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A changed man
From the happening malls of Dubai, to the remote, picturesque hills of Kafiristan, Ali Afzal has travelled quite a bit in his ten-year stint as an actor that is still going strong. He belongs to the breed of actors who started their career in PTV productions and then moved on to privately produced serials. His navy blue jeans and shirt blend with the colour scheme of his sparsely decorated living room. The bare essentials are due to his having just shifted to this house.
With a Grecian profile, he cuts a striking figure at the age of 34. Well above six-feet tall with marble green eyes and a fair complexion, Ali does not exactly look like a native till he starts speaking.
His acting career took off eight years ago, with a chance visit to the television studios while he was working for an advertising agency.
“My first appearance was in a long play, Zard patoun ka bun, which was the beginning of a full-time career in acting and since plays like Kailash, there was no looking back for me.”
Though involved in many projects, Ali wants to expand his earning horizons a bit.
“I have made a production company and am evaluating the prospects of directorial and production ventures, but frankly speaking, when I see the plight of my colleagues who have gone into production from acting, the kind of risks it involves has made me hesitate taking up anything else right now.”
Ali’s wife is a doctor by profession. “She has to finish her house job and then start practising as the kids are now old enough to be handled easily,” he says. Himself a Commerce graduate, Ali believes he learned a great deal when working for an advertising agency.
“I used to deal with executives and managers from top multi-nationals and that taught me a lot about the business world.”
A recent change in Ali has been his renewed interest in religion. It was only by chance that the actor was drawn to it around five years ago. In Dubai for a serial, he was with fellow actor Farhan Ali Agha.
“Farhan and I shared the same room during the shooting. I used to see him read the Quran every day and practice it, quote it and be totally at peace. At first I was astounded at Farhan’s balance between religion and a profession as glitzy and superficial as showbiz. But then I couldn’t help but be curious and at the same time be inspired by him.”
The inspiration marked a new beginning for the actor. Farhan introduced him to a select group of people who read the Holy Book each day topic-wise with translation.
He explained his changed life after this inclination.
“I’m a changed man now. I used to feel that all the acts of worship in religion are imposed on you and you are doing it for Allah. Now, I feel I’m carrying them out because I need to. They are for my own good. When you change for the better, your wife realizes it first, then your children, your parents and then your colleagues at large. Allah has promised in his book that those who follow him, their flaws shall be removed from them and they shall be made prosperous. Islam literally means peace and prosperity. And its followers too are entitled to prosperity if they follow it in true spirit. The Quran is the key to every individual’s success, peace and prosperity.”
Isn’t it hypocritical to pursue the course of religion so devoutly while belonging to the world of showbiz?
“It is through the media that we have to represent our faith in whatever capacity we can. I, being an actor, can spread my message through the mass media to all and sundry. We can’t discard our own inventions (media) as the propagation of evil. If put to good use, they can become our tools. Evil is in us, just like goodness. People say cable is promoting promiscuity and obscenity. That very cable can pass on a lot of useful knowledge as well. It’s not the knife that is bad, it’s the use it is put to that makes it good or bad.”
So why doesn’t he wage this war from the stage and film as well?
“Stage requires meticulous rehearsals; a well produced stage play requires a good 20 to 25 days of rehearsals. Meanwhile, films often do not portray the real issues of our society, demand long schedules and hence a long time away from home. I admit I’m a commercial person and cannot afford to spend such long hours on these projects.”
However, Ali enjoys anchoring TV programmes and has been a host of transmissions as well as awards ceremonies.
As we talk on, Ali’s three sons and a daughter take turns to peep through the door and I suddenly realize it has been a long time since I sat down to chat. As I leave, he quotes a hadith. “The best among you are those who understand and teach the Quran.”
“Isn’t it time we all get attuned to this guidance before it is too late to do so?” he puts the question.
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