- He was sharing the secret to success, being harassed by female artists, actor’s thought about #MeToo, the casting couch and Bollywood
Pakistani actor Azfar Rehman first struggled to make a name for himself in the industry and has now finally reached the major roles. With a career spanning over 15 years, he has made several notable appearances in leading projects. Azfu came from a family where working class jobs considered the only noble occupation. He broke the rules and entered the film industry.
“I am the black sheep of the family,” he said in a recent interview with Begum Nawazish Ali. “If you belong to a family where four of your brothers are accountants, it is not easy to step into a bright and brilliant world. Because where I am, I have worked very hard.”
This actor shares his secrets to success, being harrased by female stars, his thoughts on the #MeToo campaign, the casting couch, and offers from Bollywood.
His secrets to success
When Azfar Rehman started, he worked very hard in his role and personal development.
“It’s not easy to disguise myself as someone who can be more accepted in the film industry,” he said, saying he was full of plans to write his memoirs that eventually prompted the director to turn him into film himself.
“This is a story about a very simple boy with big dreams who hopes to make it big in the film industry if he goes a different path,” continued Azfu. “It was a crazy journey and full of adventure.”
This actor attributes his success to his strong self-confidence. “I always look ahead and walk in the same direction. Then good things happen and we shouldn’t take anything too serious in life,”he said. “The only race you have to is with yourself. It sounds cliched, but it’s true. Happiness has nothing to do with your job or where you are in your career. It has to come from within.”
He admitted that he had never asked for a director role. “When they see potential in a person, they offer you a job,” he said, adding, “My job is there. You know my skills. Often a lot of actors come from industry backgrounds and don’t make it mark.”
The casting couch
“This has been happening for years and will continue for many years to come,” said Azfar Rehman. “Yes, that’s wrong, but even the people in my position would exploit someone for a certain favours. I would never force them.”
He shares an anecdote from his early years in the film industry: “When I was just starting out in my career in show business, I got a lot of ‘suggestions’, but it also depends on how I react to such suggestions.”
He goes on to say that if, after millions, he supports an illegal or wrong idea, it means he supports the practice, which he will never do.
His view on #MeToo campaign
“This is a very sensitive matter,” said the Tanhai star. “No one should be abused. Everyone has the right to live and how they want to live. Even so, you can’t force yourself anyone. That’s wrong. If there is mutual agreement, there must be understanding.”
In solidarity with victims, he urged those who used the campaign to their advantage. “I’m not sure how I can properly portray someone on social media. As a male artist, there are instances where I am being harassed by a lot of artists. I don’t want to mention them because I ignore them, but women can. That’s not always true,” said Azfu. .
Idea to work in Bollywood
There was a time when he was obsessed with working in Bollywood. “Like many of my fellow artists, I was crazy working across the border,” he said. He revealed that he had asked to audition for certain roles in Bollywood, but all of his auditions were “totally rejected”.
