Introducing Hamza Khawaja, Kamli’s leading man

The teaser trailer of Kamli has given us a lot to look forward to as it is shrouded in mystery, intrigue and surrealism. The film features a stellar cast with bigwigs like Saba Qamar, Sania Saeed, Nimra Bucha and Omair Rana, ensuring it to be a masterpiece. But a new name i.e. Hamza Khawaja gives it a streak of novelty and the much-needed enigma that the theme required. Director extraordinaire Sarmad Khoosat made the right call to cast a new face as the enchanting leading man of Kamli, the oddly named Amaltas.

Hamza Khawaja’s presence in the trailer is like a piece of puzzle: it’s integral to complete the picture but also leaves one wondering about his body of work and reasons behind his selection in the ensemble cast. The newcomer looks buff and charismatic, every bit the part to ensure a sizzling onscreen chemistry with Saba Qamar. And Hina and Amaltas do set fire to the rain, quite literally. The trailer is silent, but these two don’t need to say a word to convince us of the fireworks that are bound to set off when they’re together. To manage this kind of presence is a rarity for a debutant, ever so hard to find in our industry.

In an exclusive chat with Something Haute, Hamza talks about his journey as an actor and landing a role with Khoosat Films.

A LUMS graduate and a physique coach by profession, Hamza has always been associated with the performing arts.

“I have acted as a hobby and done theater and a few short films, but this is my first proper feature. I was called for an audition when the character was being written and I was told that the character suits me. I didn’t get the role from my first attempt, but I got a call after two months and then I auditioned again. Later, we had rehearsals and then we started filming,” he shared.

Read: Kamli gets a standing ovation and thunderous applause at Karachi premiere

Poster: Hamza Khawaja as Amaltas & Saba Qamar as Hina in Kamli

Kamli is Hamza’s big screen debut in which he is playing Amaltas, a sensitive yet mysterious wanderer. Talking about his experience of working in Kamli, Hamza was all praises for his team.

“It’s great to be here. I’m lucky to have these people as my first team; Sarmad is a great teacher, Saba is a great co-star and with others like Nimra and Omair, it was a learning experience and I wasn’t expecting it to be so big!” he shared.

He is acting as the male lead opposite an ace performer like Saba Qamar in his debut project. Was it exciting or more intimidating?

“Surprisingly, I wasn’t nervous. Saba is very generous and she is very good at making her co-stars very comfortable. I did not feel for a second that I was pinned against a veteran actor of her stature. Other than that, there were a lot of rehearsals that helped in making us comfortable with each other in front of the screen,” he said.

(L-R): Sarmad Khoosat, Hamza Khawaja, Saba Qamar, Sania Saeed, Nimra Bucha, Omair Rana & Zeb Bangash at Karachi premiere

While it was difficult to talk about the film and his character prior to its release, Hamza gave it a try:

“So, the film for me is drama, tragedy and a love story as well. It is also a musical because it features six very strong tracks. For my character, Amaltas, all I can say is that involves a lot of mystery and compassion. It has an element of darkness to it.”

Hamza is a certified personal trainer who loves body building. He has co-founded Reconstruct, a one-stop mobile solution for customized training and meal plans to achieve fitness goals. His passion as a fitness coach was perhaps one of the many reasons he ended up in Kamli because he looks the part. After all, it is not everyday that we find a good looking, broody man who has magnetic screen presence, and can express and emote as well.

Hamza is open to good work that challenges him and wants to explore more but he doesn’t have any game plan as of yet. When asked if he plans to work on television, which is the most flourishing as well as popular medium of entertainment in the country, the actor’s response was neither in agreement nor in denial.

“I cannot say anything about the future at the moment. Nothing is certain, so it all depends on the kind of offers I’ll get,” he concluded.

Hamza is a transformation expert and we definitely expect to see him transform into different characters and avatars for his work. Given his expertise in physical training, we would love to see him in an action-packed thriller. Until that fated dawn arrives, don’t forget to book your tickets for Kamli which is slated to release on 3rd June.