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Abdullah Kadwani
 Model, actor, producer, director, marketer, honorary director protocol, Abdullah Kadwani is all this and a lot more. Fourteen years of experience in the media world behind him he is far from calling it quits and is in fact, looking at the only show-biz field as yet unexplored by him -- films. One wonders what makes this very successful man tick and how he has achieved all that he has in spite of seemingly insurmountable hurdles that life had laid out for him.What has been the driving force that has brought you to this present position of donning so many hats almost simultaneously?
I hail from a very down-to-earth family and was raised with high moral values. I would always pray to God to give me a position that no one has acquired before and would sometimes wonder at myself for such a strange wish, for after all, what could I possibly do that hadn’t already been done by thousands of others? Now, I reflect and realize that there is really no one else that has achieved so much in so many varied fields as I have. It is having a firm faith in God saying “Ask and it is up to me to grant.” I asked a lot more than my humble background could have permitted me to even hope for and today, Alhamd-ul-ulah am running three companies – Media Max, Media International (Public Relations and Event Management company) and Seventh Sky (in partnership with Humayun Saeed).There are a lot of complaints leveled against ARY these days regarding the extensive use of Indian directors and actors in their plays. What do you have to say in defence?
Honestly speaking, I have been trying for the last three years to bring in Indian actors and directors and to go for joint ventures. ‘Ana’ was so successful because it was the first joint venture, now there will be countless more by others, too. It is the need of the hour – that’s what people want to see. They want joint venture magazines, shows, movies and dramas. India is very advanced, and I think there is no harm in interacting and learning from them, otherwise we stand in danger of being isolated while all other countries will move ahead of us. There was a time when our plays were our strength while India’s grey area was its scripts, but not any more.I don’t agree. Our scripts are still far superior to India’s and our acting is second to none. Admittedly, technically they are better and we could benefit from using their expertise in this department but why do we need to use their directors and actors?
Our directors don’t believe in taking out a finished product, unlike their Indian counterparts. They make compromises in lighting and sound in every scene. If three years ago we had two channels and say, 30 good actors, directors and producers, today we have 20 channels and the element of support is the same. We have not developed enough people in marketing, direction, production, acting and scripting. Our young people are talented, hard working and keen to learn and we need to expose them to the Indian show-biz industry.From all the different genres that you have worked in, which have you enjoyed the most?
I’ve enjoyed acting and then direction. The latter has been my passion as it gives me full leverage to express myself. And now I am enjoying marketing a lot. In 1999, after the NTM debacle, I would never have dreamed possible that by default I would one day be looked upon as a role model and that within five years my company would be consulted for every major decision in terms of marketing in Pakistan.Why do you say “by default”?Because after the great NTM debade, I had been completely ruined financially, as indeed were so many others. I had returned from London to find that all my hard-earned income had been wiped off and was on the verge of deciding whether I should join the family business or go abroad, when Tahir Khan sahib convinced me to join him in forming a media marketing company that would be working with Pakistan Television - Icon Media Group. Within a year it became the leading media company of Pakistan. So, I say by default because media marketing might have been the last thing I would have gone into had it not been for the great set-back I had received, and after its success I became so confident that I went into other big ventures. What made you leave Icon while it was at its peak?When I received the offer to join ARY, I went to Tahir sahib, and he was very magnanimous. He said he didn’t want to be an impediment in my way to progress and that people might tell me that I was making the wrong decision leaving an empire and stepping into the unknown, but I would provethem wrong in three years. And sure enough, in spite of the fact that the Afghan war and 9/11 took place soon after, and people said that I had taken a great unnecessary risk, ARY Digital met with success and is ranked among the top two satellite channels today. The same people who discouraged me now refer to me as a visionary. Ours is the first company independently marketing a channel. I have been given a free hand to run ARY as I deem fit, and although it is a family run business with me as the only outsider, I am treated like part of the family.Hasn’t Mr Tahir Khan approached you again, now that he too is launching a channel?
No comments.Who do you feel has influenced you the most in your life?
My father. I think that if there is anyone who has been responsible for keeping my values in tact and preserving me from the evils that are normally associated with show-biz life in spite of all the fame I have received, it is him. We enjoyed a good relationship and sadly, although at first I was never allowed to model or come on TV, when I did eventually get the permission, he died just the day before my first shoot was published, so he never witnessed my success.
So why did he finally give you the permission?
My father would always warn me that whatever bad I would do in my life would not just hurt him but would stay with me forever. I convinced him to allow me to join the show-biz industry by staying out of trouble all my life and promising him that I would never embarrass him or do anything he would be ashamed of. And I kept my word.What do you regard as your greatest assets?
My sincerity, relationships, reputation and respect. How was your experience of making a video in India recently?
I had gone to India on an official visit when I got a call from Fakhir and he was insistent that I act in his video. I was extremely reluctant at first, especially as in the last two-and-a-half years I had not had the time to do anything other than concentrate on the companies. But when I heard the story-line, I found it very soothing, and agreed to it, and have received very positive feedback.
So what is next on the cards?
I’m considering making a movie, first as a producer, then as a director and finally as an actor. Humayun and I are already working on it and are taking Jami as its director. It is at the scripting stage, at the moment. I am also planning on going into fashion in a big way and introducing culture on the catwalk, as well as looking into introducing some different awards ceremonies for television. I might even get into politics after a couple of years.What is your opinion about the Lux Style Awards?
I think it’s something very exciting and we are looking forward to a good presentation this year. It is a positive initiative from them.What do you think is the greatest feather in you cap?
 The fact that I am associated with a lot of firsts in the media industry. Other than what I’ve mentioned already, I was the first person to organize a ‘Day and Night Basant’ in Lahore and a Basant festival in Karachi; and got an award from PTV for 10 years’ concerts. Some of the best concerts in the city, including those with Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan sahib have been organized by me. Also, some of the best plays on NTM – ‘Panchwa Mausam’, ‘Andheray Darichay’, ‘Doosri Aurat’, ‘Chand Ghiran’, ‘Sitara aur Mehroonisa’ and ‘Nangay Paon’ -- are to my credit and had NTM not shut down, would have won awards. What’s more, I was the youngest fashion consultant for FAF held in 1994 and brought out their catalogue.
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