Young, rising and fresh but not at all new, Shahbaz Shigri is a man with a plethora of plans.
An actor, director, and producer; movies are more his deal. He has even been crowned as the ‘don of Indie films’ by being a part of projects like the banned Slackistan, Gol Chakkar, and Sole Search.
He joined Shoaib Mansoor’s team as the assistant director for Verna. Next, he co-produced Parey Hut Love and also played the role of ‘Hasan’ in the movie. However, he is raring for more milestones to come his way.
The artist has made a dandy drama debut on Hum TV with drama ‘Qurbatain’. If you have seen the promos of the drama and are now following it, you will notice how fancy and classy our hero ‘Faris’ looks! From the well-kempt beard to the square jaw, striking eyes, and those expensive suits, you will immediately fall in love with his dreamy boy avatar.
Nevertheless, he is beyond a good-looking face! He is a sci-fi geek and is extremely passionate about making the genre a norm in Pakistan’s entertainment industry. There is not a single of his candid picture with singing sensation, Aima Baig that doesn’t make news on social media. So much is their fan following, that they have become one of the most trending pairs of showtown.
We sat down for a chat with Shahbaz and dished him about his drama debut, his experience with Shoaib Mansoor, and of course, bond with Aima. Excerpts from a heart-to-heart conversation with the actor…
What excited you about signing up Qurbatain?
I’ve been contemplating getting into the dramas for a while now, and the timing just made sense finally. They pitched an interesting story and character to me. Although it is essentially another love triangle, it has a very unique flair to it.
The character of Faris struck me as one that had many shades, which is always fun to tackle. Also, the fact that it was being shot in Islamabad was a big plus for me.
Tell us about your character and your co-stars in the drama?
Faris is from a wealthy family, studied abroad, has his own business, and is searching for true love. He’s a very intense guy. One of the things that attracted me to this character was the fact that he is like me in many ways, but entirely different in one major way.
He’s got a darker side to him. A negative, more self-centered side. One that I couldn’t relate to at first but over time, I got the hang of that.
As for my co-stars, it’s been an absolute treat working with everyone. It was very easy to get along with both my leading ladies, Anmol and Komal. They’re both extremely talented actors who light up the frame. Working with Kashif Mehmood was also quite a treat. The amount of knowledge I gained just from doing our first few scenes together is one of the most valuable things I’ll take away from this experience.
Munaza Arif plays Shumaila, my mother. From day one, it felt like we had known each other from before, and I was humbled by how accommodating and helpful she has been through all of our scenes together.
Though not a co-star, I have to mention working with Karman Akbar was a great experience too. He is a precise and efficient director, which makes the actors work a whole lot easier.
What will be different about the story? Will it be yet another love triangle?
Would it be a drama if there wasn’t a love triangle? Haha. Yes, but it’s not just a triangle. Qurbatain will constantly be twisting and turning, relationships will be made, and they will be broken. It is going to be a rollercoaster ride of emotions.
From being a comic book illustrator to being behind the camera, was the point when you decided that it’s time to get in front of the camera for a change?
I started my filmmaking career as an actor. In 2010, I was in a movie called ‘Slackistan’. It wasn’t until 2019 that I finally decided to switch from behind the camera, to in front.
To be honest, I can’t say there was one definitive moment. I have sort of wanted to be an actor since I was a child. It just never occurred to me that this was something I could do, or even be good at.
You have made it known in various interviews that your preferred genre is science-fiction. Any chances you plan to make this genre big in the future in Pakistan?
Huge chances. There isn’t a lot of awareness or demand for the genre yet in Pakistan, but I believe that it’s just a matter of someone sparking the imaginations of the audience with bold, out of the box, innovative content that also possesses a mainstream familiarity. You have got to ease the audience into new things.
How was it working with Shoaib Mansoor in Verna? Any plans to collaborate again with him?
Working with Shoaib Mansoor was a brilliant experience. He is the most hard-working man I have ever met. He knows exactly what he wants and will execute it regardless of anything else. It was like a year of film school squeezed into the 5 or 6 months we shot the film. I hope one day I get to collaborate with him again.
Not only is he a great filmmaker, but a genuinely awesome person. He would always tell me not to call him Shoaib ‘Saab’. That level of humility is one of those rare, beautiful things that make you want to work for that person purely out of love and loyalty.
Parey Hut Love was yet again a big project for you in many ways. How did it help you to take a step towards TV acting?
Parey Hut Love wasn’t just a movie or a project for me. More than the content, which was beautiful and gripping, it became about the people. Asim Raza instilled a confidence in me that I didn’t even know was possible. His team welcomed me in like family. During that project, I made some lifelong friends, and nothing is more valuable than that.
On a personal note, how has your relationship with Aima Baig changed you?
I don’t think relationships should change the people involved in them. If anything, mine and Aima’s relationship has made us stronger, happier, and better as individuals. We understand each other completely.
It is believed that celebrity relationships are hard to maintain in the industry. How do you as a couple strike a balance between your personal and professional life?
I don’t look at our relationship like a celebrity relationship. To me, to us, it’s just a normal relationship. I don’t even like perceiving myself as a celebrity. I’m just a guy, who makes films and acts too. It’s just work. It never was, and never will be about fame. I just love movies.
What is next on the cards for Shahbaz?
I keep my cards close to my chest. But in a nutshell, there’s a mockumentary-style web series in the works. Once things begin to normalize again, I and Usman Mukhtar will be working on this together.
Other than that, I will be working on possibly another serial in the near future. I will also be returning to form for a while with a lot of cool music videos as well. With the way the world is right now, it’s hard to make plans and execute them the way you want to. Here’s hoping and praying we get through this pandemic so filmmakers, actors, and producers alike can all get back to creating amazing content to further evolve Pakistani cinema and TV.
from HUM TV – Watch Dramas Online https://ift.tt/2Ce9DIK
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