Actor Javed Sheikh recounts long struggle to superstardom

Monday's episode of Jashn-e-Cricket featured legendary actor Javed Sheikh, who talked about his rise in the world of showbiz from an extra on the sets of a Radio Pakistan project to one of the most respected actors in the Pakistani film industry.

Ali Meer's hilarious parody of Shehryar Afridi and an interesting anecdote about Shoaib Akhtar knocking a famous TV personality and actor flat on his back with a deadly bouncer added to the entertainment factor. 

The show began with Afridi's character hilariously arguing with anchor Shahzad Iqbal and telling him,"Shahzad ne jaan Allah ko deni hai, sab ne jaan Allah ko deni hai par khaal Imran Khan ko deni hai (Shahzad has to give his life to Allah, every one of us have to give our lives to Allah but we will give the hides only to Imran Khan) which drove the audience into hysterics.

Javed Sheikh, whose career has spanned four decades and over a hundred acting projects, spoke at length on the show about his rise in the entertainment industry. He spoke about his first-ever role in TV at a young age and as an extra on the sets.

"I worked as an extra on TV, in a film and for radio," he revealed. "I was given only one shot, one sentence and one line. That's it."

Sheikh narrated how he had failed five auditions of Radio Pakistan after which he pulled some strings to get a sixth audition. "People used to tell me when I auditioned that I didn't know how to say the lines or my expressions weren't good," he recalled.

However, the sixth audition worked for him and he was selected for the role. Sheikh also spoke about his first role as an extra for the Mohammad Ali and Waheed Murad and Nadeem Baig starrer Jaag Utha Hai Insan. The veteran actor recalled how he and his friends were sitting atop a wall, watching the film shoot when a man beckoned them inside.

Sheikh and his friends were asked if they wanted to feature as extras in the movie whereby they agreed happily. He recounted how starstruck he was to see acting titans the likes of Mohammad Ali, Nadeem Baig, Waheed Murad and actress Saba roaming around on the film studio. "Mohammad Ali was my favourite actor," he said.

Sheikh and his friends were made to sit on a camel but their faces were covered with scarves. Mohammad Ali was also riding beside them on another camel, holding a gun. Disappointed, Sheikh asked someone from the film crew why their faces were hidden. "I was told that it was a scene where Mohammad Ali had rescued women from a village. We were told that our faces were covered as there were not enough women to cast in the scene hence we were portrayed as women," he said, laughing.

'Today's actors lack professionalism'

The veteran did not mince his words when he was asked about the difference between today's actors and those of yesteryears. "Today, actors are not as professional as the previous ones used to be," he said.

Sheikh said that nowadays, actors used to be busy on cellphones all the time even when they were on set and shooting for their shows. "They [current actors] are on the phone 24 hours a day. I mean, a professional actor never keeps the phone with him [on set]," he said. Sheikh said that he never carried a phone on set and gave it away to his assistant, Riaz, as it was important for an actor not to be distracted. "You have to say in that character. If you do not stay in that character, how will you perform?" he said. "So there's a lot of difference between these guys and those actors."

Pakistan film industry on the right track

He said that though the Pakistan film industry had not returned to its golden days of the '60s and '70s but it was on the track to do so. He said that there was a dark era in the local film industry when only one type of movies used to be made and educated people slowly stopped watching Pakistani movies.

"Now, these educated girls and boys are coming to the industry and a big change will come because of them," he said.

Sheikh says he wouldn't want to work in India under the current political situation.

In response to a question, Sheikh said he had done a lot of good films in India. However, he said that his heart wouldn't allow him to work for any Bollywood films under the current political climate in India.

"With whatever is happening with Muslims in India and the current situation, I don't think my heart will allow me to work there," he said. "Till the situation does not settle."

He said that art and artists did not have boundaries but the situation at the moment in India was really grim. "What's happening in Kashmir, in New Delhi and the whole Gujarat one as well. These events really pained my heart," he said.

Sheikh said that not all Indians were like their government and said that "everything will be right again". In response to a question, he said that Indian films and movies should not be shown in Pakistan. "Absolutely not. Indian movies and films should not be shown in Pakistan," he said. "We are now standing on our own feet and the day is not far when our film industry will be flourishing," he added.

Shoaib Akhtar's deadly bouncer once injured Fakhr-e-Alam

The Rawalpindi Express shared an incident when he bowled a deadly bouncer to singer, actor and TV personality Fakhr-e-Alam that caused him to fall flat on his back. Shaoib recalled how Fakhr asked him during a nets practice session to bowl to him.

"He (Fahr-e-Alam) was doing a lot of dramaybaazi and showing off to people that he was a very good batsman. Some people told me to 'put him back' as Fakhr was hosting a lot of stuff those days and becoming famous," he recalled.

Shoaib said that he bowled a fast bouncer to Fakhr and the ball struck him on the chin. "I said to him,'Sorry Fakhr. I hit you by mistake. Your friends asked me to,'" said the Rawalpindi Express.

Shahzad Iqbal disclosed that Pakistan's Test skipper Azhar Ali had also recalled being hit with a bouncer from Shoaib Akhtar. 

Azhar was struck on the helmet by a fast-paced delivery from Akhtar, Iqbal told audience.

"I don't remember Shahzad," responded Shoaib. "I have hit so many people both inside and outside the nets that I can't remember."

Shoaib thinks Lahore has made the tournament more interesting with recent victories

Shoaib said that the Lahore Qalandars' recent victories had opened up the tournament for every franchise in the league. He said that Islamabad United were "in danger" of being eliminated from the tournament by the Karachi Kings and Lahore Qalandars.

"I hope they [Lahore Qalandars] don't do what they have been doing since the past four years. Lose two matches and they're out of the tournament," he said.

Shoaib said that Zalmi will be in trouble if it loses its next two games and if Islamabad performs poorly as well. He advised the Qalandars to bat the out-of-form Fakhar Zaman further down the side and put Chris Lynn back into the playing XI. He said that if Lahore wins the PSL then the city will always stand by the Qalandars.