Interview with Faraz Inam of Alpha Bravo Charlie

Published in The Saturday Post, Issue 196
Interview by Sadaf Fayyaz

Meet Faraz Inam, the actor from the legendary drama serials Sunehray Din and Alpha Bravo Chalie. We had the opportunity to catch up with Faraz and learn of his experiences working in these dramas and what he’s up to these days.

Tell something about your education and background.

I was born in Oct 1970 in Rawalpindi. My childhood was spent at various PAF Bases since my father was a fighter pilot. I completed my BComm from Islamabad in 1991, and in 1996 I graduated with a Masters in Business Administration from LUMS. I am currently working in an Abu Dhabi Bank and managing a Corporate Unit in Dubai. I am married with three kids.

Tell something about your first drama and acting experience:

I was given the opportunity by chance when a friend of mine had the role in Sunehray Din, but he had to back out as he was leaving to study abroad. He referred my name to Shoaib Mansoor who then called me for an audition and then eventually offered me the role of GC Faraz. Alpha Bravo Charlie was a natural progression to Sunehrey Din since the role of Captain Faraz was a continuation of GC Faraz.

What was response from your family when you started acting?

My parents were very supportive, but they were also concerned whether acting would impact my studies since I was doing my Bachelor’s at the time.

What was your first reaction before camera?

I was never camera shy and I didn’t even consider that I was acting in front of a camera. Shoaib Mansoor kept the shooting atmosphere as low key as possible. He would tell us not to act, but to react to situations that he described to us, which allowed us to act more naturally.

What was the response when these two serials aired?

Both of the serials got a very good response as there was a sense of belonging towards the army amongst the younger generation and their parents. The serials reflected how young men in the Pakistani army spent their lives and how they got trained. This project was given to Shoaib Mansoor by ISPR in order to provide a glimpse into cadets’ lives. I’ve heard that after ABC was aired, many young men felt inspired to join the forces, and that is a great achievement of this play.

Out of all the co-stars, with whom did you enjoy working the most?

I enjoyed working with Abdullah because we had quite a number of scenes together. Working with the rest of the crew was also a great experience.

These two plays are legends of Pakistan now, what response did you get when these aired?

People were very kind to give us a lot of accolade and respect. It was nice of them to come up to me and praise the serials and our work in it.

What was your inspiration while acting in these two plays?

I had idolized a life in uniform for myself; these drama serials allowed me to act the life I had always fantasized of. Perhaps that was my inspiration for working in these plays.

If there is a part three of these series, would you like to work in it?

If there were a third part to the series, Faraz would definitely be playing a role in it. I don’t know to what extent it’ll become a reality, but I would certainly like to consider playing my part in the third serial as well. All I would need to do prior to that would be getting a hair transplant and losing some weight (laughs)!

How did you take critics on your work?

Interestingly, I have not had the privilege of having my acting critiqued, but I would definitely take it positively if the opportunity came my way.

What is your biggest desire?

(Hazaron Khawahishain aisee kay har khawahish pay dum niklay, bohut niklay mairay armaan laikin phir bhi kum niklay.) On a serious note, I would like to do more for my nation by either joining politics or a welfare organization.

Lastly, what is your message to the readers of The Saturday Post?

Our country Pakistan is passing through a very challenging phase. We are actually fighting for our identity envisaged by our founding father Quaid e Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah. Despair, despondency and disaster are prevailing in our country. In such a situation, we as individuals should try to reach our goals and targets, which would sum up to the collective success as a nation. Believe in yourself and have faith in God.