Neighbour's envy
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Let me confess that after watching Fawad Khan in the Khoobsurat remake, my first thoughts were that he was yet another one of those good-looking guys who definitely made the girls go gaga.
But all this was before I fell ill. For the first time, perhaps, I was glad of being bedridden with a bad back. Because it was during this period that I discovered Fawad Khan, the actor. While flipping channels, I chanced upon one of his tele-serials on the Zindagi channel. In five minutes, I was hooked. After half-an-hour, I started calling my contacts for copies of his serials. And for the first time in my life, I became a devout serial watcher.
Watching him underplay his characters, in serials like Zindagi Gulzar Hai is a treat to watch. There is a thehraav in the way he handles his scenes. He knows the art of speaking with his eyes. His silences speak volumes. No other actor (and I'm talking purely in terms of acting here) made me come out in goosebumps as he does.
If only prospective filmmakers took time out to watch his serials, he would surely land better films. A little bird told me that Karan Johar's mother Hiroo Yash Johar is a huge fan of his. Hiroo aunty has witnessed generations of stars come and go and her instincts can't be wrong.
Watching all those Pakistani soaps set me thinking as to why our TV content remains the way it is. Their serials genuinely attempt to tell a story. They are wrapped up in maximum 20-24 episodes and don't drag on for years together. They are shot beautifully and the actors act with a nuance that is found lacking in our soaps as well as our films. The senior actors too aren't shortchanged and are given author-backed roles. Most belong to a theatre background and their command over scenes; over language makes you feel you're watching some forgotten Kamal Amrohi or K Asif film.
They say art blooms in the midst of unrest and maybe the volatile socio-political climate of their country breeds better poets, better writers and better actors. Or maybe they are a little more professional, a little more concerned about their craft than our artistes. Borders shouldn't become the graveyard for talent. Let's hope the tension between our two countries evaporates and better cultural opportunities prevail. Insha'Allah!
http://www.filmfare.com/features/neighbours-envy-8004.html
Anupamaa
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