Shaan’s confidence in me was what made me sign 'Zarrar': Kiran Malik

Budding actor, model talks big screen debut opposite and how she landed the role in the first place

KARACHI: You know how they say some people are born great, some achieve greatness and some have greatness thrust upon them? Well, from the looks of it, Kiran Malik seems to be one from the third category.

The world of showbiz is eye-catching to say the least. Every year, thousands attempt to become part of all the glitz and glam, whether it is by starring in a film or simply setting their Instagram profiles on ‘public.’

Many of them succeed, some fail, but in Malik’s case, it’s almost like stardom was served to her on a silver platter. The HR-professional and part time, Dubai-based model is all set to star alongside Shaan Shahid in Zarrar, after being spotted by him in Karachi.

PHOTO: KIRAN MALIK/INSTAGRAM

Zarrar claims to be an action-thriller of sorts, written and directed by Shahid himself, set to release on Eidul Azha in 2019. Other than him and Malik, the upcoming film also stars big names such as Nadeem Baig, Adnan Butt and Nayyer Ejaz. Talk about lucky!

“I was in Karachi, visiting a friend of mine. We were enjoying a quick meal at a local café when all of a sudden, I saw Shaan Shahid sitting beside my friend!” Malik told The Express Tribune. “I was star-struck to say the least! This was my moment and I immediately took a selfie with him to record it.”

The trio ended up eating together and having a long chat over food. “He made me extremely comfortable. I got a call from my friend the very next day and was told that Shaan wanted to approach me for his next film. At first I laughed when I heard that,” Malik recalled.

PHOTO: KIRAN MALIK/INSTAGRAM

“Anyway, then when we met again, I clearly told him that I am not an actor and have no idea how to act at all! But Shaan turned around and said, ‘Mujhe actress nahin chahiye. Mujhe aik aam larki chahiye [I don’t need an actor. I need a regular girl]’.”

The budding starlet continued, “I had actually never thought of being an actor before. Therefore, I was naturally a bit hesitant and unsure if I would be able to pull it off. Shaan’s confidence in me was what made me sign the dotted line. I surrendered myself to him and let him take me forward.”

Malik plays a journalist in Zarrar, which she says is contemporary love story with female characters that represent today’s modern women. She had nothing but good things to say about her experience of working with Shahid.

PHOTO: KIRAN MALIK/INSTAGRAM

“Initially, I used to feel the pressure of having to debut opposite an actor par excellence. Across a span of more than 500 films in two decades, Shaan has essayed diverse roles and the opportunity to reach out of different sections of the audience,” she said.

“But more than that, he is a great human being. Before the shoots began, we’d spend a lot of time together and became good friends, which kind of helped the shooting process. He is very well-versed in all aspects of film-making. He really knows his craft and exactly what he wants from his actors,” Malik added. “We share an amazing chemistry in the film which, I’m sure, the audience will appreciate. Fingers crossed!”

As luck would have it, Malik has already started being approached for subsequent films. “I’ve got a couple of offers but I don’t want to accept anything till I feel I have been accepted by the audience myself,” she said. “Modelling is easy but acting can’t be taken for granted. You can’t fool the masses in today’s digital world.

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