After successful TV stint, Valley actor upbeat about Bollywood debut

M Aamir Khan

Tribune News Service

Srinagar, July 9

After completing a degree in engineering, Ummer Khan’s decision to pursue acting as a profession had worried his parents hailing from Khwajabagh in north Kashmir’s Baramulla district. However, within a year after landing in Mumbai, Khan managed to bag good modelling assignments and a role in popular television serial “Kasauti Zindagi Kay 2”.

He was looking forward to the release of his debut film and web series before the Covid-19 lockdown threw normal life out of gear. Now that life is limping back to normal, Khan is upbeat over the release of the films he worked in and hopes to become an inspiration for the Kashmiri youth even as acting and film-based activities have always taken a backseat in the Valley after the eruption of militancy around 30 years back.

“I arrived in Mumbai in January last year. Initially, I had to struggle but later I got modelling assignments and then I started getting noticed more after playing Dr Roshan in ‘Kasauti Zindagi Kay 2’. I also acted in a Telugu film, ‘Venky Mama’, and was looking forward to the release of other films before the coronavirus pandemic stopped shootings and post-production works. Now, my web series titled ‘SOT’” under the Salman Khan production SKTV is releasing shortly and its promo is already on air. I am also looking forward to the release of my first Bollywood and other South Indian films — the names of which I can reveal once the remaining shoot and post-production is completed,” Khan said while talking to The Tribune.

Though he had started acting, modelling and video-jockeying during his school days in the Valley only, Khan decided to choose acting as a career after getting “Mr Personality” award during a college function in Chandigarh. “When I was doing engineering from GGS College, Chandigarh, I won a ‘Mr Personality’ contest and got lots of accolades. Then I decided to become an actor. My parents did not like the idea initially and wanted me to get a job after my engineering degree. But, now they are happy once they see me bagging good roles,” he said.

Khan said acting was not frowned upon by everybody anymore in the Valley and lots of youth now wanted to pursue a career in acting and modelling.

“I get lots of calls and messages from the Kashmiri youth who want to pursue singing, modelling or acting as a career. There is a lot of talent but not enough exposure and there are not many platforms to showcase our talent. I learnt a lot from seniors when I started acting in Mumbai. I hope I inspire more youth from Kashmir wanting to pursue their dream of becoming actors,” he said.