‘I don’t like myself very much,’ claims Sheheryar Munawar

‘Ho Mann Jahan’ star is never happy with his work and that is what drives him to do better

DUBAI: In just six short years, Sheheryaar Munawar has worked as an actor, a producer, a host and a model. But his plans seem to have only just begun. This jack of all trades was in Dubai recently, accepting the trophy for the Most Versatile Actor at the recent Masala! Awards 2018 and of course, we just had to catch up with him.

“I don’t like myself very much,” Munawar told The Express Tribune, when asked to comment upon his journey in the Pakistani entertainment industry. “That’s what drives me cause I am never happy with what I have done. It gives me tenacity and this zidd…karna hai tau bus karna hai (You have to do what you have to do).”

PHOTO: SHEHERYAR MUNAWAR/INSTAGRAM

The Ho Mann Jahaan star revealed that he sleeps only four to five hours a day for he is always working. “You never know when you’ve made it,” he continued.

“It’s inherent in me. I wish I could be happy with what I’ve done and just go to sleep. But sometimes, I feel happy that I have a need to just keep going and going and not feel happy. I work 15 or 16 hours a day, I don’t take vacations, other than 15 days off. I work on Sundays and that’s what’s gotten me here. There are people who have a natural flair and there are people like me who work really, really hard.”

So Munawar doesn’t think he has a natural flair? “I … I don’t know. Maybe I do?” he stopped and laughed. “I… aah, that’s a tough one!”

PHOTO: SHEHERYAR MUNAWAR/INSTAGRAM

The Pakistani heartthrob displayed plenty of flair at the Masala! Awards last week. Even the hostess couldn’t help but remark on his good looks and how girls wouldn’t have wanted him to leave the stage. “Award shows are fun. People are chilled out and have a good time,” he said, when asked how he feels about attending the event.

Munawar also said that he sees Ho Mann Jahaan – his first feature film – as a ‘reincarnation.’ According to him, television is a lot like an assembly line.

“If you have to do 12 scenes a day, no one is going to sit down in each scene and tell you what to do,” he explained. “After a few serials, I realised I was not happy and didn’t know the work. I went behind the camera, I understood the craft, the technicality.”

PHOTO: SHEHERYAR MUNAWAR/INSTAGRAM

After a hiatus of two or three years, Munawar came back with a method. “Like I said, people who don’t have a natural flair have to learn the craft. I studied my character deeply and had sheets and sheets of papers on how he would be. I was living my character in Ho Mann Jahan.”

For his fans, Munawar will soon be seen in the upcoming film Paray Hat Love. “It’s not a typical rom-com coming out of Pakistan now. It’s a light comedy,” he revealed.

PHOTO: SHEHERYAR MUNAWAR/INSTAGRAM

“Everyone talks about a womanising man and we see a cliched flamboyant suave guy. This character has had many romantic encounters in the past but he’s bit of a goofball at times.”

He continued, “Paray Hat Love tries to tackle the idea of how Hollywood and Bollywood play up commitment issues but it’s always been superficial. We want to create something substantial too. If you want to come in and watch a movie to have a good time you can do that. But if you also want to come and start thinking about something after watching this film, you can do that too.”

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