Ahad Raza Mir has gone through many roles since his premier entertainment channel HUM TV’s Sammi (2017) days. From proving ones acting prowess in Hum TV’s Yaqeen Ka Safar(2017) that earned him New Sensation Male and Best Actor trophy at recent HUM Awards 2018 to swinging and flying in a fighter jet at over 50,000 feet in his silver screen debut, Parwaaz Hai Junoon (2018)
We’ve also seen him put his acting skills well to use and make audiences sway with him as he performed the emotional father-son duo scenes in Yaqeen Ka Safar. Nothing seems to faze the young actor. His on-screen attitude does not translate into his real life. He has not let success get to his head. The debonair presence and multifaceted characters he plays on screen is surprisingly displayed in his personality too – by nature he is diffident, meek and a hospitable person; virtues that make him the towering personality that he is.
Ahad is veteran actor Asif Raza Mir’s son but that is not what Ahad relies on to become a successful actor or what he wants to be his claim to fame. With his good looks and command over the small screen, the actor quickly garnered a whole lot of love and appreciation from fans, especially females, and critics alike. Heavy is the head that wears the crown – or, in this case, a pair of sunglasses, black T shirt and a trucker cap. For Ahad, though, the weight that comes with a high profile life in Pakistan entertainment industry is just the start of it. Despite this, recognition remains a life-limiting problem for him, outside, in the real world. In terms of logistics, getting from A to B isn’t simple.
From Waar(2013) to Maalik (2016) and Yalghaar(2017), there have been many Pakistani films to come out as an ode to Pakistan army specifically, but recently released Parwaaz Hai Junoon is the first film to come out and cater the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) crowd. The film painted the picture of the PAF life – from the rugged training to glorious flying life of fighter pilots. Talking about how the film inspired Pakistani youth, Ahad says, “Not only it is the first film about the air-force, it is also the first film about the armed forces that took a step back from all the action and kind of looked at the real human side of our armed forces. And it kind of shows that our soldiers and pilots – as much as we try to make them seem like superheroes, they’re humans. And we touched upon that human factor, which was the best thing about the film. Hopefully it did inspire youth and make them feel that they want to join the air-force and be a part of armed forces in Pakistan.”
The film featured scenes shot in extreme cold weather, Ahad Raza Mir sitting in an igloo with just enough layering to give a hint of warmth, lost in the snow-capped mountains. When I ask him how difficult shooting those scenes were, he says, “Physically, it was a challenge. When we were shooting, it was either very cold or very hot. It was never mild or in between. But I think the toughest part of the shoot was staying true to the characters.”
First we watched him on the television and then the big screen - reaching mega-star success in nearly no time. But that wasn’t enough. No, this movie star is turning musician now, wanting to express himself with a mic and a guitar. Ahad Raza Mir is all stipulated for his debut at Coke Studio Season 11. “It’s an honour to be a part of Coke Studi. Music is something I might look into soon. I can do something myself or maybe collaborate with other people. But for now I like films but I also love dramas,” says Ahad
Drawing a parallel between Bollywood and fledgling Pakistani film industry, Mir says, “I don’t think it’s even fair to compare Bollywood to Pakistani cinema right now. But I think after almost thirty years break, I won’t say revival but yes we’re finally in the revolutionary phase. At the point where we are right now, I think yes in few years we’ll be at par with them. I hope we can learn from them and they can learn from us.” He adds, “Something we’re doing better here is that we are a fraction of the budget that Indian cinema has and we’re still making good films. We’re good at figuring it out. Imagine if we get our hands on big budgets.”
Furthermore, Ahad Raza Mir is all set to fly back to Canada earlier next year to get back to theatre, with Shakespeare’s Hamlet no less. “I am returning to Canada. The show will be featured at various places in Canada. I’m going back to play Hamlet for The Shakespeare Company, one of the most reputable Shakespeare companies in North America. A place where I started my career from, professionally on stage. Pretty nervous but happy,” says Ahad.
DEBUT: Ahad would be making his singing debut with Coke Studio Season 11.
