Acting since 2012, critically acclaimed actor Gohar Rasheed has managed to impress viewers with versatile roles in multiple mediums such as theatre, TV and film over the last decade. Some of his recent, notable performances include intense portrayals in drama serial Mujhay Jeenay Do and film Rangreza.

Presently playing a key character in drama serial Ishqiya opposite Ramsha Khan, the actor is gearing up for three roles on the big screen in 2020.

His first film release of the year is the much anticipated The Legend of Maula Jatt that is coming out on Eid ul Fitr 2020 in which Gohar plays the integral role of Maakha Natt. Speaking to Instep in an exclusive conversation, he explained that the character is “pivotal” to the plot in more ways than one.

“The presence and performance of Maakha Natt is very integral to the narrative of The Legend of Maula Jatt and is very important to the conception of the whole idea,” he informed, adding, “The upcoming film is going to be very different from the 1979 version; there is no relevance to the previous film.”

While it’s been long since The Legend of Maula Jatt was shot, Gohar recently wrapped up shooting for actor and director Faisal Qureshi’s film, Money Back Guarantee that has an ensemble cast including Gohar Rasheed. Written and directed by Qureshi, the film, according to Gohar, is “hilarious”.

“The way Faisal Qureshi has written it; how he has incorporated incidents, action, humour and everything, he has done a fantastic job,” Gohar shared, informing that as soon as he read the script, he was sold to take up the project even when he didn’t know about the rest of the cast. “It is a political satire that hasn’t been done before. It is a new genre and the capacity in which it is done, it’s funny and relatable.”

The film features Fawad Khan, Wasim Akram, Kiran Malik, Mani and many others. It was initially expected to release on Eid ul Fitr 2020 but there hasn’t been any announcement yet.

The third film in which we will see Gohar Rasheed essaying a key role is London Nahi Jaunga, featuring Humayun Saeed, Mehwish Hayat, Kubra Khan, Sohail Ahmed and others. With the first spell of the film currently being shot in Bahawalpur, the next spell will take place in London, beginning from April. Gohar plays the role of Liaquat Bhatti in the film.

“It is a complete family entertainer and is not a sequel to Punjab Nahi Jaongi; it is releasing on Eid ul Azha 2020,” revealed Gohar, expressing that he always wanted to work with Nadeem Baig and he has had a great learning experience with him so far.

Gohar recalled, “When Nadeem Baig asked me about it, I instantly said yes. So far, as much as I have worked with him, I have learnt so much from him on the set; it’s like reinventing and exploring one’s own self. The best brief that I have gotten from him is, ‘Gohar I don’t want you to ACT,’ and I was like what am I supposed to do then? I was completely petrified; being an actor, acting is my tool and that tool is taken away by the director. But, he wanted me to keep things natural and that is such a great learning experience for me.”

Gohar will be sharing the screen with Humayun Saeed in London Nahi Jaunga with whom he co-starred in Main Hoon Shahid Afridi many moons ago. The script of the film is penned by Khalil Ur Rehman Qamar, who is presently under fire for his inappropriate remarks again and again on national television (after this interview was conducted).

Gohar maintained that it is like a dream come true for him to work with the trio – Nadeem Baig, Humayun Saeed and Khalil Ur Rehman Qamar – in a single project. When asked about his take on Khalil Ur Rehman Qamar’s views that have stirred controversies in the past as well, he responded, “I believe in freedom of speech and keeping the artist separate from the art. That’s his personal view, one can agree or disagree but that doesn’t have anything to do with whether one should work with him or not. We all have opinions and I respect that. Everyone knows he is a brilliant writer and any actor would want to take up his script. (This may no longer be true after the limits he has crossed on national television recently.)

When asked what the major pull is when it comes to selecting roles/projects, Gohar was quick to mention, it is the team more than the character or the story. It is his comfort with the people around that matters the most to the actor who works on the basis of the vibes he gets from people, especially if he hasn’t worked with them in the past.

“For me, it is a process and I want to enjoy my process rather than it being stressful for me,” he asserted, adding that he has been fortunate to work with fantastic teams in all three films. “The result is not in our hands, anyway.”

Gohar has been a little away from the screen in the last couple of years, except for appearing in a few drama serials and that too in small roles. When questioned what his reason has been to stay away from the small screen, the Ramz e Ishq actor admitted that when his film Rangreza (2017) tanked at the box office, though his performance got critical acclaim, it took a toll on him. “It was my first film that tanked and that took a little toll on me; I needed some downtime too after Rangreza,” he noted, also adding that he was caught up with Maula Jatt and was in a certain look at that time. “I had to maintain that look in which I couldn’t do many dramas either. The entire focus was on that for three years.”

With The Legend of Maula Jatt finally releasing this Eid ul Fitr, let’s wait and see what the actor has on offer for fans, particularly those who haven’t had the privilege of seeing him on the big screen since 2017 or at all.