An Eventful Evening Debate with a Profound Actor – Arif Zakaria
Name: Arif Zakaria
Date of Birth: 11th November
Profession: Actor and Performer at Theatre
Zodiac Sign: Scorpio
About Arif Zakaria:
Arif Zakaria is a versatile actor known for his exceptional acting skills. He began his acting experiments with theatres and slowly, made a remarkable career in films and television. Arif has delivered his brilliance in popular films mentioned in the later part of this article. He has traveled globally to spread his charm amongst the international audience too.
Arif has played a major role in the production of the famous Australian musical show – ‘Merchants of Bollywood’. The show was performed in countries like Poland, Hong Kong, Australia, China, Europe, and more… The last season was held in Sydney, 2010.
His exceptional role in ‘Haunted – 3D’ scared the hell out of audience to an extent that the expectations to see him in negative roles exceeded.
Remarkable Roles on Television Series by Arif Zakaria:
- Karambhoomi
- Dhund
- Chunauti
- Campus
- Aarzoo
- Kaali – Ek Agnipariksha and more…
Significant Roles in Movies by Arif Zakaria:
- Hero
- Asambhav
- Dance Like a Man (English movie)
- Earth – 1947 (starring Aamir Khan, Rahul Khanna, Arif Zakaria, Maia Sethna)
- Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose: The Forgotten Hero (War film directed by Shyam Benegal)
- Home Delivery (starring Ayesha Takia, Vivek Oberoi)
- Haunted – 3D (starring Mahaakshay Chakraborty, Arif Zakaria, Twinkle Bajpai)
- Deewar (starring Amitabh Bachchan, Sanjay Dutt, Akshaye Khanna, and Amrito Rao)
- Darmiyaan
- My Name is Khan (starring Shahrukh Khan and Kajol)
- Dee Saturday Night
- Darr at the Mall
- Blue Mountain
- Jism 2
- Krrish 3
- Nanak Shah Fakir
- Rokkk (starring Tanushree Dutta, Udita Goswami, Sachin Khedekar)
- Ishq Forever and more…
Recent Theatre Plays:
- Gardish Mein Taare – Plays based on Guru Dutt’s life (directed by Saif Hyder Hasan)
Upcoming Projects by Arif Zakaria:
- Spotlight (by Vikram Bhatt)
- Ahaan
- Poorna (movie based on the girl who climbed Mt. Everest)
Arif has done justice to every role he adopted; some characters played by him confused the audience if he was actually the same in real.
‘Arif Zakaria’ is one name with many talents associated. He is an excellent badminton player and loves to keep himself fit with various sports activities. Arif has also practiced martial arts for 5 years.
My meet with Arif Zakaria:
He flaunts his personality by his sincerity. We met at ‘Eat Around the Corner’, Pali Hill, Bandra for an evening debate. The restaurant serves mouthwatering desserts, pasta, and delicious green tea with honey and cinnamon powder.
He looked fresh, active, and cheerful with that rare smile that he carries. Arif arrived in a light blue polo t-shirt and grey trousers. He looked like a stunning director than an actor to me. We were seated to begin our conversation. My sister, Bhairavi Sharma (Author of Mindcuffed and The Abyssal Secrets) accompanied me for the wonderful evening with Arif Zakaria.
It is doubtless to agree that he is a versatile personality who carries vivid looks; Arif will sway you from his thoughtful approach towards Bollywood. He gave me some brilliant answers and an enlivening message to the aspiring artists of the entertainment industry.
Questions and answers with Arif Zakaria:
Shruti Sharma: What was your first project in the industry?
Arif Zakaria: I began my career with Doordarshan in ‘Chunauti’ series. I was a newbie and learnt a lot about the industry from there. I enjoyed being a part of the process.
Shruti Sharma: How has the industry treated you in your years of expertise?
Arif Zakaria: Shruti, the industry gave me mixed feelings through my learning days. Today, I can say, that it is warm, friendly, and secular. It welcomes people with talent and determination.
Shruti Sharma: What was your favorite character so far?
Arif Zakaria: I played the ghost in haunted – 3D and it gave me immense experience and exposure.
Shruti Sharma: How professional and sincere is casting direction team today according to you?
Arif Zakaria: Casting team plays a very important part in the industry today. With the passing years, it has become more and more professional.
Shruti Sharma: People from different parts of the country often get exploited with the hopes of fame and recognition; do you have any advice for them?
Arif Zakaria: My advice to them is that if you have talent and dedication in you, the industry welcomes you with open arms. All you need to do is enquire and make some research before you approach any casting team. I agree there are fake people who are trying to manipulate things and exploit the generation; however, it’s everywhere and you need to be smart enough in your approach towards the right channel.
Shruti Sharma: How do you handle sarcasm and negative comments in the entertainment industry?
Arif Zakaria: To be honest to you, I am least bothered. If you start getting affected by these remarks, it will be difficult for you to survive. Just focus on your career and future goals.
Shruti Sharma: What are your thoughts about the practice of Nepotism in Bollywood?
Arif Zakaria: Shruti, it’s easy to use power of your existence to favor relatives or friends and give them the entry ticket to Bollywood. All I can tell you is, the entry may be easy, but to sustain your existence is extremely difficult. At the end of the day, the audience is the decision maker of whom they want to see on the big screen.
Shruti Sharma: Some artists have a habit of carrying stardom on their sleeves, what do you have to say about it?
Arif Zakaria: My only advice to such artists is that; remember you can go down anytime! Keep a level head of where this stardom is leading you to. According to me, ‘stardom is like a bubble; just enjoy it till it lasts.’
Shruti Sharma: Every individual faces his own depression and saturation period, what is your advice to them and how you do personally handle falls in life?
Arif Zakaria: As per me, ‘self-motivation is an anti-depressant.’ That’s all I can say.
Shruti Sharma: Any message for the audience and fans?
Arif Zakaria: Be self-driven and have the tenacity to hang in there. Your self-belief and a positive attitude will take you much ahead in your career and life at large.
Straight from the writer’s desk:
Arif Zakaria, you are a one man show! It is difficult to notice other characters when we see you on screen; such is the impact of your appearance and acting. I thank you for the lovely hospitality, the tea, the dessert, and most importantly, your time. It was worth every moment spent.
Initially, I was startled at your ghastly image from the movie, Haunted – 3D, but within a few minutes you took it away from my memory by your lovely company. I am eagerly waiting to see you on the big screen with your upcoming projects and wish you all the best for your future endeavors. Keep smiling and inspiring always!
