How Humayun won the crown

Actor discusses playing Mr Wonderful in Netflix period drama opposite Elizabeth Debicki

KARACHI:

As a novice in the entertainment business, there is little space or time for brickbats and so much else to navigate through – from starlets to mavens to veterans of the Shalimar, you soon come to learn that the show doesn’t run itself and the showrunners are only human. Once the lights dim and the curtains fall, they too, have friends to call and families to return to.

While many take occasional retreats or fancy themselves a social media detox, others work around the clock to earn a break, consequently making grand comebacks that are rewarded with headlines and TRPs. This makes one wonder if Fawad Khan’s return with Ms Marvel and The Legend of Maula Jatt would’ve come as such a surprise had he not gone off the radar? Or if a mediocre serial like Hum Kahan Ke Sachay Thay garnered such high TRPs had Mahira Khan not bowed out of television? It also makes you question if Hamza Ali Abbasi’s performance as Noori Nath been lauded equally had his fans not missed seeing him onscreen? And perhaps the makers of Tich Button could’ve leveraged from Iman Aly’s sturdy return had she not stated that she “didn’t go anywhere.”

But not everyone can afford the privilege of disappearing and reappearing. And some are determined to stay in the game through and through because that’s all they’ve ever known. Knowing full well that the reward of consistency is envy from anyone who can’t keep up, these showbiz professionals are the crown jewels of the entertainment industry and Humayun Saeed, who has landed himself the show of a lifetime, is their flagbearer.

Picking up the crown

The actor, who can finally be seen playing Dr Hasnat Khan in The Crown Season 5, has come a long way in the truest sense of the word. And delving further into his character and how he bagged it, he shared with The Express Tribune, “My talent agent approached me from London wanting to know if I would like to audition for an interesting show. He wouldn’t give me a name until I signed an NDA. It was only after I did, that I learnt I had been approached to audition for The Crown to play Dr Hasnat Khan.”

The actor had taped an audition clip, sent it in, and was soon called back. “I needed to have an online meeting with the director. I did this and was explained a bit more about the role and was then asked for another online meeting to read with Elizabeth Debicki to gauge our chemistry,” recollected Saeed over an email. “All of this was new to me. The meeting took place and I assumed it went well because of the positive and encouraging response. Yet, I didn’t hear back from them for a week.” Anxious, the London Nahi Jaunga star thought he had been snubbed. “By then, I was sure I didn’t get the role. Then I got a call from my agent and the first thing he said was, ‘Congratulations!’”

The Meray Paas Tum Ho actor recalled the whole experience as being “very different, interesting and rewarding at the same time,” especially since it gave him “a glimpse” of how things worked internationally. About what the casting team liked most about him, Saeed shared, “I feel they had a particular look in mind and once the director liked my acting, they tried to picture me in the look they had created and liked me in it.”

Despite his decades in showbiz, The Crown marks the first time Saeed will be seen in a completely new avatar. About his transformation and preparation for the role, he delved, “First thing I did for the role was gain weight. The makers had shared material on Dr Hasnat Khan that I observed and picked little nuances from.” He also attended a workshop with a surgeon in the UK. “This was a part of my role preparation, where I was briefed about how a surgeon would do different things in a work environment.”

Acknowledging he’d have limited onscreen time to enthrall viewers, Saeed was determined to give the best performance of his life. “When I was offered this role, I was aware it is a guest role but it is an important one to the narrative. So, I have given my 100% to this performance,” he asserted.

The royal exposure

Reminiscing being on the sets of one of Netflix’s grandest offerings – a fictional dramatisation of the life of the late Queen Elizabeth II and the political and personal events that shaped her reign – the actor stated, “It was a great experience. The scale of their production and their attention to detail amazed me. Also, everyone on set, including the actors, were so involved in their work and prepared for the shot. There is a lot for us to learn.”

About working alongside Debicki, Saeed shared, “Elizabeth is an amazing co-star. Most of my scenes in the show are with her. She is so particular about everything and the effort she puts into her performance and preparation is inspiring.”

The actor also recalled speaking to Debicki about Pakistan. “During the course of the shoot we spoke about Pakistan and she wanted to know more about our culture, the people and the work in the entertainment industry here. I think her portrayal of Princess Diana is going to be talked about and remembered for a long, long time.”

To all the naysayers

From being happily employed as a general manager at a garments factory to becoming a producer, an actor, and then a mainstay on film and television, all while surviving a digital boom and witnessing actors – younger and older – come and go, Saeed has garnered his fair share of fans and critics, most of whom were quite skeptical about him playing Dr Hasnat.

About the way he was pitted against Fawad Khan when news of him being roped in for The Crown arrived, Saeed, who maintained his silence during the time, responded, “The fact that I was selected for this role, that too, through a casting process, makes me feel vindicated to be chosen.”

The Jawani Phir Nahi Ani star held that he has performed “to the best of my ability and satisfaction of the director” and has never let criticism get in the way of what needs to be done. “The makers of the show did a fair share of work on the casting and thus it would not be right to second guess their selection. They had certain expectations from me and seem to be happy with the outcome.”

What it takes...

Given his ongoing reign, when asked about his formula, Saeed replied, “No one has a formula for audience reaction, had that been so, then all shows would be run-away hits.” He did, however, credit his fans for giving him the royal treatment. “I have never done a project thinking how popular it will become. I don’t worry about making a hit. I only do things I feel passionate about. And when you are passionate about your work, it is visible in your performance and the audience can feel it too. I feel this has been the secret to my success.”

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