From football to finance: Four emerging actors on unconventional journeys that led them to showbiz

For some, acting is a childhood ambition. For others, it begins with an unexpected audition, a friend’s suggestion or even a chance conversation on a film set. For Rizwan Ali Jaffri, Saima Hussyn, Mahnoor Sheikh and Noor Xarmina, the road to showbiz has been anything but conventional.

In an interview, the emerging actors opened up about their journeys into the entertainment industry, the families and careers they came from, and what they have learnt since stepping in front of the camera.

Their paths have taken them from education and corporate jobs to modelling, school performances and childhood Dubsmash videos — proving there is no single route into acting.

For Jaffri, acting was never part of the plan. Before entering modelling, he was a football enthusiast. “I used to play football and had long hair. I used to watch Italian footballers,” he recalled.

It was a friend, Ali Shakeel, who first introduced him to modelling. Jaffri had little idea what the profession involved at the time. “He was like, ‘I want to shoot you.’ I didn’t know about modelling. I was like, ‘Oh, there are magazines too?’ From there, my portfolio went on.”

Modelling eventually opened the door to acting. Director Sarmad Khoosat encouraged him to make the transition, leading to his project Paani Jaisa Pyaar. Jaffri later appeared in dramas such as Deewar and Bas Tere Saath.

The move from modelling to acting, however, required him to develop an entirely different set of skills. “Modelling is more about posture. Here, it’s a different line of expressions and dialogue.”

Working alongside seasoned actors has also been an important part of his learning curve. Jaffri recalled his experience with Nauman Ijaz in the telefilm Chal Dil Mere as particularly valuable. “He is a very good teacher. He tells you the whole scene, how to do it. He’s amazing at it. He understands your character very well too.”

While showbiz became an increasingly important part of his life, education remained a priority. Jaffri said his father, who holds a PhD in computer science, initially wanted him to focus on academics and was not particularly enthusiastic about his modelling ambitions.

Eventually, Jaffri found a way to pursue both. He completed a master’s degree in business and technology and interned at Coca-Cola, gaining first-hand experience of the corporate world.

“I think education is very important. Your exposure and understanding increases,” he said. “Wherever you’re going, marketing also plays a role — the theories of how to approach someone or go about a brand.”

A second career for Saima

Unlike Jaffri, Saima Hussyn did not grow up with a clear ambition to become an actor. “I was not interested, but when someone pitched me the idea, I was doing a nine-to-five job at the time.”

She had heard similar suggestions from others but had never taken them seriously. Fahad Sarfaraz, however, convinced her to at least give it a try. “Many people had said it to me, but I didn’t take it seriously. So he was like, ‘Okay, just give an audition.’”

The audition did not even lead to the character she had initially tried out for. The production team felt her appearance was better suited to another role and cast her accordingly. “They thought my face was very innocent for that role, so they gave me another drama.”

About a year into her television career, Hussyn had appeared in Daam-e-Mohabbat, with another project, Kaisa Yeh Ishq, yet to air. At the same time, she is pursuing a bachelor’s degree in psychology — a combination that makes for long days on set. “This is 12 hours’ time, but at least this is something I like to do,” she said.

She is also the younger sister of actor Sonya Hussyn, a connection that inevitably brings assumptions about nepotism. She, however, believes audiences are capable of deciding for themselves who deserves to move forward.

“If people say, ‘Oh, it’s easy because she’s her sister,’ I think the audience is intelligent enough now to know that you only go beyond if you excel in acting. If they like her, they’ll make her go ahead.”