Raza Ahmed credits Samar Jafri for helping him land 'Raja London Ka' role

Content creator-turned-actor says Jafri’s admiration for his Instagram reels helped him secure the role of Guddu

Content creator and emerging actor Raza Ahmed has revealed that Samar Jafri played a key role in helping him land his character Guddu in the Express Entertainment drama Raja London Ka, a project that marked an important step in his transition from social media content creation to acting.

Speaking in a recent interview, Ahmed discussed his journey from creating Instagram reels to appearing in television dramas and films, including Fahad Mustafa’s movie Aag Lagey Basti Mein.

According to Ahmed, Jafri had been following his content long before the casting process began. “Samar used to watch my reels on Instagram and really liked my content. His manager and my videographer discussed the possibility of me doing a role in the series,” he said.

Reflecting on his experience working with Jafri, Ahmed described the actor as approachable and easygoing. When the host jokingly asked whether Jafri was a “burger boy”, Ahmed laughed and initially disagreed before conceding, “Maybe a little.”

“There were a lot of young people on set, and we used to joke around a lot. Samar himself is not an egoistic person, and it was very fun talking to him,” he said.

Ahmed also recalled a humorous moment during filming when Jafri, who had recently released a song, challenged him after he complimented it.

“After I praised the song, he jokingly said, ‘Sing it for me then.’ I can never memorise song lyrics, so when I started singing, I didn’t know any of the lines,” Ahmed said.

The actor said the atmosphere on set was so enjoyable that long filming days never felt exhausting.

“My character and Samar’s character were a good combination, where one was serious and the other was funny,” he said. “If the cast is good and supportive, your work feels easier, and Samar, Ameema and everyone else were very cooperative.”

 

 

 

 

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Ahmed noted that Guddu’s personality carried a distinctly Bollywood-inspired charm, adding that the role felt tailor-made for him. “At first, I said no because the shoots would be too long, but they convinced me. At that time, I had my final exams, but I ended up signing on to the project,” he said.

Discussing how closely the role mirrored his real-life personality, Ahmed explained: “This was supposed to be a typical Karachi boy with Karachi lingo, working in a market. They described that character to me, and I thought I was perfect for it.”

Beyond Raja London Ka, Ahmed also shared details about his appearance in Aag Lagey Basti Mein, revealing that television host and comedian Tabish Hashmi helped connect him with the project.

“Tabish Hashmi had a role in the film, and the directors were sitting together. He told them he knew a good compounder,” Ahmed said, referring to himself.

The experience ultimately strengthened his interest in acting. “When I went there, we had to read scenes, and I realised I really liked acting. We shot an ambulance scene that was supposed to take place at night, but it was filmed during the day. There were black curtains everywhere,” he recalled.

Despite receiving praise from those on set, Ahmed admitted he remains self-critical about his performances. “Fahad Bhai gave me a lot of appreciation and said I am a big star,” he said while discussing his interactions with Mustafa.

The interview also touched on Ahmed’s social media career and the story behind his popular Instagram identity, “Marzi Razaki”.

“A lot of people said they would come up with a name for me, but then I decided to do it myself. I thought of this one because it means ‘it is my decision’. People relate to it a lot, and that’s how it worked out,” he explained.

Ahmed additionally shared personal stories about his family and reflected on spending four years in a madrassa to become a Hafiz, describing the accomplishment as a valuable foundation in his life.

“When you are in that routine, your brain is really focused on learning, and I do very well with retaining information,” he said.

Looking ahead, Ahmed expressed optimism about his future in acting and credited persistence and faith for his progress so far. “I have a belief system that things come to you after years of practice, and Allah rewards you for your efforts,” he said.