Being famous and being an actor is not the same: Sami

Kalank' actor reflects on the promise of talent

In an interview with Jawad Bashir on YouTube, Sami Khan picked out the differences between being an artist and acquiring fame. Being a seasoned actor, Khan's wisdom comes from experience and an observation of how the entertainment landscape is shifting under the influence of social media.

"There is a stark difference between being an actor and being famous. There are a lot of platforms that can grant you fame. To be viral online is to become famous. But being an artist is a different thing," Khan said. "I sometimes wonder if there might be individuals out there who are better than me but were never given the opportunity to flourish. And yes, luck is a factor in this process."

Khan cited the example of a "wonderful actor", his Tau Dil Ka Kia Hua co-star Imran Ashraf. "He played a minor role in a play in Thailand that I was also a part of," Khan said, reminiscing how awestruck he was by Ashraf's performance then.

"After he filmed a scene with me, I told him, 'Keep at it, and one day you'll make it big.' And he has made it. Masha Allah, today he's a big star. So, he did put in the effort. He has the skills too," praised Khan.

The Aik Chubhan Si actor believes that we tend to focus on someone else's stardom, not the effort it took for them to get there. He further observed that to be an artist means to figure out what your talent is.

"You need to be a good actor first and foremost, and then being a good person is a plus point," he added. "Talent never ceases. One way or another, you'll get there."

Khan also noted the rising popularity of negative characters, which he feels is a flaw of current drama serials. "Our aim should be to win hearts. But people end up liking the heartbreakers instead," he said.

Having played a similar role in Khudgarz, Khan stressed on the importance of putting a negative character through a redemption arc before allowing the audience to change their perspective. "He has to pay for what he has done. You can't just shrug off his development, no. You must show his suffering," he said.

"I admit that there's a higher margin of performance for villains as opposed to heroes, but we also need to present them in the right way," Khan maintained. "Karma is a very real thing."