GT Profile: Singing a Revolution

With his dazzling energy, actor Mohib Mirza is a superb host for Pakistan Idol

Hosting had never been Mohib Mirza’s cup of tea. He found it dull and repetitive—until the American Idol franchise came to Pakistan. This was an opportunity to host something that really sparked Mohib’s interest; he appreciated the level at which the project was being undertaken and decided it was worth auditioning for. One day, Mohib received a phone call from a producer at Pakistan Idol, asking him to be the host. An actor known for his dazzling energy, the slot was a perfect fit for Mohib.

Mohib jumped headlong into a gruelling 45-day tour across seven cities all over Pakistan. And I say gruelling because the host is present on set from dawn to dusk. It gave him the opportunity to interact with audiences one-on-one, which as a performer Mohib relishes. “It’s different being situated in a crowd of 8000 people, amongst all kinds of Pakistanis, as opposed to in a studio or on set surrounded by just cast and crew.”

‘It is rewarding for me as a person, and a performer, to be given insight into the tastes of the younger generation today: what are they watching, wearing, hearing, and what they are exposed to’

Mohib clearly thrives in this environment, feeding off the energy of the pumped-up crowd. “It is rewarding for me as a person, and a performer, to be given insight into the tastes of the younger generation today: what are they watching, wearing, hearing, and what they are exposed to.” Naturally, there are times when even the most confident of hosts will feel anxious being watched by thousands of eyes. Not Mohib Mirza.

The first episode opened with a view into the city of Multan. The judges hopped onto a tonga and rode off on a tour. Mohib’s voice brought us to our destination, where auditions were being held and a heaving crowd had gathered, cheering on the contestants. We saw Mohib standing at the gate introducing us to the multitudes. He opened the floodgates and they were off in a blaze—the seats filled up even before the judges had taken their chairs. A showcasing of the contestants followed: a hopelessly poor boy named Gopal Guddo Ram stood on stage telling the story of his ill father who desperately needed treatment. He said it was a dream to be auditioning for Pakistan Idol. Hadiqa Kiani asked the boy if he could read or write; he said no. She articulated her reservation that he would be unable to sing a variety of songs in the later stages and Bushra Ansari agreed. Ali Azmat found the singing too loud for his taste. Bushra ji graciously added that Gopal was never out of tune and Hadiqa agreed. Together, the judges decided to give Gopal a unanimous yes and he happily proceeded to the next round. Through the next couple of auditions, it became clear that Ali Azmat is the “mean” judge (he will put the contestants on the spot), Bushra is the nice judge, and Hadiqa is the honest adjudicator with a tender yet firm style of criticism. We saw back-to-back auditions with Mohib announcing commercial breaks. With his mega-watt smile, Mohib cheered on the crowds to boost morale; he narrated what was trending with the contestants. We saw a contestant running up and kissing him on the cheek after getting through the first round! Finally, the episode came to a close.

With his mega-watt smile, Mohib cheers on the crowd to boost morale; he narrates what’s trending with the contestants. We see a contestant running up and kissing him on the cheek after getting through the first round!

After the show had aired two full episodes, the organizers were greeted with two types of feedback. First, how much people were enjoying Pakistan Idol. Second: how much the show resembled Indian Idol. All over Pakistan—especially at weddings—Pakistanis dance to Indian music. Bollywood tunes waft through our malls, restaurants, shaadi halls and on the radio. When it comes to praiseworthy ghazals, people still reminisce about Jagjit and Chitra; in the realm of acting, we adore the likes of Naseeruddin Shah. Mohib gets this, and tells me: “We are a country that feeds on imports.” There have been comments from the public regarding the use of Indian music in Pakistan Idol, but the reality is that Bollywood tunes are buried deep in the cultural vein of Pakistan. And there is nothing wrong with that.

‘If I had not met Aamina, if I had not shared my life with her, I would not have grown as much’

Mohib’s upcoming projects include the film Dukhtar, written and directed by Afia Nathaniel and starring Samiya Mumtaz, Saleha Arif, and Mohib, due to hit theatres in 2014. He says he feels slightly let down by Pakistani drama serials. “They are losing touch with their male audiences”, Mohib says, and I agree. Pakistani dramas revolve almost entirely around a female lead and the men are often props. As our conversation comes to a close, I am struck by Mohib’s thoughtfulness. It feels natural to ask him what it feels like being a “powercouple”—married to one of Pakistan’s most respected actresses, Aamina Sheikh. His response is unselfconscious and touching: “If I had not met Amina, if I had not shared my life with her, I would not have grown as much.” Kudos to Mohib Mirza, a man as thoughtful as he is charismatic. Tune in to the next episode of Pakistan Idol to get a whiff of his infectious energy.