The man behind ‘Gulsher’ in Alpha, Bravo, Charlie is having us recall memories of the hit military drama.
Before casting real soldiers in military dramas became a trend, Colonel (R) Qasim Shah made his acting debut with Pakistan Television (PTV) classic Sunehray Din. Later he appeared in a second military drama Alpha Bravo Charlie. Soon enough he was a household name.
In an interview, with Express Tribune the soldier recalled his television days. He ran into trouble with the military for his television stint but he looks back on those days fondly.
“Actually, my off (leave) was banned as a punishment and I was amongst a few cadets who were present in the Pakistan Military Academy, Kakul, when all others were enjoying their vacations.”
Our emotional attachment to the character might stem from the fact that he was named ‘Gulsher’ in both drama serials. Was that what the creators were trying to do?
“It was decided by Mr Shoaib. He was quite conscious of and particular about the names of the characters and the way they sound when pronounced. He did not change the names of Faraz and some other characters, but chose Gulsher for me because it sounded good.”
Despite looking fondly at his television stint, the now-retired military man will only consider future projects based on
“I am proud to be a soldier and I love to be revered as a soldier. Moreover, it is my affiliation with army that paved the way for my entry into celebrity camp. Besides, I did not receive too many offers for films, dramas, or modeling ventures. So far as morning shows, talk shows, and other national and patriotic events are concerned, you will see me there at regular intervals. If I get offers, now, after retirement, I will definitely decide on the basis of scripts, the prescribed roles, and the scopes of the projects.”
Speaking of merit, the PTV golden era celeb is not too pleased with the current state of television.
“The whole scenario has changed to a great extent during last three decades and commercialization and monetary success have taken over the driving seat of socio-entertainment activities. So, critics are quite right to say that the quality of the entertainment programs and, especially, literary and artistic adventures are declining day by day.”
Do you agree with him? Let us know what you think in the comments below.
