His career progressed as director Azeem Sajjad cast him in Aye Ishq Zara and director Meesam Naqvi brought him on for Betiyaan which earned him critical acclaim...
US TALK
Every actor’s journey features moments of pure hustle, but for Abdullah Khan, the path to the screen is a testament to sheer determination. From navigating local transport as a starry-eyed teenager just to catch a glimpse of the PTV station, to sneaking out of his house against his family’s wishes to land his debut role in the 2014 PTV telefilm Qurbani Qabool Farma, his entry into showbiz was forged by passion.
While pursuing media studies, Abdullah built his acting foundation through theatre productions at the Pakistan National Council of the Arts in Islamabad. Marking a decisive leap in his career, he made a bold move to Karachi in 2020, presenting his portfolio to local production houses and securing early television roles in serials like Nand and Aazmayish.
His career progressed as director Azeem Sajjad cast him in Aye Ishq Zara and director Meesam Naqvi brought him on for Betiyaan which earned him critical acclaim. Meesam subsequently cast him in Kafeel as Sanam Saeed’s onscreen brother, a role that required aging the character from young to old. That transformative performance in Kafeel put Abdullah firmly on the industry’s radar, leading acclaimed director Haseeb Hassan to handpick him for his latest project Rutba.
Selective about his projects and focused on choosing character-driven, meaningful narratives over simple screen time, Abdullah continues to prove that real effort and patience always find their spotlight.
Us: How long have you had a passion for acting?
Abdullah Khan: I’ve been fascinated by PTV since I was a child. One day, after visiting a college for admissions with two friends, I abruptly said, “Let’s go to PTV.” They thought I was crazy! We didn’t have bikes and barely had enough money for snacks, but I was determined. I told them, “I’m going. You can join or not.” We navigated our way there on local transport, asking for directions along the way. That sheer determination paid off years later – I ended up doing my very first PTV telefilm back in 2014, fulfilling a childhood dream.
Us: How did you get your start in theatre?
AK: When I was around 18 or 19, I did plays through various university groups and performed at the Pakistan National Council of the Arts. I remember approaching a director for a small part, and after seeing my initial performance, he handed me a lead role. I played a character requiring multiple regional accents – Sindhi, Balochi and a specific dialect for a Christian boy. Hearing the audience applaud live in the hall was an unforgettable rush.
Us: Was your family supportive of your career choice?
AK: No, I faced strong opposition. When I signed my first project, I remember my family locked me in my room to stop me from going. I had to sneak out early the next morning to reach the set. They opposed showbiz and wanted me to stick to traditional studies.
Us: How did you balance your studies with acting?
AK: It was tough. I was initially pushed into computer science, but I had zero interest in programming and scored below a 1.0 GPA in my first semester. Realising it wasn’t for me, I switched to media sciences, which aligned with my career goals.
Us: What led to your permanent move to Karachi?
AK: In 2019, I visited Karachi for a few months to explore production houses. When the 2020 lockdowns hit, my university shifted online, allowing me to finish my final two semesters from Karachi and permanently settle here.
Us: Are looks and connections the main drivers of success in showbiz?
AK: A connection might land you your first, second or third project, but it will never carry you past that. Without genuine talent, a strong work ethic and audience acceptance, you simply won’t survive.
Us: Between fame, money and success, which do you prioritise?
AK: Success, without a doubt. Fame and money are just baggage that come with it. Real success is the satisfaction of knowing you gave your absolute best with sincerity and dedication.
Us: How do you handle self-doubt when tackling a complex project?
AK: Self-doubt is always there, especially during the first day or two of a new project. You catch yourself thinking, “Can I really pull this off?” and the natural instinct is to want to step back. But my philosophy is simple: you just have to take the leap. Once you jump in, start the work and push past that initial fear, you realise you can do it. Allah asks us to put in the effort and the rest follows. By the second day, you find your footing and actually start enjoying the process.
My date of birth is
July 29.
The best thing about being a teenager was
You get to feel totally carefree and just live in the moment without stressing about tomorrow.
The worst thing about being a teenager was
No one takes your ambitions seriously. Your goals are often dismissed or laughed off. I knew I wanted to pursue acting by the time I was 15 or 16, and I landed my first drama role at 17. When you express those aspirations early on to family or friends, people just chuckle and nod along like it’s just a phase.
The advice I kept hearing was
You have to follow your heart. If I had listened to the scepticism around me, I wouldn’t have pushed forward. You just have to tune out the noise and stay committed to what you feel driven to do.
My favourite subject was
Honestly, I didn’t care for most traditional subjects except for mathematics which I actually enjoyed.
My least favourite subject was
It was computer science – I just could never wrap my head around programming!
My teenage celebrity crush was
Kareena Kapoor was definitely at the top of the list! Right around the time 3 Idiots came out, she was the absolute favourite.
My favourite singer was
I wouldn’t call myself an overwhelming music addict, but I listened to a lot of Asrar – tracks like ‘Mast Hua’ were constantly on repeat. Aside from that, I listened to popular tracks by Yo Yo Honey Singh, like ‘Blue Eyes’, as well as Bilal Saeed.
My favourite actor was
Ranbir Kapoor, without a doubt. I’ve followed his trajectory from the very beginning – films like Ajab Prem Ki Ghazab Kahani and Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani. But Rockstar is my absolute favourite movie of all time – I’ve watched it at least 58 times! It made me a massive fan of director Imtiaz Ali, and it’s a personal dream of mine to work on a character-driven project like that in the future.
What hurt me the most was
Double standards.
My favourite hangout was
Some of my fondest memories are simply hanging out in the mountains near Daman-e-Koh with friends, setting up barbecues and enjoying the quiet.
My favourite sport was
I was heavily into cricket as a kid and played quite seriously. At one point, I actually wanted to pursue cricket professionally, but my passion for acting went back even further into my childhood. Even today, after all these years, I can still play a solid game.
