Pakistani TV Drama Actors Noman Ejaz,
Noman Ijaz started his acting career from Lahore centre and proved in his early plays that he is a good performer. He also did a serial from Quetta centre.
Interview
Nauman Ijaz, if you look back at your initial years, as an actor, what difficulties did you face?
Well frankly not too many; in fact hardly any that were insurmountable. Those over seeing my acting career were people of substance, and I had lot of admiration for them and picked up the finer points, as I got along.
Do you think you are a born actor?
The ingredients were certainly there, the significant one being the immense ‘lagao’ for this field even though I had gone through the normal academic route without much ado; schooling at Cathedral, a few years at F.C college and then Law at Punjab University, but there after Nauman Ijaz became an actor, and without any formal training to back me up I learnt the art of lucid and persuasive dialogue delivery.
And some of them were so ravishingly beautiful and left me enamoured. But please don’t get me wrong here; the moral aspect that is so very essential in every decent relationship was always there, and while I gave them immense respect they also responded in the same way to Nauman Ijaz the actor.
Now that you are a celebrity and a known face in public, how do you adjust to the limelight and appear normal?
Somehow I have always had my finger on the pulse of life around me, and meeting new people and expanding relationship has always awed and excited me. And now as a celebrity I continue to feel active and alive.
Any embarrassing moments faced on account of your celebrity status?
Life is full of such incidents involving the near ones, the dear ones and even the distant ones, but I took them in my stride because there was no malice intended
Your gurus in this line of business; who are they and do you still seek inspiration from them?
Well guru is too big a word and there are hardly any. Icons, there certainly are and Shahrukh Khan is one. But those who have inspired me are people loaded with skills and craft and thoroughly understand how to be successful. Seniors like Masood Anwar and Firdoos Jamal and quite a few directors and their finesse as artists is deeply ingrained on my mind.
How do you schedule your daily routine?
I have to pack a lot into my day and hence have injected considerable of self imposed discipline.
The busy shooting days, are they a bother?
No not at all and I wish I could work 365 days a year.
I do not give interviews and that is how it has been since the day I entered this field. I do not feel the need for interviews, neither do I go for photo sessions as I’ve never wanted this kind of exposure. I want journalists to get this message through your interview that I do not want them to approach me. And what’s more I charge money for giving interviews. I don’t mind if people call me a pagal but I do have responsibilities and a family to look after,” says Noman Ijaz taking one by surprise with such a blunt statement.
He justifies himself for being weary of journalists by saying:
“Eveningers are always printing rumours about me being shacked up with a couple of ladies in a hotel in Karachi. My wife once read out a news item to me which stated that I was completely drunk accompanied by Nirma, and hollering to my heart’s content. Since my wife trusts me, she actually laughed at the story. Had she been distrustful I could have by now said goodbye to my family life for good. It’s true of journalists that their friendship, just as their enmity, is equally dangerous.”
At this point I had to interject the question as to how I was given the ‘honour’ for and interview and that too without paying. Noman Ijaz reassures that it is due to Sultana Siddiqui, “who by the way is not Sultana apa but amma to me.
“We enjoy a very special bond. The first time I saw her I saw shafqat on her face. Since then, she has been amma for me. Leikain amma sey phaday bhi hotay hain.”
Noman first worked with Sultana Siddiqui a some years ago in Doosri Dunya. The next time he was contacted for another project he refused to go ahead with it as, “we could not strike a deal when it came to money. This time when amma contacted me for Wafa Key Mausam I quoted my amount and she acquiesced. And so I’m working with her again.” He cites it as an interesting experience since, “working with experimented artists with fun, and Marina Khan is a jolly soul to be with.”
Was it the cast, script or director that made him go for the serial?
“My criterion for accepting any project is money. I am not interested in who the director or scriptwriter is. It is money and only money that determines which project to go for.”
That’s Noman Ijaz for you – love it or leave it.
On his modus ope***** he says, “Unfortunately I work very professionally. If I give a producer dates I will be there punctually without fail. But if I say eight days I won’t be found on the ninth day as I am already committed elsewhere. As for payment, I need the decided amount the same day and do not believe in instalments. Mein ney koi committee to nahin dali na.”
Isn’t he a bit too full of himself?
“Not really,” he answers. “Once you get to know me you will think differently. I do not allow disrespect from others. That’s something the new entrants need to learn – to be respectful towards their elders. When on the sets I create humour as I am basically humorous. People working with me will vouch that they have a good time. And that’s how I am in my personal life too.”
Noman’s wife has also made her entrance in TV plays with him, besides modelling in commercials.
“She is happy with choice of career and I don’t have any problems when she acts. And no it does not always have to be with me. But I know she won’t go for it.”
He is particularly fond of his two sons and says they are free to choose any career for themselves when they grow up. “I don’t mind if they come in this profession but I will definitely mind if they waste their time being actors in Pakistan,” comes the juxtaposed reply. Does that mean he has wasted his life? “Yes, and I am continuing doing so. But at least nobody in this field can play hanky panky with me as I know how to handle people.”
That’s the lawyer side of the artist speaking, which was repressed after two years of law practising.
“The other actors are always intimidated by the directors and producers and do not defy them as they are scared of not being cast by them again. When these production teams go abroad or place in Pakistan, the cast is usually dumped together in hotel rooms to save on expenses. Nobody dare dump me in a room with others,” reveals Noman triumphantly, his eyes gleaming.
He hopes that all the actors come together on a platform to hire lawyers who can take care of their contracts for them. “This would make life a whole lot easier.”
When talking about PTV he says, “Even today you sign on blank contracts and the amount is filled in later. I have spent one quarter of my age here. The rest that’s left, be it five, ten or fifteen years will be spent here too.”
Why such a short time? we inquire. “The kind of tensions we have to go through here it would be a miracle to live long.” How come he never jumped into films then?
“There is no money there at all. You’d be surprised at the amount they offer you and our artists work for that amount. “I really wouldn’t mind doing a film in India if somebody offered me a role. But never in Pakistan as they are worse than the overflowing gutter.”
The very next minute Noman Ijaz contradicts himself by saying, “I was offered a couple of ventures but when it came to money we could not strike a deal.”
So much for the gutter!
And to think this is the same Noman Ijaz, who was given insignificant roles in the beginning of his career. Persistence and perseverance can take you far. Called on to TV for a role for the first time, he was obviously excited at the prospect and went at the appointed hour.
“A number of leading stars were present. I went and sat down. I was handed the script and was told about the character I was to play. I checked the script from one end to the other end but could not find my character. I rechecked and told them it wasn’t there. The reply was, ‘check page number 29’. It was a single dialogue: Yeh lo rakh lo – that was all I had to deliver. I was dumbstruck. Was this for real? However, I took the script home and pondered over it, to do or not to do? Then I thought why not? And so I did. The next time again it was a one liner. And this continued for a couple of times. The fifth time, however, I got the lead.
Since that time it’s been nothing but the lead for Noman. Quite a few of his serials are being aired simultaneously. Isn’t that overexposure?
“There’s nothing such as overexposure. Once you’re exposed then what? How well you succeed in portraying each character differently shows your expertise.”
Once Noman Ijaz gets down to talking there’s no reining him or his thoughts. He quite often says during the interview, “All that I say is on record. None of it is off the record.”
Your favorite actor, actress and director?
No, I have no favorite but any artiste who touches my soul becomes my favorite.
Will you share with us your family life?
First of all I am not Nauman Ijaz at home. And the one I consider the gift of God is Rabia, who is responsible for many of the good things in my life. She is better at protecting me than many guards, put together and has been there not only in my moments of triumph but also failures and helped to establish stable relationships.
And then Rabia and I are truly grateful to God for endowing us with Zariyan, now a grade 8 student, Shameen a grade 5 junior at Aitchison College and the little one Rayan, a kg pupil at Kids Campus.
I thoroughly enjoy my moments with them.
Your plans for the next three years?
I look forward to plenty of active and alive roles.
Popular Show:
• Dashat
• Fishaar
• Eendhan.
Noman Ejaz, Pictures
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