Pakistani actor Ali Rehman Khan talks about his movie Parchi

"Young people in Pakistan are increasingly dreaming of stardom," the charming Rishtay Kuch Adhooray Se actor Ali Rehman Khan told us while on a recent visit to Khaleej Times to promote his new film Parchi, an action-comedy playing now in UAE cinemas.
There's a shift in mindsets in the country as far as careers are concerned, he admitted to City Times.
"One thing I've noticed about Pakistan recently is that the youth really want to be something, and that something is entertainers! Not doctors or engineers or anything conventional! They don't want to go abroad and find a job - they want to come into the entertainment industry because everyone has some talent, be it singing, acting, or comedy. The field has gotten popular not just with children, but also with parents - at first they were wary of their kids entering the entertainment industry - they were like, you shouldn't get in there, it's not a good industry, but now there is a certain pride about being in the industry."

Parchi is like Delhi Belly
The eloquent Khan, who expressed soft-spoken yet insightful views on the Pakistani entertainment industry, revealed that Parchi is "a situational comedy" somewhat along the lines of Bollywood comedies Delhi Belly, Hera Pheri and Andaz Apna Apna, which Khan described as "a cult classic, and one of my favourite films of all time".
"Parchi is basically a comedy of errors. Its super-funny script was written by the very talented Shafqat Khan," he said, adding, "I'm not at liberty to say too much about the film but what I can tell you is that it's about this conman who somehow cons the mob and goes on the run; he gets his friends involved, and together they encounter some very interesting characters. I guess it's not so much the script as the situations he lands himself and his friends in - that's where the comedy is."
Khan, who plays 'Bash' in Parchi, was all praise for the rest of the cast, which includes Hareem Farooq, Usman Mukhtar and Ahmad Ali. "One of the great and unique things about Parchi is that there are so many talented actors in the film. Some are actors that haven't been discovered yet. They're all from theatre backgrounds. Everyone brings their own flavour to the film. When you watch it you're definitely going to have a favourite!
"Considering how Pakistani cinema is still in its infancy and growing, we need the huge amount of talent that we have (in other fields of entertainment) to come into fims. What I love about Parchi is that there's all these different characters showcasing different talent - there will be a character that's just silent throughout the film, but you won't stop looking at him!"
Not your typical romcom
While Parchi is not a romcom like Khan's last film, Janaan, he said there will be an element of romance in it, though not perhaps what you might be expecting.
"I don't think a film like this has been done yet. I'm not saying it's the first of its kind, but it's a very different film. It's a commercial film but it doesn't come under the traditional wedding/romance/romcom category. There is some romance in this comedy but it's not your typical story. It's a very. (laughs) I feel like if I keep on talking about it, I'll reveal too much and the producers will kill me!"
Considering the film comes across as a bit offbeat, is he worried about audience response?
"No, I'm not worried, I think comedy has a huge place in the hearts of audiences in Pakistan. People go to the cinema to escape. We've had numerous comedies come out before that have done super well, like Na Maloom Afrad 1 & 2, Actor in Law, etc. Anywhere in the world, I believe, people just enjoy having a laugh and when you can spend two hours in a cinema and come out with a smile, I think it's worth the price of your ticket!"

In search of a new audience
Khan believes Pakistan needs to show the world that it has good cinema.
"The most exciting thing about the film scene in Pakistan is that there is so much yet to do - so many scripts to be written, and so many movies to be made. It's an industry that hasn't done a lot yet so there's room for so much more. In Pakistan we have a huge television drama industry - it's phenomenal, we even have big stars from across the border in Bollywood, who love watching our dramas.
"But unfortunately our film industry is now in its revival stage, it's coming back up. There's not much going on because we lack the facilities, the technical know how, and I think those will come with time. Also there's not so much money that goes into the industry right now, we don't have enough multiplexes, and we have to build an audience."
He feels Pakistani cinema should target a growing audience. "We need to have an international audience, just like Bollywood does. Another thing is that we still don't have our own identity, because we have been following Bollywood for so long, that it sometimes tends to overshadow some of the work we do. So some of our commercial cinema tends to go that way. But the exciting part is that in the process, we're also finding ourselves. Just like Iranian cinema has found itself - it's one of the best cinemas in the world, it has such an amazing plethora of content.
"Four years ago, you could literally count the number of films that were being made in Pakistan. And now, you are constantly surprised by the films that you haven't heard about. Yesterday I was told that there is a Pakistani film being shot in Dubai. And I'm like 'really'? So it's very encouraging, this trend."
On his co-star Hareem Farooq
"I've worked with Hareem before and she is an extremely talented actress. I'm not sure how much I can say but she is playing a very tough character. Not your quintessential damsel-in-distress. She's playing a very tough person (laughs) and we have a certain relationship that builds in the film. It's a very different take on modern day relationships. I can't say much. you have to watch the film!"
On the growth of Pakistani films
"We need to show the world we have good cinema. I've had Indians come up to me and say they love my last film Janaan, I've had friends in Europe who have watched the film and loved it. And for me it's such an encouraging thing that international audiences are looking at Pakistani films. It's now gaining momentum and we need to engage more people and get the word out there. That's a challenge."
Why the UAE is a key market
"The UAE is one of the most important markets because we have such a huge Indian, Sri Lankan, Bangladeshi and Pakistani diaspora here. It's so close to home, I always say it's like being in Pakistan, without being in Pakistan. We need that audience. Dubai is such a metropolitan city, it's now one of the leading cities in the world. And it's a great place from where to showcase your talent and your cinema to the outside world."
'Social media engagement is super important'
"I wasn't that concerned about social media till about a few years go, but I think in this day and age you really have to be. It's a great way to connect with your fans. I have now started engaging a lot more on various social media platforms. I feel the world is so well connected now and social media has such an important part to play in this that you just can't be a mystery any more. People want to know about you. It's such a great way to show people the behind-the-scenes of the work that you actually do and they have so many questions! I'm really trying to keep up with it, and I have a great team on board who really help me.
Social media engagement is super important. I'll give you an example. My last film Janaan was a romantic comedy, it's a film that blew up, it just clicked with the audiences, it had a mix of everything, and also because of our social media presence and the way we promoted the film. It was a unique selling point for us. And it was the first time such a thing happened, and people in Pakistani cinema follow that model now."
Ali's message for Khaleej Times readers
"I'd like to thank my brother Suhail Galadari for inviting me here and for allowing me to speak about Pakistani films. I know Khaleej Times is a really pivotal newspaper of the region and it's made a place for itself in the world; I'm so proud to see KT anywhere I go in the world. Because for me it's like home - it has a special place in my heart. I would just like to tell readers, please go watch Parchi. Please support Pakistani films - they are coming up in a big way! So if you haven't seen a Pakistani film, go watch one now. Because it is going to blow your mind."
enid@khaleejtimes.com