Whenever a standout actor graces our screens, we always want to know more about them. This year, that spotlight belongs to Salmaan Shaukat, a rising star in the Pakistani entertainment industry who has featured in two prominent films released this year, “UmroAyyar – A New Beginning” and “Abhi,”. Known for his versatility and charisma, Salmaan is not only a talented actor but also a gifted musician, showcasing his multifaceted artistry. As he continues to ascend in his career, we sat down with Salmaan for an exclusive Q&A to delve deeper into his journey, inspirations, and what’s next for the dynamic artist:
- After your two successful films, the world is now getting to know Salmaan Shaukat better. Tell us a bit about your journey and what made you want to pursue acting.
A) Growing up, I was always drawn to music and singing, but I had never thought of acting. I had just come back from university in Canada, and my friend Ali Rehman Khan was working on a short film. Aisha Linnea & Shahbaz Shigri (who I didn’t know at the time) were making this film and they called me to ask me to play a role in it. I declined because I had never acted before, nor did I want to. Or so I thought. Then they approached me again and asked me to just come and meet them and see what they were working on. I ended up doing that short film and I immediately fell in love with the process. That lit a spark that kept going and luckily I kept getting some really amazing projects coming my way and here we are!
- What’s your favorite thing about being an actor?
A) The challenge. The transformation. The escape. The ability to become someone else for a while. Being able to see things from somebody else’s perspective. And last but not least, meeting so many masters of the craft and having the opportunity to work with them and learn from them.
- Which of your characters do you relate to the most, and which do you relate to the least?
A) I played a character called Yasir, doing theatre a few years ago. It was in an original Urdu comedy play we did in Islamabad called ‘Aap ka matlooba number doosri line pe masroof hai.’ I could relate to him a lot because he was a high-energy guy, always laughing and making jokes and that’s a lot like how I am in real life. I can also really relate to Azam, my character in Umro Ayyar.
I have played some really dark characters as well, and I think the one I least relate to was Jamil in Shoaib Mansoor sahab’s film Verna.
- Have you faced any challenges in your acting career?
A) Absolutely. I think every new role is a challenge. So, many.
And it can be other aspects as well. Sometimes we have to work under very challenging conditions like harsh weather, unusually long hours, odd times to get the right lighting for a scene, physically tough shoots for action sequences, and so on. But when you get a good final product, it makes it all worth it.
One challenge I wish artists did not have to face though, is payment issues and delays. I think I can speak for the collective when I say that it can make things quite miserable and is just disrespectful.
- How do you switch back to being Salmaan Shaukat after playing these intense characters?
A) Quite easily, thankfully. I’m only acting!
Although it can be tricky sometimes to dive deep into a character and his psyche, a strong sense of self will always keep you grounded. If I were losing myself too much in my characters or if I had a hard time coming back, I would examine my mental and emotional health because then there is likely something more going on as well. And it will probably negatively affect your life in some way. Boundaries are important.
- If you had the opportunity to work with any director, who would it be?
A) Among Pakistani directors, I would love to work with Asim Abbasi and Kamal Khan who I’ve not had the opportunity to work with, so far. And I’d love to work with Bilal Lashari and Azfar Jafri again someday. It was an honor to be directed by them.
Outside the Pakistani industry, Christopher Nolan has always been a huge favorite of mine.
- Who is your biggest acting inspiration and why?
A) Hamza Ali Abbasi’s Noori Natt is probably my favorite Pakistani performance of all time.
Al Pacino has played some of my most favorite characters in some of the most iconic films. I also love Christoph Waltz and his work.
- When did you discover your passion for singing, and are you planning to release any new tracks soon?
A) I started listening to really great music by the time I was 11-12 years old. Mainly, thanks to my elder sister who introduced me to Michael Jackson, Pearl Jam, and Guns n Roses. Then I discovered Junoon and Vital Signs and all the amazing Pakistani music of that era that is timeless and still sounds amazing. So that’s when I developed a passion for music and singing.
Yes! I do have some new music that I am releasing very soon.
- Which one of your tracks are you most proud of?
A) Raabta was the first ever song I wrote, composed, and sang, so I will always be proud of that.
And with Behaal, my last track that is still unreleased, I learned to make something I really like myself, rather than thinking of what would be received well, so I’m proud of being able to do that too.
- Tell us a bit about how you landed the role of Azam in ‘Umro Ayyar.’
A) I had worked on a film called Parchi around 2017 that Azfar Jafri had directed. I played a character called Cancer. And in 2018 I did a theatre play that was directed by Atif Rehan Siddique. Both of them came together to work on Umro Ayyar (Atif was writing and Azfar was directing) so i got a call from Azfar Jafri to come and see him about a potential project. I went and met him and saw the storyboard of the film and got a brief of the character they wanted me to play and I was over the moon! By the way, they were nice enough to allow me to change my character’s name. He was written as Adnan, but I really felt like he was more of an Azam so I asked them if we could do that and they very kindly agreed!
- What’s your current focus as an actor?
A) I just had 2 films come out on Eid ul Azha, coincidentally on the same day. One was Umro Ayyar and the other one was Abhi. Recently, I have been busy promoting both of them and have not done anything new since. I did hear that a short film we shot a while ago called Sandooq (directed by Muhammad Ali Pasha) might be getting its finishing touches, so I’m looking forward to seeing that.
- What was the best part about playing Hashim Khan in ‘Abhi’?
A) I was excited to play Hashim Khan because it was the first time I was portraying the primary antagonist in a film. I also enjoyed the fact that he had an interesting and complicated relationship with the protagonist (played by Goher Mumtaz) which created this complexity that I had to convey.
- If there was a movie made about your life, who would you want to play you and why?
A) I think I would want to play myself because I would likely freak out and not be able to trust anybody else being able to play me.
Rapid Fire Round:
- What’s the one role you’re dying to play?
A) An individual with a severe mental illness.
- If you could only listen to one song for the rest of your life, what would it be?
A) That’s a really annoying question! I either want to listen to whatever I want or no music at all.
- What’s the most memorable place you’ve traveled to?
A) I love tropical islands. So the Seychelles and the Maldives are some of the most memorable places I’ve ever been.
- Who is your biggest inspiration in the film industry?
A) Al Pacino
- What’s your go-to comfort food?
A) Pizza and ice cream
- Describe your perfect day off.
A) A day on the beach
- What’s a book you’ve recently read and loved?
A) Atomic Habits by James Clear
- If you weren’t in the entertainment industry, what career would you pursue?
A) A career in sports
- What’s one thing most people don’t know about you?
A) I’m a deeply spiritual person
To learn more about Salmaan Shaukat click the link below:
https://www.instagram.com/salmaanshaukat/