Pakistani actor Hamza Ali Abbasi recently joined Ahmed Fozan on his podcast for an engaging conversation about his acting journey. He opened up about playing morally complex characters and shared his unique way of keeping his real life separate from his roles.
Balancing Emotionally Challenging Roles
Best known for his iconic performances as Afzal in Pyarey Afzal and Noori Nath in The Legend of Maula Jatt, Abbasi told how he handles the emotional and psychological challenges of such contrasting roles while staying grounded in reality.
Separating Acting from Reality
Unlike method actors who stay in character for months, Abbasi separates his acting and real life. In the podcast, the host mentioned Indian actor Nawazuddin Siddiqui, who deeply immerses himself in his roles.
Siddiqui once said, “I’m not a computer that can just turn off. As actors, we take things from our characters, and they take things from us and it’s tough work.“
Abbasi praised actors like Nawazuddin Siddiqui for staying in character for months but said he prefers a different approach. He explained, “I respect that, but for me, the deeper I go, the more I struggle. I need a clear boundary.“
He added that while he puts his full effort into a role, he switches off as soon as the director says “cut” and follows a basic character outline instead of completely immersing himself.
Pyarey Afzal: A Heartbreaking Journey
Written by Khalil-ur-Rehman Qamar and directed by Nadeem Baig, Pyarey Afzal was one of Pakistan’s most loved dramas when it came out in 2013. It told the story of Afzal Subhanullah, a small-town man whose unreturned love and wrong choices led him into the world of crime. Even though he became violent, his sad ending made people feel deeply for him.
The Pyarey Afzal star sees himself as different from actors who deeply get into their roles for months before acting and then struggle to separate from their characters even after filming ends.
The Legend of Maula Jatt: A Cinematic Triumph
In 2022, Abbasi played a completely different role in The Legend of Maula Jatt. Directed by Bilal Lashari, this film was a fresh take on the 1979 classic and became Pakistan’s highest-earning movie.
With a big budget and a star-studded cast including Fawad Khan, Mahira Khan, and Gohar Rasheed, Abbasi played the terrifying villain, Noori Nath.
He pointed out, “Afzal became a gangster and killed people, and so did Noori Nath. But in the end, both had tragic fates, which is what I find interesting about their stories.”
Keeping Work and Personal Life Apart
Many actors find it hard to separate their roles from real life, but Abbasi believes in keeping work and personal life apart. “If I let my characters affect my real life, it would be exhausting. Noori Nath is ruthless, and I leave that energy on set,” he said.
He explained that acting is about understanding people while also setting personal limits. Abbasi summed it up simply: “I love my job, but I leave my characters on screen. That keeps me grounded.”
His ability to switch between roles while staying true to himself is what makes him one of Pakistan’s most skilled actors today.