Bisaat marked your debut as an actor and producer on TV but what one doesn't understand is your choice of director. After working with renowned directors like Raza Mir, Ehtisham, Pervez Malik, Shamim Ara, Iqbal Akhtar etc., why did you go for Ghazanfar All, who may be a good director but is not among the top ones. Moreover, he is branded as a commercial director in showbiz circles.

Well, I always wanted to work for television, but when I decided to make Bisaat, I had no knowledge of television. People advised me to pick up a person or some production house, which had some experience in this field. So I joined hands with Combine Productions and selected Zaheer Khan, one of the finest TV directors, for Bisaat. So it was basically a Zaheer Khan drama than Ghazanfar's, as you've put it.

Then why didn't Zaheer Khan eventually direct the serial?

Due to the delay in the completion of the script, we were late on the dates given by Zaheer Khan for Bisaat. So when, because of us, Zaheer Khan showed his unavailability to complete the project, we had to get another director. As, even at that time, we were running late, we decided to opt for our co-producer for Bisaat, Ghazanfar All, who is also a very good director. I think that Ghazanfar has done well, considering that this is sort of comeback project for him. Now it is upto the viewers to decide whether he has done a good job or not . . . I am sure they would agree with me.

Was Bisant - your debut on TV - different from Chakori - your film debut?

Not at all. In fact I felt that I was doing Chakori all over again but with a little bit of experience. I had some experience doing Bisaat compared to Chakori where I was as raw as you could possibly think.

What were your feelings when you started to work for Bisaat?

While I was doing Bisaat, my feelings were exactly the same as in 1967 while working with Ehtisham sahib in Chakori. I was nervous, uneasy and troubled on both the occasions but later on settled myself with the environment.

What are the main differences, in your opinion, between a TV play and film?

Bohat farq hai. Bazahir to lagta hat ke aik bada parda hat aur ek chota magar dono main bohat farq hai. There is a lot of difference in the working styles. Television has drama serials, which span over 13 episodes (or weeks) while a film has a duration of about 130 minutes! I mean to say that the margin of performance in a TV serial is double compared to that of films. You can, be it as an actor, director or producer, offer a lot on TV than in films.

Also a viewer watches a movie in continuation while on TV, a good drama keeps the viewers glued to their seats and each of its episodes has to be divided in such a way that the suspense remains intact. TV is a mixture of art and business whereas film isn't due to some restrictions.

How have the viewers responded to your debut venture?

Well, they have responded well. The second episode was in fact more appreciated than the first one.

Is it because of your presence?

Meri presence se nahin hota. Haan Such hoga but Bisaat is the result of teamwork and every body has done a wonderful job.

Why did you opt for Imran Aslam to write the script? You could have chosen someone else as well?

Bhai kisi na kisi Lo to lena hi tha. So we chose Imran who is an intelligent writer and has good plays to his credit. In my opinion the dialogues have been penned-down well by him and we couldn't have opted for a better person.

Salam was supposed to mark your film debut behind-the camera. What happened to it? Is it still going to be your launch pad as a director?

Yes it is. It so happened that, due to time constraint, I have been unable to complete it but would inshaallah finish it in the near future. On TV, I doubt whether I would be able to direct because one has to have the experience, which I don't have.

Do you see yourself as a successful director.with loads and loads of experience?

As I have said, I doubt whether I would be a successful director because direction is a very difficult job without which neither a film nor a drama can be made. Acting to achi buri chal jati hai magar direction agar achi ho to bura bhi acha lagta hai. But if the director is bad, then even your best effort would go down the drain.

Lets talk about films. You produced Mitti Ke Putley in the early 70's which marked late Ikhlaq Ahmed's debut as a playback singer. If you produce another movie, who would you launch?

That would depend on the subject. Like (late) Ikhlaq, who went on to sing a lot of super hit songs, had a good voice and needed a break. I provided him the launching pad, the rest is history. So to say who would be in my movie is way ahead of time. I would disclose it on a proper occasion.

Why did Mitti Ke Putley flop?

Well, I think people didn't like the subject, which was a very delicate issue. Also, I, as producer, had my share in the problems like when during the shooting, Ehtisham sahib suffered a heart attack and the shooting had to be stopped. When it was finally released, it was not what we expected it to be and that is why it did not click at the box office. I would try to rectify the shortcomings in future but I know, the problems will persist because only God is perfect . . . as humans, we can never be all perfect.

Everyone wants to become an actor or director in Pakistan, but there isn't any institute to train those who have the talent. Your views?

Everyone who wants to become something needs to have basic talent for that something. Without it, he would be nothing. Institutes are meant for polishing that talent and not for making them learn acting because acting cannot be learnt. You have it in you or you don't have it. Had it been necessary to make a person learn acting, and then there would have been actors, directors, and painters in abundance. Yes, you can become a good performer through grooming but not through learning because talent comes from within, not from the outside. An academy is required to groom the tons of talent we have in the country

If we take a look back, then we see that you have dominated the Lollywood scene for 35 years. How do you compare our film industry to that across the border?

We cannot compete with India because their industry is quite large compared to ours. But the ratio of good and bad movies is the same. If they make 600 films in a year, just 6 or 7 of them can be rated as good movies. Similarly, if we make 60 to 70 movies in the same period, then only 2 or 3 can be rated as good productions. They also have some advantages over our industry. They have the backing of their government and have the cultural and social acceptance while we don't have these advantages.

Music also plays an important role in the success of a film. Don't you think that in the last 15 to 20 years, our music has taken a nose-dive?

Yes it has. Our movies used to have very powerful music in the 50's, 60's and the 70's. Every second film had four to five songs, which would go on to become super-hits. Unfortunately, either those composers who used to do so are no more in this world or are no more in Lollywood. Bazmi Saheb, Sohail Rana, Robin Ghosh, to name a few, have left Lollywood while Master Inayat Hussain, Khwaja Khursheed Anwar and Master Abdullah etc. are no more with us.

Isn't it due to the fact that we have still not been able to shake away the music of the 60's and the 70's?

No, it isn't. What our industry lacks, is good composers. When we'll have good composers, only then we would be able to give good, hit songs.

You are, currently, the biggest, the most experienced and the most gifted actor in Pakistan. So when you watch your old movies, do you pick up your weaknesses and think: "Had I done this it would have been better"?

I don't think that I am the biggest or the best, but yes, I have experience on my side, which in itself is a plus point. So, whenever I watch my earlier or even current work, I only pick up my weaknesses rather than any qualities, as you say. This may so happen because I watch my movies from a critical angle and don't comment on whatever I find out. I try to rectify them in my next projects but then there again some other weakness arises.

In the mid-80's, you were asked to work in a Bollywood movie 'Doordesh'. Your role was rather unimportant, so why did you accept it in the first place?

No, it was not unimportant you can call it short-but-important. In fact, I was offered to do one of two roles and I, myself opted for the one about which you are talking. There was a lot of margin of performance in it and my role was really liked by those who saw it.

I think it is better to do a short role with something to perform than do a lengthy role with nothing in it. My role in that movie was from the former category and I took it as a challenge, which I think I have met.

What was, at that time, in your opinion, the difference between the film industries of Pakistan and India?

Not much. The working style of both Lollywood and Bollywood at that time was the same.

In your opinion, has the Punjabi cinema contributed to the decline of our film industry or not?

It all depends on good and bad movies - irrespective of the language. If you make good movies, the industry would prosper but if you don't then the industry won't. Our film industry made a lot of trash in the name of commercial compromise which they shouldn't have and so, down went our film industry.

Bollywood competes with Hollywood while we compete with Bollywood. Why? Why can't we compete directly with Hollywood?

Main is bare main kya keh sakta boon.

Is it because we lack literate people? Because we now have kulfi walay, circus walay as producers!

In a way, yes. We have literate people but very few. There art a lot of problems like this one, which are too much for our ailing industry. Also, a film shows the mental approach of the producer and in Pakistan, we now lack intelligent and literate producers.

So what do you do when they ask you to work for them?

I readily decline their offer because my refusal would not leave a bad taste when my saying so that 'you are not capable of making a good film' is certain to do so.

You worked in Nasir Limited's Chand Sooraj, which was a very high-budgeted movie. The movie flopped and since then, no other party came to filmdom with so much money. What do you say about it?

People have come to the cinema with even bigger sums but what I have said is that we don't need money, we need good filmmakers. If you give 10 lakh rupees to a nobody, then he would make a very bad movie but an intelligent person with even lesser amount would make a better movie.

Do you think that like you, actors like Shaan, Momy, Babar Ali, Saud etc. can take the industry to another 30 years or not?

It doesn't depend on them and it didn't depend with us then. Hum se kaam karane walay mojood they. If these youngsters, who are very talented, get good subjects and directors, then they can take the industry for a lot of time to come.

A lot also depends on the team. If they get good directors, musicians, photographers, writers, producers, editors etc., then they can come out with good films. As for directors of that era, they were so many that one sometimes lost count of them.

But if you take up the directors, which in your opinion are top rated, you find out that one of the best director of the 70's, Raza Mir, who made Anhoni (copy of Buried Alive) in the 90's, did poorly when tried to make a comeback. You played the main role in that film. What do you think went wrong.

It is possible that the subject was not strong. Or the screenplay was weak or even the director may have failed to cope up with the subject. You see, whenever a film flops, a lot of factors play the villain and any one or two could have done so. It is not necessary that every film from an experienced director is a super hit, they are also capable of giving a flop while an inexperienced director may give a hit.

Does luck play some role in showbiz?

Not just luck. A lot also depends on other factors. If the law and order situation in the city is disturbing and you release a film which you think will be a hit and no one comes to watch it because of tension in the city, then the movie will flop. So your timing to release a film is also as important as luck and law and order situation.

It is said that those who play villain role our films are, in reality, very good-natured people. Are you, as Mirza Nazeer Baig, as good a person as you portray on the screen?

After all, we all are humans and have our positive and negative points because if we don't have them, then we would be angels, not humans. It is upto you to control the beast within you. If you manage to do so, then you are a good person but if you don't, you are termed a bad person.

Who inspired you to become an actor?

I wanted to become a playback singer, not an actor. I became an actor through sheer luck and when I was eventually asked to act, knew nothing about it. So in order to act, I tried to follow my seniors and in the process developed a style of my own. It would be better to that I was not inspired by one actor but by many. Inspiration is a must for performing arts because without inspiration, you cannot succeed.

People named you Pakistan's Dilip Kumar when you started your career but as it can be seen, you later shrugged of that tag from your acting and developed your own style. Why?

People were right in saying so as I was inspired a lot by Dilip Kumar but later on, with the little bit of experience I gained, came up with my own style and it is now up to the people to decide whether they like it or not.

You were initially given roles, which were earlier done by Dilip himself like the one in Banzi, which was taken from Dilip's Deedar. What would you say about it?

Hota ho ga. Well both of us, India and Pakistan, have copied films from across the border because a writer is after all a human. He is not a fax machine, which takes out a story every now and then. It all depends on which film you chose and which you don't.

You started your career from the then East Pakistan (now Bangladesh). Don't you think that they were superior to the then West Pakistan in filmmaking?

Yes, they were. You can guess this from the fact that West Bengal still makes better movies than those made in Bombay. Also, India's most respected and revered director Satya Jeet Ray is a Bengali. The environment in Bengal encourages artistes to perform better which is essential for an actor.

Don't you think that after 1971 (Dhaka debacle), quality wise our films suffered?

Yes, they did. First we lost some very good directors and writers and secondly lost half of our market. The competition we used to have in between ourselves was very healthy. The Dhaka debacle cut us in half and we still haven't recovered from that loss.

In 1996, after a gap of many years, Syed Noor came up with Jeeva, which broke all previous records. After Jeeva, producers thought that by making a movie abroad, one could be sure of success. Your comments?

In my opinion, to make a movie abroad for no rhyme or reason is a waste of money and may prove damaging later on. If the story demands to be shot abroad, only then the producer should go out otherwise, it may damage the country in general and the industry in particular.

Jeeva was termed as a ray of hope in the dark clouds hovering over Lollywood. But after it, people started to make every second movie in Turkey. Why was no one else able to make a movie like it?

As I have said earlier, it doesn't depend solely on where and why you make a movie. You should make a good movie, shake Turkey main bane ya Tandojam main! The locations abroad are added to the movie, the movie should not be based on them.

While making films abroad, the cameraman settles for long shots than close ups and we are left to see airplanes and skyscrapers instead of the leading pair. Why is it so?

When you go abroad to shoot in a country you, knowingly or unknowingly, decide to project the buildings and sites instead of the hero and heroines. A good director doesn't do so while an average director, like the ones we have, takes long shots of ships, airplanes, and helicopters and then, slowly and gradually, moves away from the subject.

During the last five years, we have seen choreographers (Saroj Khan, Ahmed Khan) and singers (Udit Narayan) from India. Do you call it healthy sign or not?

I think that it is really damaging for our own choreographers and vocalists because you should utilize your own talent rather than import it from the outside. I think that these are commercial gimmicks used by producers just for a change . . . in the longer run; it is unhealthy and uncalled for.

Then what would you Suggest?

I would suggest that both the industries should try out co-productions because this would enable them to work with us and us to work with them.

In Pakistan, people like Muhammad All, Sudhir, Sultan Rahi etc. played hero till their very end while you ceased playing hero five years ago. Why?

In Hollywood, people aged 80 still play hero but it all depends on the subject. In our country, the hero is thought to be a young, handsome and energetic boy or a man who chases girls, plays Romeo and sometimes acts as Rambo. I decided to cease playing hero long time back because I wanted to play roles, which suited my age, not my physique. And I think that I don't regret my decision.

When the Pakistan film industry came into being, there were a number of directors who laid its foundation. But now, the whole industry depends on the one and only Syed Noor? It seems that there is no one else who can be Noor's competitor? Why?

Because he is doing a better job than the rest. Had there been a Syed Toor instead of Noor, then his name would have been mentioned along with Noor's in those who are working better or are superior to the rest. Hum zatiaat par ziada tawajuh detay gain aur kaam par kum. We should compete professionally - not personally because that is only how we can improve our industry. Professional jealousy is essential for competition while we have personal jealousy, which isn't healthy attitude. .

Is media playing an important role in developing our showbiz or not?

Yes it is. Media has played an important role in my life and it has been playing so since Chakori my first film and to Bisaat. Media aur showbiz ha choli daman ka saath 17ai. Media makes people aware of your work and criticizes and appreciates it. Media, in my opinion, has played an important role in building my career and main unka jitna shukar ada karoon wok ham hai. Whenever I have performed upto the mark, they have appreciated it and whenever I haven't, they have criticized me and that is what I wanted them to do.

Every actor has been scandalized by the media except for you. How do you look at it?

I am thankful to the media for not scandalizing me as it has kept my image scandal-free. Allah ka karam hai.

It is said that had you not been an actor, you would have been a cricketer. You agree?

I used to play cricket when I was young and even made it to provincial level but it isn't necessary that if I had not been an actor, I would have been a cricketer and that too a successful one. I wasted a lot of time over cricket but had a passion for the game.

Had? Don't you watch cricket nowadays?

Well I do and sometimes even play cricket but due to time constraint have not been able to fulfill the passion for cricket I had.

Are you satisfied with whatever you have achieved in your long career?

Sort of. I am not wholly satisfied with my work because I think that I have worked in just some good movies - most of my contribution comes under the banner of bad films.

In your opinion, IS the film line good for the youngsters to be taken as a career, not just a hobby? Why not?

I opted for a filmy career 33 years ago and am here, in front of you as an actor for all those years. I have seen the ups and downs of our industry but I think that it is good enough to be taken up as a career.

In the end, I would like you to tell those, who want to take up acting, what to do to become successful?

Work and work hard and leave the rest to Allah. Be honest to yourself and your work because if you work hard, you will definitely get the result you desire. Mehnat ka phal hamesha milta hai.

Aap ko mila?

Ji allhamdolillah kuch ziyada hi mila hai.