you & me
Junaid Akhtar is a young actor who made it into the industry without any mentor. Starting with relatively humble beginning, with supporting roles, he slowly but steadily made his way and proved his mettle. A model, actor and now a film star, Junaid’s journey is one of the most inspiring success stories. Underneath his profound calm persona, there is an actor with a magnetic charm and appeal. After having worked in a number of projects like ‘Janay Kyun’, ‘Choti Si Kahani’, ‘Zindagi Tere Bina’, ‘Na Mehram’, ‘Ghutan’, ‘Deewana’, ‘Faraib’, ‘Aik pal’, ‘Cheekh’ etc, Junaid seems simply unstoppable.
He transitioned to the big screen in 2018 with the movie ‘Pari’ and amassed critical acclaim. With the success of his current serial ‘Bezuban’, the actor is now prepping for his second movie for the big screen titled ‘Peechay Toh Dekho’, directed by Syed Atif Ali. With a star cast including Sarah Ali Khan and Nawal Saeed, Junaid has high hopes from this project. Moreover, his upcoming soap ‘Zid’ will grace the screens soon. Let’s get to know a little more about this young actor…
Who has inspired you in your career?
I feel blessed that I have worked with legends like Nauman Ejaz and Saba Hameed who are the real assets of our industry and the way they deal their jobs.
What makes one a good actor?
To become a good actor one needs to start at the beginning and be a good observer first.
What happens when your director isn’t ready to give you room to perform your way?
An actor’s prime job is to facilitate the director’s vision. He should have the tendency to explain his ideas to him; but if he doesn’t have that capability then instead of locking horns with the captain, it’s better to let him lead.
In absence of institutions to learn acting from, what should new comers do?
I think a new actor’s career may be brought to the right track with guidance of seniors, who themselves have gone through the journey.
With so much work coming your way, how do you make sure that you always give your best?
There couldn’t be a good barometer other than self assessment. Not all the projects turn up blue chip in one’s career, but through self-cultivation and self-refinement, an actor may continue his pursuit of excellence.
What scripts inspire you the most; whimsical comedies, tragedy or soaps?
Erratic, stereotypical, esoteric, out of sync and roles sans any valid stylisation fails to appeal me. I am open for anything new and challenging offering ample margin of performance.
Do you agree that drama ebbs and flows on a good script?
100 per cent! It’s the story, script and content which play the key role. But unfortunately it’s the most neglected area, which is perhaps why old dramas are enjoying a renaissance as we don’t have good material to offer.
At this point, do you have a dream role that you want to perform?
The role of a psychopath offering depth, variation and layers of unpredictability.
What is the competition like in the showbiz industry?
Unfortunately, instead of making our productions sound in terms of content, we are more concerned about the competition that we face amongst an array of other channels. The worst part is that this competition is not for quality but for securing good ratings and that too by hook or crook. The commercialism that has infected our drama, is giving it a dirty look. Even people are not buying it. Unfortunately, drama is no more treated as an agent of social change, and now the mind-set is like "aik slot khali hai aur ussmay drama lagna hai”.
Who is on your wishlist to work with?
It would be fascinating if I get to work with our fabulous actor Ayeza Khan.
