We have some really, really talented actors amidst us. The stories and scripts aren’t always up to mark but more than often, a bad story will be saved by the actors it anchors on. There are several high profile drama serials on air right now but the most promising and intriguing is Ishq Zahe Naseeb on HUM TV; it airs every Friday and seven episodes in, has audiences riveted with its unique and unconventional storyline. It wouldn’t be wrong to say that Zahid Ahmed is the undisputed star of the show.
There are three parallel stories running through the plot but at the heart of it all is the story of Sameer, a successful tycoon who is Sameer the unapproachable boss by day and Sameera, a reincarnation of his childhood nanny Shakira, by night. It’s unclear whether Shakira is dead or alive and whether Sameera exists as his hypothetical friend or alter ego; what’s clear is that she has complete control over his complex character, portrayed to near-perfection by Zahid Ahmed.
Read: Zahid Ahmed & Yumna Zaidi’s camaraderie in Ishq Zahe Naseeb is one to watch out for
This is one example of casting done right. For the role of Sameer it was important to have an actor that looked tall, stately and unapproachable, not unattractive but not someone with chocolate-boy heroic looks either. Zahid, with his height, stature and baritone fits the physical test. It helps that he has the voice and the elocution to get the English nuances right. Given coloured contact lenses, Sameer has a steely gaze that is usually accompanied by a frown or scowl. I don’t think he’s smiled yet. Just as important to create the perfect character was his wardrobe, which had to look sharp.
In a brief conversation, the very busy Zahid shared that he had commissioned his wardrobe to a young budding designer, Fatima Khan, who has a label called LARS TOREÉ. Zahid’s wardrobe – mostly three-piece suits – caught my eye because they got his look right. And that observation came in comparison to Usman Mukhtar in Anaa, for example, who is also a successful business tycoon but his ill-fitted suits don’t project that image.
There’s no denying that Zahid is a great actor; he also has the trajectory to prove it. But Sameer may be his most challenging role to date. He’s definitely one of the most intriguing onscreen characters and we’re eager to see how it evolves.
Luckily, we’ll be catching up with Zahid Ahmed soon. Stay tuned…
