Ahsan Khan: The good looking bad guy

My first memory of an impactful onscreen villain was Gabbar Singh from Sholay. Amjad Khan's swag and demeanour as the gun-wielding gang-leader could scare children away without putting on any makeup. In came the loud, huge and almost fiery-eyed Amrish Puri as Mogambo, who singlehandedly made us remember Mr India for its villain instead of Mr India himself.

Transitioning into the early 2000s, Star Plus took over our Pakistani television sets as Ekta Kapoor's femme Fatales reigned on the drama scene in India and Pakistan. Komolika from Kasautii Zindagi Kayy and Pallavi from Kahani Ghar Ghar Ki became household names in the country. Couple it with callousness and voila! You have now aced the art of essaying a truly despicable human.

But here’s the catch. There was always something visibly sinister about these villains and Femme Fatales that would make them easily plausible as the antagonists but what if you were a perfectly handsome, chocolate hero with a mine of darkness inside?

For actor Ahsan Khan, it's all about the research into the character he takes up. From notorious Imtiaz of Udaari to loathsome Murad from his latest offering, Qissa Meherbano Ka, the green-eyed boy next door has finally nailed the art of being the beautiful but bad guy.

Mastering the art

"I work equally hard for every character," Khan shares with The Express Tribune in a telephonic conversation. "I love my job and I give my 100% to it. I'm a very honest person and honesty in your work is always imperative."

But it's not sheer hard luck that has brought him among the A-listers of his fraternity. Khan believes God has been very kind to him throughout his career. "I have taken a lot of risks; done a lot of unconventional roles and they have stayed with people. The audience has appreciated my work and the characters I have done; they've registered them. I feel, as an artist, I have a responsibility to convey a message through my work."

Speaking about playing the evil Murad, Khan shared he really had to build up the way he sees his latest role. "You see, the actor always has a vision as to how his character should be. The kind of way he would stare, the kind of clothes he would wear, the kind of dialogue delivery he should do," he asserts, adding, "In the latest episode of Qissa Meherbano Ka, I try to burn Meherbano (Mawra Hocane) alive. The ugly reality of our society is that girls do suffer such abuse in Pakistan; either it's an acid attack or a perpetrated one. We haven’t glorified domestic abuse but shown a true depiction of severe issues women have faced over the years."

Talking about his inspirations to play such roles, he continues, “When I watch films like Good Fellas, I see these great actors playing both the hero and the bad guy in their careers. There's Al Pacino in Devil's Advocate, Joaquin Phoenix essaying Joker, Tom Hardy in The Dark Knight Rises - you get the gist. That was always something I wanted to try my hand at. I was never the one to play stereotypical roles. I want to play the spiritual Taha Abul Ala from Alif and evil Imtiaz from Udaari and pious Saleem from Dastaan. My goal in life is to be remembered as an actor who diversifies. That’s how an actor fills his canvas.”

But even with several awards and even far more projects under his belt, Khan doesn’t shy away from identifying his privilege. “I feel fortunate to pick and choose scripts,” he says. “Things are going great. There has been an obvious paradigm shift in the industry since Udaari. Actors are more comfortable about taking up negative characters. But for me, it came at a cost as well.” Khan goes on to comment, “I faced a lot of losses because of the roles I had taken up in the past. I lost campaigns because my image was negative. But I was satisfied to pay the price whenever we’d receive feedback for my work."

While Khan’s career has certainly been colourful, the Vasl star believes the Pakistani entertainment industry itself has improved for the better. “We have brilliant actors; we have brilliant directors. Our dramas are at par with anyone,” he comments. “But here’s where we are lacking: Every channel in Pakistan is running seven prime time dramas. Apart from that, there are so many other shows that are being aired. The audience is spoiled for choices. But since we’re running after quantity, our quality has taken a hit.”

The perils of stardom

“We have thousands of people following us,” the actor quips. “Sometimes they like our work and sometimes they don’t. Yes, they have all the right to comment but you don’t – as a public figure –respond to everything. I wouldn’t pay heed to a person with a fake name and a faker profile picture. The crude comments tell a lot more about them than they would talk about me. Why should he/she decide how I live my life? If I don’t know someone personally, then what does it matter what they have to say? The only people who should matter are my immediate family. Social media is a tool, let’s not get carried away.”

Discussing how the hate affects his personal life, Khan shares he has always made a point to keep his private and personal life separated. “I have been married for 14 years,” he says. “But this year, it was the first time I sat down with my wife for an interview for a channel.”

Sharing how the fans get invested in the private affairs of public figures, Khan comments it’s the celebs who allow the fans to enter in their lives. “Social media has certain aspects. If you put your personal life for display, then it is obvious people are going to talk about it,” he remarks. “If you are putting yourself out there as a couple, then the questions will be raised when you stop posting pictures with your significant other. When you promote yourself with a certain person, your private affairs get aired as if you’re a participant in Bigg Boss."

Down the pipeline

Recently, news of Khan reuniting with his ‘favourite co-star’ Saba Qamar onscreen made headlines. Khan is clearly excited about their work in Fraud. “It’s a bit premature to discuss the show. We’re currently shooting,” he says.

“Saba has always been a lovely person to work with. We have a very strong onscreen chemistry, it’s helmed by Ghabrana Nahi Hai director, Saqib Khan. It’s a family drama, there’s a bit of suspense there. The central theme is betrayal.”

Apart from dramas, Khan also has two films ready to release as well. “Chakkar is almost complete,” he shares of his Yasir Nawaz-directed venture. “I think this month or the next, we will announce the release date.” He will also be seen in Rehbara, which stars Ayesha Omar opposite him. “Ayesha and I have hosted several shows together, but we have never worked on a project,” he says. “Ayesha is so very talented. We share good chemistry.”

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