After making his television debut with Mehram in 2014, actor Zahid Ahmed of Alvida and Sangat fame has come a long way. Currently playing the protagonist in multiple TV plays including Zara Yaad Kar and Besharam, Ahmed’s star is on the rise. A talented new-age actor, Ahmed is an expert at playing both negative and positive characters. Having won the Best Actor in a Negative Role trophy for his role in Alvida at the Hum Awards this year, the actor’s meteoric rise as a performer is hard to miss. Here is his take on love, fame and more…

Age: 32

Hometown: Islamabad

Big break: Alvida

Crazy fact # 1: A perfectionist and an optimist.

Crazy fact # 2: I surround myself with things that comfort me and when I am not working I can get lazier than a hippo.

On love: Love is inside us. We choose to either give it or be selfish about it.

On fame: Being famous is cool until you’re not famous anymore.

On your role in Mor Mahal: I play a mystic singer who’s the lover of Meherbano, the girl after whom the entire city is nuts for.

On negative roles: They offer so much more margin to perform. Our heroes are usually so dumb to play unless they’re like Haider from Besharam.

Thoughts on Pakistani cinema: Ibtada-e-ishq hai ghalib.

Best director to work with: I’ve had a great time working with Shehzad Kashmiri (Alvida) Farooq Rind (Jugnoo and Besharam) and Kashif Nisar (Sangat)