The actor shares why Sorry is the perfect choice to make his film debut with and what’s happening with his Netflix series.
Having made a mark with his strong performances in theatre and television, Zahid Ahmed was waiting for the right script to make his big screen debut with. The time has finally come as he signs on for his first film, Sorry - A Love Story, which is a collaboration between music video director Sohail Javed and actor-producer Faysal Qureshi. Also a first for the director-producer duo, Sorry features Zahid, Faysal, Aamina Sheikh and Sonya Hussyn in key roles and is expected to go on floors in January 2019.
“I couldn’t ask for a better film to start my journey with,” Zahid told Instep in an exclusive interview. “The script is amazing; the actors are great.”
Zahid Ahmed was offered a few films prior to this but those were romantic comedies that he didn’t want to be a part of, though he admits that it is one of the most successful film genres worldwide. This is like a dream come true for Zahid, who feels honoured to be making his big screen debut alongside powerhouse performers such as Faysal, Aamina and Sonya.
“Sorry is a romantic drama revolving around the theme of love; love between a boyfriend and a girlfriend, love between a husband and wife, love after having children and love after separation. Sorry is about the ever-changing dynamics of love in the lives of these four individuals who are interconnected,” shared the actor, who is playing one of those characters in the film.
Reflecting on where the title of the film comes from, Zahid informed that an apology plays a key role in any relationship and it is important to say ‘sorry’ at the right time. Upon watching the film, viewers will see how important it was for someone to say it.
The film is expected to be shot outside Pakistan, not because it is the requirement of the story but because of visual appeal.
Speaking of the current state of Pakistani cinema, the actor said, “I think it’s coming along nicely. If we look at some of the recent films, they have done well commercially. And that is what keeps the industry going; investors will not hesitate putting in their money, producers will be positive, etc. Audience too has developed some interest in Pakistani films and they want to watch them. If that was not happening then this would have been a bad sign and it wouldn’t have mattered if there was diversity in cinema or not. I think it is a great time for cinema.”
Zahid Ahmed has been in talks for an original series for Netflix from Pakistan for some time. When asked if that is still on the table, the actor gave a nod but revealed that the reason it is taking a lot of time is because Netflix doesn’t really consider Pakistan for an original series.
“It is justified given the business perspective because if look at subscriptions from Pakistan, the number is very small,” Zahid explained. “Hence, the only model they have proposed right now is that any production can shoot a pilot and send it to Netflix for approval. They have very strict criteria in terms of camera angles, amount of nudity, language, etc., and it is very difficult to meet this. But we will be shooting a pilot anyway and sending it to them, after which they will decide if it can qualify as a Netflix original or not. It may take another year at least.”
On a parting note, Zahid Ahmed, revealed that he has signed on for two TV projects that he will shoot next year. One of them will see him as a bipolar character in which he plays a man as well as woman while the other one will feature him as a blind individual. He is of the view that TV plays are targeted at middle-class women sitting at home, most of whom aren’t educated; hence, channels continue to make plays that appeal to them and aren’t too diverse.
“We should look at TV very realistically; it is a medium for the masses and this is what they want to see,” he concluded.
