The cross border romantic comedy film hopes to encourage positive relations between India and Pakistan. PHOTOS: PUBLICITY
Mohammad Asif is back once again to bowl over his fans. But this time, he is tapping his potential as an actor.
As someone who had earned his spurs in cricket till his unsettling fallout, it seems that cricket will always be a part of who he is. But Asif is all set to reconstruct his life. He is embarking upon a journey of acting with the cross border romantic comedy film India Mein Lahore.
“Starting out, everyone has to struggle. This is a second choice as a career for me, but to get the opportunity to star as a hero is every actor’s dream, so I know I will have to struggle in the beginning, but my priority in life is still cricket,” says Asif.
The switch of individuals from cricketing to filmdom is not an unfamiliar one. Mohsin Khan, former opening batsman and national team coach pivoted towards a mediocre and short career of acting in Bollywood.
Shoaib Akhtar, another former cricketer, will be lending his vocals to Pakistani film Saya E Khuda E Zuljalal, which is being co-produced and written by his former doctor Tauseef Razzaque. Among other notable names in cricket, Imran Khan and Wasim Akram have been well acquainted with the Bollywood fraternity.
“I think you have to experience [multiple things in] life; this is a different field and I have been given a chance, so why not avail it? So what if this a different career path? If I get more film offers, I will do them,” says Asif.
Asif has been busy with making appearances on local television channels to share his cricket analyses. He still believes that he will be able to make a comeback to cricket eventually.
“You learn a lot as your life progresses. There is no doubt I miss cricket, but hopefully, I will be able to make a comeback. It’s in my blood, so I cannot forget it. I’ve gone through a difficult period in my life, which almost everyone goes through, but I suppose, you learn to manage,” shares Asif.
He has followed both Indian and Pakistani cinema with great enthusiasm. Actors, such as Mohammad Ali, Shaan and Shahrukh Khan have inspired him. In an attempt to hone his acting skills, Asif has attended a workshop organised by the film’s producers, and he says that he is keen on learning from the other actors who the film features.
India Mein Lahore is an unconventional film, which is set to launch the directing career of famed screenwriter Ikram Akhtar. The film held guerrilla-styled auditions in Lahore, Karachi, Islamabad and Dubai in an attempt to find new faces and hopes to encourage positive relations between India and Pakistan.
Tentatively, the film is slated to start shooting around March 25 in Lahore, after which the film will be shot in India.
Asif says that his attempt to venture towards acting is about moving on with his life. He says that he will be taking acting courses and hopes to get a better sense of his character with time.
“I think more than this being a new thing, the experience will allow me to explore and learn more about myself. I have not been on the set yet, so I can’t tell you how it compares to cricket in terms of enjoyment and satisfaction though,” says Asif.
There is an evident parallel between an individual on screen and a cricketer in the field. “Acting [just like cricket] is a glamorous profession. You’re around cameras all the time. Earlier, it was because of cricket, now, it’s because of acting. Hopefully, I will enjoy it,” he adds.
With all eyes set on him as he begins a new journey, Asif hopes that people will give him a second chance.
Published in The Express Tribune, March 26th, 2014.
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Whatever salman butt and Asif do pending the completion and past completion period the people of Pakistan, especially the cricketers, would never give honour and respect to the two disgraced cricketers. Amir's case is different. He was under the shameful influence of his captain and, moreover, he admitted his guilt and certainly deserved remission of his ban period. Those, particularly the Pakistani print and electronic media, are trying to rehabilitate the two disgraced cricketers by allowing them to appear in their programmes are in fact proving to be accomplices of the guilty cricketers. The people of Pakistan view such attempts with disgust.
@tani
bhai jaan,
even in your comment - there are both kind words and a tone of anger.
are indians not guilty of the exact same things you exclusively accredit to pakistanis?
don't know about hate , but the self-righteousness is definitely higher than 20%
Wow!!! It would be a great movie to watch.
@Tani:
As a Pakistani, I value your sentiments because during mu career, I have interacted with many Indians and they all have been very friendly. However, I disagree with what you have written
We too, don't love your establishment. Every time, any good gesture is shown by the government, we hear reports of our soldiers being killed in unprovoked firing on the LoC. Whenever we visit any Indian newspaper website, we see abusive language and negative words being used against our religion, and our country. Indian should also understand that respect begets respect.
Regarding history, Pakistan was divided into two and Bangladesh was formed and still we do not have any ill-feeling toward our Bengali brothers. Ask any man on the street in Pakistan, he will say that we consider Bangladesh as a brother country. It seems that even after more than 65 years, Indian has not accepted that Pakistan is a reality.
It hurts us when we see the perpetrators of the Samjhota Express not being punished in India.There are two sides of every coin. I do wish that the day will come when the 80 percent population of both Pakistan and India will start living together as peaceful neighbors.
ET Please Publish.
I feel sorry for Bollywood.
@usman786 Indians don't hate Pakistanis. Leave 20 percent out, 80 percent consider them long lost brothers separated during partition. However we don't love your establishment and consider it reason for why we can't come closer. It's the spread of terrorism and religious insults inflicted upon Indians that they retort back. Give respect you will get one. We don't look at world through prism of religion. About those hateful 20 percent they justify their hate based on history how they broke their motherland in two parts. As far as rest are concerned its only after mumbai attacks and defending of accused, perpetrators roaming freely giving more hateful speeches, no prosecution that have deeply left negative impact on Indians as to where pakistani stand on issue of terrorism. As a mumbaikar I failed to understand why my city people which had nothing to do with your country was a target of proxy war. So yeah call it love hate relationship. ET publish this
And this is how we unfortunately create Hero's from Zero's. Salman Butt is hosting a show and is often invited as a guest and Asif becomes a hero in a film. Shameful.