team who presented a play on transphobia, revolving around the life of a transgender. They were awarded Rs10,000 and a shield. The second prize went to the play about a mother’s life, her emotions and how she sacrifices so much for her children. Other plays were presented on topics such as honour killing and drug addiction.
Celebrities such as TV actors Asim Mehmood, Tipu Shah, and Express News show Popcorn host Umnia Shahid were present in the attendance. Talking to the students, Shahid, who has a background in theatre, said, "Theatre is an amazing art form to express yourself, as you can say and do everything you want on stage."
She encouraged the participants to be true to themselves as artists. "Be yourself and be unapologetic about who you are," she said. Shahid also encouraged crowd participation and invited some students on stage, one of whom sang a couple of songs to entertain the audience. Shah said he was happy to be invited "because I love dreamers. And this is the age to dream."
Talking about how he tried different professions and just wanted to be happy, Shah advised the emerging talent to not lie to themselves. "It was when I stumbled into acting that I thought I had found what I liked. So don't lie to yourself. Do what you love and you'll be happy."
Further, Mehmood shared the vision of the talent agency to promote new talent and that the winners would be given an opportunity in television dramas by Talent Hub. He also tried to erase any misconceptions about working in the entertainment industry. "I come from Sialkot, a small town, and had no connections. I want to tell you that sources and good looks and height are not a necessary if you have talent. You have to believe in yourself, as self-belief is the only thing that can take you to the heights you dream of."
Mehmood also talked about how he won acting competition years ago and how it changed his life. "And now I'm working and competing in the showbiz industry with my friends and colleagues."
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Bahria University recently held a theatre competition to showcase its homegrown talent. The talent agency Express Talent Hub partnered with the institution to scout actors and other potential talent and give them a bigger platform. The partnership came as a move for Talent Hub to scout new faces for the agency to represent.
The competition saw the students present nine plays. The jury included Thespianz Theatre artistic director Faisal Malik and associate director Nauman Mehmood and classical dancer and actor Kaif Ghaznavi.
The first prize went to the team who presented a play on transphobia, revolving around the life of a transgender. They were awarded Rs10,000 and a shield. The second prize went to the play about a mother’s life, her emotions and how she sacrifices so much for her children. Other plays were presented on topics such as honour killing and drug addiction.
Celebrities such as TV actors Asim Mehmood, Tipu Shah, and Express News show Popcorn host Umnia Shahid were present in the attendance. Talking to the students, Shahid, who has a background in theatre, said, "Theatre is an amazing art form to express yourself, as you can say and do everything you want on stage."
She encouraged the participants to be true to themselves as artists. "Be yourself and be unapologetic about who you are," she said. Shahid also encouraged crowd participation and invited some students on stage, one of whom sang a couple of songs to entertain the audience. Shah said he was happy to be invited "because I love dreamers. And this is the age to dream."
Talking about how he tried different professions and just wanted to be happy, Shah advised the emerging talent to not lie to themselves. "It was when I stumbled into acting that I thought I had found what I liked. So don't lie to yourself. Do what you love and you'll be happy."
Further, Mehmood shared the vision of the talent agency to promote new talent and that the winners would be given an opportunity in television dramas by Talent Hub. He also tried to erase any misconceptions about working in the entertainment industry. "I come from Sialkot, a small town, and had no connections. I want to tell you that sources and good looks and height are not a necessary if you have talent. You have to believe in yourself, as self-belief is the only thing that can take you to the heights you dream of."
Mehmood also talked about how he won acting competition years ago and how it changed his life. "And now I'm working and competing in the showbiz industry with my friends and colleagues."
Have something to add to the story? Share it in the comments below.