PHOTO: PUBLICITY
ISLAMABAD: Emmad Irfani is an amalgamation of good looks, oodles of charm and acting prowess. However, it wasn’t until his recent leap onto the small screens that made him a household name. With a career that spans over a decade, Irfani stood out as one of the only successful male models in the fraternity with his distinctive features, physique and dapper choices of wardrobe off-screen that won over the fashion patrol, and enticement of being a complete package, taking over the industry by an absolute storm.
In a candid exchange of thoughts, Emmad reveals he’s never had an unpleasant experience despite the stigma that’s associated with the fashion industry worldwide, he instead says he’s pursued acting as a part of his evolution and not as an escape. Speaking of which, he’s had a number of great runs on TV in 2017. From the conclusion of Saya-e-Deewar Bhi Nahi earlier this year, his serials, Titli and Woh Aik Pal won widespread commercial acclaim. Gearing up for his next TV outing, The Express Tribune catches up with Emmad on his journey so far and more; excerpts follow:
PHOTO: PUBLICITYET: You’ve swiftly made your mark on local television screens, what’s the transaction been like from a top model to an actor?
Emmad Irfani: I believe in life, you can’t run from who you really are. It took me more than a decade working as a model to finally realise that acting is what I wanted to pursue, as a career. Before that, I had approached my modeling career in a nonchalant manner and somewhat half hearted; we change either by inspiration or desperation. It’s funny how it was mix of both for me. The decision has been without any doubt, life altering.
ET: On the acting front, you’ve done consecutive serials with one of the leading production houses in the industry. Do you think it’s acceptable to have favourites?
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Emmad: I’m a firm believer in teamwork and working with MD Productions as an actor has been highly conducive for my growth and career as an artist. Familiarity breeds confidence and to be the best one has to work with the best. As far as having ‘favorites’ is concerned, I believe with such competition you have to rely on your own talents and what value you bring to the market place. You don’t always get in what you want in life; you get what you are. I mean your level of success will always be equal to the level of your self-worth. I’m a strong believer of letting your performance and your skill level speak for itself.
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ET: What projects are you currently looking into?
Emmad: I am, by nature, very picky about the projects and the scripts I sign into. This year I have only shot for one with MD Productions, titled Mah-e-Tamam. The character is different from what I’ve done previously, which mostly have been angry-young-man personas. The (female) lead once again opposite me is Naveen Waqar, whom I have worked on a couple of projects also, and I guess is a testament of the popularity. I feel that’s why the producers have opted for this specific cast.
Apart from that, I am about to start shooting for another project alongside Ahsan and Aisha Khan for Ahsan’s own production. The story sheds light upon a social issue in our society about caste and religion, and I feel is a very sensitive script.
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ET: There’s also been a lot of talking about feminism and tackling taboo subjects. How important do you think social commentary and does that influence audiences?
Emmad: I think it’s great that we have evolved to a level where such sensitive issues are being addressed and people are having the tolerance of accepting and facing them. Storytelling has always been a very strong medium to control the perspective of the audience and educating them. We need to empower the audience regardless of gender, and it’s highly commendable whoever has had the courage to go out and tried to make a difference instead of criticising, which is the easiest thing in the world to do.
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ET: You’ve also experimented lately, playing an array of characters with different backgrounds, dialects etc. What’s next?
Emmad: As an actor it’s highly important to be versatile, so every character I’ve played to date has had completely different motives and choices, which is one of the things I love about the art of acting – your own imagination in building the characters. Albert Einstein once said and I quote, “The true sign of intelligence is not knowledge, its imagination.” For any artist, imagination is everything. I really do work hard at building the lives of the roles I play. I want to go in (on set) fully prepared and make the lives as believable as possible as I'm taking a great responsibility of giving life to my characters
PHOTO: PUBLICITYET: You were a part of Shaan Shahid’s shelved feature 'Mission 5'. Are there any other cinematic projects you’re looking into and what’s your criteria of signing onto any project?
Emmad: It was one of the projects I signed on to, but got shelved in Pakistan. In fact I was on board for Madock Films’ Raabta and Anil Kapoor Films’ Veere Di Wedding (in India) which stars Kareena Kapoor and Sonam Kapoor, until circumstances out of one’s control interfered. Throughout out my career, I’ve always preferred quality over quantity. So when the time is right, and I think the project has substance and the right platform for me to explore my creative side, I will definitely take it up.
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As far as the criteria goes, I believe teamwork is everything. Without me my team is nothing and vice versa. This is how I look at things, I love when everyone works as a team to achieve a collective goal, back each other up and make it count. Effort and attitude are the things in one’s control, so give your best and the results will take care of themselves.
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