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Ahad Raza Mir
Born (1993-09-29) 29 September 1993 (age 30)
Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan
NationalityCanadian, Pakistani
EducationBachelor of Fine Arts
Alma materUniversity of Calgary
Occupation(s)Actor, writer, singer
Years active2010–present
FamilyAsif Raza Mir (father)Musical career
Instrument(s)
Websitewww.ahadrazamir.com

Ahad Raza Mir (Urdu: آحدرضامیر; born: September 29, 1993) is an actor, singer, and writer with dual Pakistani and Canadian citizenship. Mir made his televison debut in 2010 with Babar Javed's drama series Khamosiyan produced under his father's company A&B Entertainment. He then moved to Canada to pursue his bachelors and in 2014 he appeared in Stephen Sondheim's musical West Side Story production of U of C Operetta Company. He went on to perform several roles on stage in same year, earning Calgary Theatre Critics’ Award for Best Actor Musical.[1] In 2017, Mir made his feature television debut with social-drama Sammi earning him critical appraisal.[2]

A leading role in a romantic drama Yaqeen Ka Safar (2017) proved to be a breakthrough for Mir and he received Lux Style Award for Best Actor for it.[3] In 2018, he made his film debut with Parwaaz Hay Junoon alongside Hamza Ali Abbasi and Hania Amir where he played a fighter-pilot and is set to play Jameel in period drama Aangan. In 2018, he debuted as a featured artist in the eleventh season of Coke Studio.

Early life and career

Ahad Raza Mir was born on September 29, 1993 in Karachi, Sindh. He is a son of Asif Raza Mir, an actor and filmmaker; and Samra Raza Mir, a housewife. He has one younger brother, Adnan Raza Mir. Mir's father is a veteran actor, and producer of Pakistani film and television industry; his grandfather Raza Mir, was a filmmaker and cinematographer of first ever Pakistani film, Teri Yaad (1948).[4] He graduated from University of Calgary in Bachelor of Fine Arts.[5]

Mir started his career in 2010, before pursuing his education in Canada with his father's production company A&B Entertainment. He played a brief role of Wasif in Hum TV's romantic-drama Khamosiyan.[6] He then moved to Canada for his bachelors in BBA but later he changed his major to BFA to pursue his career in acting, he explained, "for as long as I can remember, acting is the only career that I've wanted to pursue in my life, although I was enjoying BBA but I realized half way through that I wasn't internally happy. I discerned that when you have a plan A, there's no point of having a plan B. There should be one plan and it should be your only goal, that's when I decided to make the switch and changed from BBA to BFA in university of Calgary."[7] During his bachelors he started his career through stage, performing, directing and writting in several musicals in theatre groups around the Calgary. He played Tony in West Side Story in his university production of U of C Operetta Company and went onto perform recurring roles in plays such as A Picture with a Bullet, The Tempest, Romeo and Juliet, Macbeth, Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo and Naughty But Nice; for the later he won the (now defunct[8]) Calgary Theatre Critics’ Award for Best Actor Musical also known as The Critters.[1] Mir wanted to move to Toronto, but instead decided to come back to Pakistan to work in films and television,[9] "It was one fine morning when I got this wild idea of moving to Pakistan as I had not been there from over a decade. Ever since that decision, I've been quite lucky and very grateful to be accepted by the people here."[7]

In 2017, he started auditioning for Hum TV's production house MD Productions and was casted as a leading role in Yaqeen Ka Safar and a recurring role in Sammi, the latter went into production early but he gained a wider recognition and fame with the former where he played a grief-stricken brother as Dr. Asfand Yaar,[10][11] alongside Sajjal Ali.[12] His performance earned him Lux Style Award for Best Actor, and won three Hum Awards including Hum Award for Best Actor.[13] Coming from an influential filmmaking family, Ahad was accused of nepotism to which his father said it is very "natural of people to made that comment" and acknowleged that "to some extent it was easier because there was a reference" but has also said "regardless of his family name, and he’s been able to overcome this, proving his mettle on his own."[14] Responding to such claims Mir said, "people kept telling me I was a star-kid, but I spent most of my time not knowing that. It was oblivious to me. I wanted people to take me, as an actor, very seriously. I'm not a social media celebrity, I'm not here to become famous; I’'m here to give Pakistan some good cinema and TV."[14] Talking about the difference in Canadian and Pakistani film exposure he said, "my vital years were spent in Canada and after moving here I feel I am very lucky that I got so much. But the adjustments I had to make were about life, like getting used to the weather, the way people worked and their punctuality here."[15] He further said, "here [In Pakistan] you need to have connections, your looks matter, how many followers you have etc. Talent, I feel, comes right at the end and sadly I feel Pakistan has more celebrities and less actors."[16]

Upcoming projects

In 2018, Mir made his film debut with Haseeb Hassan's military-drama Parwaaz Hay Junoon, co-starring Hamza Ali Abbasi and Hania Amir and is scheduled to release on Eid al-Adha in August 2018.[17] Mir replaced Osman Khalid Butt in a role of Flight Lieutenant Saad,[18] who opted out due to his other commitments.[19] He reunited with Sajjal Ali in Mohammed Ehteshamuddin directed,[20] upcoming period-drama Aangan where he played a poet Jameel. About the character Mir said, "Jameel is the most confusing character I have ever played. He is a poet, he is a politician, he’s somebody who is on a journey of what love means, what family bonds mean, somebody who is actually quite relatable to everyone out there."[21] Mir made his Coke Studio debut as a featured artist in its upcoming eleventh-season, the director and producer of the series Zohaib Kazi said, "we saw something akin to it on Instagram. Not exactly like it but we saw Ahad Raza Mir singing a little and playing the guitar on Instagram. When we saw that, we thought he had something. To be able to play right while singing is an art in itself. We decided we should talk to him."[22]

Filmography

Key
Denotes work that have not yet been released

Films

YearTitleRoleDirectorNotes
2010LOSTSarmadShailender VyasCanadian docudrama
2018Parwaaz Hay JunoonSaadHaseeb Hassandebut Pakistani film

Television

YearTitleRoleDirectorNotes
2010KhamoshiyanWasifBabar JavedPakistani TV debut
2017SammiSalarSaife Hassan
2017Yaqeen Ka SafarDr. Asfandyar Ali KhanShahzad Kashmiri
2018Coke StudioFeatured artistAli Hamza, Zohaib KaziEleventh season
TBAAanganJameelMohammed Ehteshamuddin

Stage

OpenedProductionRoleTheater/VenueNotes
2014West Side StoryTonyU of C Operetta Company
2014A Picture with a BulletRubenCommon Ground Music Festival
2014The TempestCalibanTheatre Calgary
2014Romeo and JulietTybaltRoyal Shakespeare Company
2014Naughty But NiceN/AForte Musical Theatre Guild
2015MacbethLennoxRoyal Shakespeare Company
2015Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad ZooMusaSearch Tower Company

Awards and nominations

YearAwardsCategoryNominated workResultRef(s)
2016Calgary Theatre Critics' AwardsBest Actor in a MusicalNaughty But NiceWon
[1]
2018Lux Style AwardsBest Actor - TelevisionYaqeen Ka SafarWon
[23]
2018Hum AwardsBest Actor PopularYaqeen Ka SafarWon
[24]
Onscreen Couple PopularWon
Best Television Sensation maleWon

References

Category:Living peopleCategory:Pakistani male modelsCategory:Pakistani male television actors