In conversation with Adeel Chaudhry

By Tooba Ghani

10 April, 2020

Our relationship with social media is like you can’t live with it and at the same time you can’t live without it....

What does success mean to you?

To have inner satisfaction; to know that you are doing a good job and that your audience appreciates what you do.

Something you learned early in your career which helped you become a better actor/singer?

Always pray! When your faith is concrete, you know your prayers will be accepted.

Do you believe good looks and connections are the only things that make a star?

They are definitely big brownie points! But my opinion is they are not the most important aspects. Your acting skills matter the most. Things like how you play a certain character, what kind of vibe you have, and how well you connect to the audience makes you a real star.

How has social media changed things for you? What’s the best and worst thing about social media?

Our relationship with social media is like you can’t live with it and at the same time you can’t live without it.

For me, the best part is being able to connect with fans and receive real and direct feedback from my audience, especially on the projects I am currently starring in.

And the worst part is it’s addictive. It’s like you start with a page about Pakistani showbiz and three hours later end up on a page about polar bears in the Antarctica. Before you know it, you have lost an incredible amount of time while all the important stuff you need to do is just there waiting for you.

Reflecting on your career, what lessons have you learned and how have they helped you evolve?

I have learnt to be patient and understanding; most importantly, now, instead of getting emotional, I look at feedback more logically. This has enabled me to self-reflect and improve myself. And, all of this shines through my acting skills.

How do you deal with self-doubt?

Actually, I don’t let self-doubt overpower me because I always trust the process. If I feel I can’t do something, it turns into a challenge for me and who doesn’t like challenges?

Three pieces of advice for aspiring actors/singers.

1. Trust your journey.

2. Cultivate self-confidence so that it reflects through your performances.

3. Always take feedback positively; what doesn’t kill you, will make you stronger.

What motivates you the most, singing or acting?

Well, both singing and acting motivate me. I started off as a singer and I ended up being an actor, but it was my plan. I envisioned it because that’s what I wanted to do and I worked hard towards it.

How do you choose your projects?

When the production house approaches me for a project, I ask about the story and the writer and that’s my deciding criteria. In my case, story is what helps me choose a project and that’s why my projects were blockbusters.

Your best project till date?

Munafiq and Hiddat are best projects till date.

Your take on Pakistani movies and TV?

It’s really great that Pakistani movies are now based on original scripts. There are so many stories in our country which could be turned into inspiring scripts for movies. We should follow original scripts and stories instead of following in the footsteps of other film industries.

Do you plan to do music more when our music is confined to Coke Studio, Nescafe Basement and Pepsi Battle of the Bands?

Yes, I would love to do music! It’s been a while since I released a song and I was supposed to release one this month, but unfortunately due to the coronavirus situation, I had to postpone it.

Do you plan to do movie OSTs?

I love to do OSTs for movies or drama serials. That’s why I did a song “Kisey awaaz doon”.

I did an OST for my first drama serial. So, I would definitely want to continue doing them.