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Acting in films is not 'honourable' work, says Arshad Khan

Acting in films is not 'honourable' work, says Arshad Khan

He flattered by all the attention, ladies, but he's not going to be seen on the big screen
21 Oct, 2016

The 18-year-old tea vendor, who has fast became Pakistan's hottest new celebrity after his photo went viral on the Internet says he has no plans of pursuing an acting career - though he is flattered by the attention.

Arshad Khan became an overnight sensation this week when a photographer's Instagram shot of him working at his tea stall was shared tens of thousands of times.

Also read: This chai wala from Islamabad is the internet's latest crush

"It was all very baffling," said Khan, who has blue-green eyes, a wiry physique and a trim moustache. Khan is an ethnic Pashtun, a people living mostly in Pakistan and Afghanistan who sometimes have light skin and eyes, a testament to the region's history as a cultural crossroads of trade, conquering armies and colonialism.

Local news outlets have reported offers of modeling contracts and even a possible film career for Khan, but he says he's not interested.

"I have not thought about (acting in) movies, because it's not been done by anyone in our family," he said. Acting in films, he said "is not honourable work. Pashtuns always look for work that is honourable... If I can find some clean, honourable work, I will certainly do it."

Also read: The chaiwala who went viral just landed his first fashion job

Even if he did have acting aspirations, his opportunities may be limited by the escalating tensions between nuclear-armed neighbours Pakistan and India. There have already been calls in India for a ban on Pakistani actors and actresses in the country's giant Bollywood film industry.

Despite his lack of interest in acting, Khan said he has come to enjoy his sudden - albeit possibly brief - moment of fame: "I came to know this morning that I am very good looking," he said. "All these people are coming and taking pictures and videos of me."

Comments

Noshin Oct 21, 2016 01:57pm
Really beautiful!
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Noshin Oct 21, 2016 01:58pm
Unusually beautiful eyes!
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Imran Oct 21, 2016 01:58pm
I am not against Film industry or Working in Films as a Profession, But hats off to Mr Arshad as" Price is Right"!!!!!!★★★
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yaqut khan Oct 21, 2016 02:10pm
That's typical Pathan thinking.the reason why pakhtoon artists are very less in pakistan especially women artists.pakhtunwali culture is stopping pakhtoon from lot of things through which they can earn money and fame.
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Harmony-1© Oct 21, 2016 02:12pm
Why? He needs good education...looks are not everything!
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Shampee Oct 21, 2016 02:14pm
Please donot encourage him to become another QB, For God Sake Live his own life, better motivate him to get some education along with work.
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Nasir Oct 21, 2016 02:16pm
That's why he will always be a chai wala
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Taimoor Khan Oct 21, 2016 02:20pm
Why the writer is assuming that the current Pakistan and India tension would effect his acting chances? We got a big TV and film industry right here in Pakistan. The guys has made to the front home page of BBC website all thanks to Pakistan. How India is relevant here?
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Masood Oct 21, 2016 02:29pm
Good
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Sohail Khan Gem Oct 21, 2016 02:35pm
Best of luck bro
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Thoroughthinker Oct 21, 2016 02:38pm
He might know that, almost all of the top Indian actors hailed from Pushtoon tribes. Dilip Kumar, Prithviraj Kapoor family, Feroz Khan, Qadir Khan, Amjad Khan and the current long list of Pathan actors.
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Zak Oct 21, 2016 02:40pm
What a loss to world cinema .
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Philosopher (from Jap Oct 21, 2016 03:30pm
Money speaks. Once he will know his price he will never like to quit.
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Dr Majidah Oct 21, 2016 03:57pm
Good decision made by him.......well actually he should complete his education.....well as an advice I see an air force pilot in his personality:-) best wishes for him.
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Thoroughthinker Oct 21, 2016 04:02pm
Truth, beauty and goodness each in good grades, are the essentials of a perfect personality. But, unfortunately they seldom co-exist in a person!
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Ehsan Oct 21, 2016 04:07pm
But watching all sorts of stuff/ movies is fine!!
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Ali S Oct 21, 2016 04:15pm
I have a feeling he is very unprepared for this kind of sudden fame.
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Dr Riffat Jabeen Oct 21, 2016 04:25pm
If somebody wants to help him ...help him financially or otherwise in getting good education. If he has a good educational degree, he'll be able to lead a reasonable life and useful for his family and society at large. He is blessed with good looks by Almighty... please don't misguide him due to this blessing. Lest he is unable to earn a respectable living as Chaiwala.
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Jawaid Islam Oct 21, 2016 04:37pm
@Taimoor Khan Well-said, why only mention Bollywood as if Pakistani film industry does not exist.
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Muhammad Oct 21, 2016 04:44pm
@Nasir Just because he doesnt wants to wark in entertainment industry? thats his choice and we should respect it. Govt and NGOs should help in getting education and choose a career path which may suit his aspirations
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Muhammad Oct 21, 2016 04:45pm
@Thoroughthinker Kapoor family were Punjabis from Samundri (near Lyallpur or present day Faisalabad) they were only there in Peshawar after the posting of the father or grandfather of Prithviraj
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Aamer Oct 21, 2016 05:10pm
Dont be ungreatful, if you get a film offer do it.
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Raja farhat abbas Oct 21, 2016 05:19pm
@Thoroughthinker ...Get your facts right please,,the Kapoor family are Punjabi,the father of Prithviraj was a Police officer stationed in Peshawar before partition.
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Sandeep Oct 21, 2016 07:25pm
@Raja farhat abbas There is Indian punjab too.
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Saeeda Oct 21, 2016 08:23pm
@Zak Who knows whether he can act or not?
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Find dong Oct 21, 2016 08:25pm
Mustache are so persuasive. I like!
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Saeeda Oct 21, 2016 08:26pm
@Aamer The trouble with the film business nowadays is that there are too many people who are there because of their looks and not their ability. He needs some education and then he is the one who needs to make the decision depending on his talents not his looks.
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Lahori Kid Oct 21, 2016 09:39pm
@yaqut khan , Everyone has a right to consider whats honorable or whats not. He's a simple young man, with values instilled in him based on his heritage, right or wrong(in your opinion) you got to respect his thinking and views. I commend him on his simplicity, he is one good looking kid, GOD bless him.
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Beautiwithoutbrain Oct 21, 2016 10:36pm
Beauty without brain, but i think he made right decision.
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Beautiwithoutbrain Oct 21, 2016 10:36pm
I think he made right decision.
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Adnan 2 Oct 21, 2016 10:36pm
Indian and Pakistanis think white and blue eyes is beautiful. To me he is no handsome at all. European and American are full of blue eyes and white skin. Doesn't mean they are all beautiful. Many of them blue eyes are look ugly. Sometimes I have seen brown people also very beautiful. If someone has green eyes but they still think blue eyes is more beautiful than green. In Western countries they sit on the beach to make skin tan brown. Here is all Pakistanis and Indian think white are beautiful.
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Sadaf Haider Oct 21, 2016 11:08pm
You also need talent and training to act in films and movies .
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D.K. PAMNANI Oct 22, 2016 10:29am
As soon as he will knows the value of Money and glamorous life, certainly he will act in the films and accept offers of modelling. Nothing to surprise at that time. He will act surely.
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HK Oct 22, 2016 11:17am
Backward stone age thinking.
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H. Khan Oct 22, 2016 11:22am
Backward stoneage thinking. Even if he does a movie now I would not bother watching.
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ThatThaiGirl Oct 22, 2016 11:24am
I dont know why. I live in Thailand. I want to go buy airplane ticket to Islamabad.
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trhh Oct 22, 2016 12:59pm
coooool
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mohammad khan sydney australia Oct 22, 2016 01:17pm
He was handsome as Chaiwala but modelling agencies have made his hair rigid and ugly
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MUHAMMAD MUNIR Oct 22, 2016 01:23pm
God bless u always best of luck
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MUHAMMAD MUNIR Oct 22, 2016 01:24pm
God bless u
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MUHAMMAD MUNIR Oct 22, 2016 01:25pm
God bless u always
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M ShahZaiB Oct 22, 2016 07:09pm
Ohh common Arshad!!!!! Be a man!!! No matters what your elders say about it...it's just a job,,,,
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Mansoor ahmed Oct 22, 2016 11:55pm
Looking for his good fortune
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Mansoor ahmed Oct 22, 2016 11:55pm
May Allah bless him good fotune
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mohammad khan sydney australia Oct 23, 2016 12:26am
@Thoroughthinker Please tell him that . He is innocent and ignorant being uneducated
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nasr Oct 23, 2016 08:15am
@yaqut khan Did you red the comment from Thoroughthinker below?
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pk Oct 23, 2016 09:28am
well said ,once he will enter in film industry.there will be a lot like him waiting for one minute role in movies ...he sud know cause of his fame is not his so called eyes but people's amazement that how a chaiwala can have this kind of eyes...that shows our deeply entrenched perception that only so called ugly one fit for petty jobs.........i think because of this sudden fame he can get one or two advertisement as chai wala with blue eyes.....but once chai wala image will be faded away story will be reached at climax
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Rami Khan Oct 23, 2016 11:02am
Your first instinct is right. So, always go with your this instinct. Even if it's a bad idea... Because bad ideas make good stories. Proud to be #Pushtoon. May you've the best of both the worlds.
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ummeali Oct 23, 2016 12:49pm
@yaqut khan SHAMEFUL SOCH
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Zaid Afridi Oct 23, 2016 03:05pm
He is right. But I like to watch movies.
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Aamir S Oct 24, 2016 04:52pm
@Nasir for him being a chaiwala is more honorable than being an actor? Would you turn down the opportunity of becoming a super star and making millions in the name of honour and tradition? Never, and that's who you are. Don't expect everyone to share your nature.
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khan Oct 25, 2016 03:55pm
Word up man . Some ppl like working hard and he is one of them and there is nothing wrong with that.We have million of Pakistanis with blue,green and fair skin . Not a surprise in Pakistan but in rest of the world it is.
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danny Oct 25, 2016 06:02pm
beautiful lies of the eyes of beholder. whites think dark skin brown eyes are better, dark people think white skin and blue eyes better. taller think shorter is better shorter think tallest is better.; what god gave to you not happy. human never be happy.
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KHAN Oct 25, 2016 06:54pm
@yaqut khan you and the other rude individuals such as NASIR can follow your own culture of your ethnic group, i know which group that is, but we pashtuns live and die by honour. Khushal Khattak once said 'i despise the man who does not live his life by honour? the very word honour drives me mad'. As some of the more intelligent contributors have said better to help this individual in an educational way or impart business ideas instead of criticizing his honorable way of living.
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kit kit Oct 26, 2016 04:46am
I dont get this. cant see what the fuss is about. looks like a typical narrow minded chaiwalla
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