In the company of Hollywood superstars Sylvester Stallon (L) and Arnold Schwarzenegger in 2013’s Escape Plan Presently, Faran is shooting for a TV show called American Crime which was nominated for 11 Emmys last year, and this season it may do even better. “I play the father who is dealing with teenage issues of his kid. I did one season of American Crime last year. The second season will come out later this year. When I get done with this, I am going to play Othello on stage for which I will start rehearsing in January and then we do it on stage for three months, eight shows a week, that’s going to be pretty exciting.”
Critiques and compliments was natural conversation at the dinner table during his childhood, when his parents Yasmin and Naeem Tahir were acting and directing. “Whatever they did was my playground. While my parents were performing, I would be in the make-up room or the costume room. I was learning other people’s lines, I was blocking. It was very much a part of who I am today. Although my parents never pushed me into acting, I always felt an affinity for the performing arts, which later blossomed into a career for me. At the dinner table, if not 75 per cent then at least 50pc of the time, the conversation was about theatre and art and books.”
“I had a very different journey. When I was becoming an actor I looked across and I saw that the roles written for a person of my skin colour and background were not that great. Gradually, they got better.”
His parents are one of his biggest inspirations. “They started to carve out a real tradition on television when the country was still young. I draw inspiration from my dad a lot because that man has never shied away from any challenges that came his way, and also my mother who has carved in a quiet way, her own place. I would be inspired by them even if they weren’t my family. However, if I was to take another inspiration from Pakistan, I think that Qavi Khan is one of the most consummate actors that I know. He has created a place of respect in each medium. How wonderful is that!”
Behind the mega-star is this desi boy from Lahore. “I try to come at least once a year and try to find every excuse I can to visit. I was born in Lahore and I need that injection of being able to go to Anarkali and have nihari. I can’t take that boy out of me ... I don’t want to take the boy out of me.”
He has plans for a project in Pakistan but admitted being ‘superstitious about these things’ so refrained from saying who, what and when. “We are in talks right now for me to come to Pakistan and do a film. One should not worry so much about borders and try to learn instead from each other as much as one possibly can. If there is an opportunity in Pakistan that looks good, I’m going to grasp it.”
The onslaught of recent Pakistani films, Faran feels is an exciting time ‘for us’! “As Pakistani artistes, we need to start to create our own niche and be in the international arena. We are at this critical juncture right now where as artists, especially from that part of the world, we cannot afford to be complacent. It is important that we become brave and not shy away from celebrating the positives we have, and also be the first one also to criticise the negatives that we have. We need to be in the forefront of this battle and recognise our ability to bring a new perspective to old things. I am so proud that Pakistan is finally able to shove away the traditional way of filmmaking as a genre and get into producing a variety of films. It is an exciting time for us.”
Is it easier for Indian actors than Pakistani actors to get work in mainstream Hollywood? “I think the Indians have done an amazing job and I am envious that they have succeeded in really pushing their talent out. They have a really great publicity machine that they use,” he said. “To be honest, we are not there yet but I think we will get there, great things are happening and through that we will find our own identity, which in certain ways can be similar to the Indian experience as we share certain cultural denominators. We need to support each other as much as we can and not get into bickering,” he bursts out laughing.
“Sometimes we tend to define success by showing another person’s failures. Let’s not do that because there’s enough room for all of us to succeed and do great things.”
Published in Dawn, Sunday Magazine, October 25th, 2015
On a mobile phone? Get the Dawn Mobile App: Apple Store | Google Play