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RISING STAR: The anchor man
Abbas T. Hashmi’s arrival in the world of television can be regarded as somewhat, controversial. “Nobody, and I mean nobody from my family was happy with my decision of going to the uncouth world of showbiz, as they put it.”
But he was persistent becoming the anchorman for shows like, Sunday Brunch, City Magazine and Music Wusic, plus modelling for commercials. But how come there are no dramas mentioned on his CV?
“No time man! Seriously, since I am a student I can only manage time that comes according to my syllabus. You see modelling and hosting programmes are things that don’t take too much time. I was supposed to play the role (which eventually went to Ali Kazmi) in Castle — Eik Umeed but because they wanted me for six months I rejected it.”
Don’t anchoring shows take time?
To survive in the commercial world of TV, Abbas says one has to know the right people. ‘Upcoming boys and girls shouldn’t waste their time hoping for a lucky break. They should meet people who have influence and are known as the kings of showbiz
“They consume time, but not as much as serials. A road show is only possible when the anchorperson is free for a period and that’s what I am these days. So there’s no problem, there.”
Abbas has been into the TV business since 1996. “A friend proposed that I try my luck with a shampoo company which was looking for a model. I went and landed the part.”
To survive in the commercial world of TV, he says one has to know the right people. “Upcoming boys and girls shouldn’t waste their time hoping for a lucky break. They should meet people who have influence and who are known as the kings of showbiz.”
Abbas, through the years, has become a pro through the trials and error he has gone through and has good advice for aspirants. He opines that new boys are also exploited in showbiz.
“At amateur level, competition is very tough. Thousands of lads want to become stars in TV dramas, commercials and soaps, but their approach is all wrong. To be part of a dream team, one has to have the correct strategy. I have a CV which mentions all my credentials: my experiences, interests, aims and objectives are all typed on it neat and clean — this has a positive effect in judging one’s personality. Next step is that you go to a photographer. I went to Nadeem A. Khan — a known name. Nadeem put in a lot of effort to help establish me. He knows people and people know him. I also met a lot of people who groomed me in my conversing. See one has to train oneself if he or she wants to go places.”
For Abbas Hashmi showbiz sounds like his life. But education still comes first. “My family will hang me if I ever let go of my studies,” he says amusingly. “What’s more I’ve spent enough nights in our garage in the past, as punishment, to learn my lesson,” he says bursting into laughter.
For the time being he is happy with what he is. His current programme on-air, is a road show called Road show with Abbas on ARY Digital.”It’s pretty entertaining. We pick topics that are socially acceptable and interesting. The last topic that I did was ‘Problems caused by the traffic police.’ It was such a hit that a few days later I got a call from the police department asking me to do a programme on them and air their problems too — sort of a reply you know. I did that and now you see traffic kiosks in some major parts of the city. That’s because of the reply show. The authorities saw the problems of their own workers. It really made me proud... and also my family.”
Abbas will be ready for drama serials soon because “my studies are nearly finished and then I’ll have plenty of time for everything.”
And what about movies?
“Mark that as a definite no. Our flicks are so bad. I would never want to indulge in that filth.”
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