An Interview With DJ / Actor Fahad Panni

If you grew up in Islamabad in the 90s, you probably know that there were countable hang out places in the city, everyone fell asleep at around 8 o clock and it was very peaceful. One more thing that was quite notable was that there was only one Radio Channel, FM 100. Does it ring a bell? I remember driving back from our favourite pizza place with mom and dad, listening to the radio in our new Daewoo, with the windows down, feeling the cool monsoon breeze in our faces.

Do you also remember that at some point, there was only one english program on FM 100, DJed by Fahad Panni. The promo went like this: ‘Move it! Fahad Panni de naal’ (Move it with Fahad Panni). My brother and I were glued to our landline phone and the radio at around 7pm, trying to call into his show to get our favourite songs played. Thanks to the low population of Islamabad, we mostly succeeded. I also remember Arno James and Sheryl Malik, how time flies. It seems just like yesterday.

I could go on and on listing memories of the city I grew up in.

Today I’m interviewing someone we have fond memories of. He was well known in our school mainly for being ‘the famous DJ’. He is currently working in the much awaited film: ‘Janaan’.

Tell us a little about yourself.

I’m an artist to begin with. I’m a disc jockey, a radio broadcaster, an actor and a producer. I am also a designer, an event designer and a production designer. I own and manage a media company called The Genuine Idea (TGI).

Your journey from a DJ to an Actor and now a business man, how has it all been?

It’s been a long ride. I started from being a radio broadcaster a week before my 15^th birthday to DJing to mainstream modeling to fashion event coordination and design to moving in to a media house that owned airtime on the national television at a time when we had no satellite channels as an anchor, actor, producer & manager productions. From there to a record label come communications company Indispensable Communications that launched Atif Aslam’s Jalpari album, Abbas Ali Khan, Arieb Azhar, Shahzad Ali. Then I moved to a telecom overlooking its products in south region of Pakistan as a marketing manager. I was also teaching at an arts & media university and then finally decided to work on my own.

How did you start acting and why?

Radio teaches how and what to speak. The highs and lows of speech. Modelling teaches eye contact and body language so television anchoring and acting becomes the next possible result. After 7 years of radio broadcasting and 5 years of modeling in 2002 I did my first television play & television entertainment program hosting.

What was your first appearance as an actor?

In a play called ‘’Aik Gharana, Naya Purana’’

Which actor do you look up to as a role model and why?

I don’t actually look up to one as a role model but I like:

Robert De Niro – his depth of characters is beyond words, solid to the core
Jhonny Depp – his casual approach to the character makes it unbelievably real
Amir Khan – he simply transforms his ability to blend in to a character like no one does

What is your favorite film and why?

Difficult to pin one, there are many for many reasons. Other than a story, I analyze the production design, the editing, the graphic, the complete story telling etc. I watch a movie by view of a production designer and a producer so it’s kind of an unusual eye.

Favorites would include Godfather, Brave heart, Matrix, Back to the Future, X-Men, Three Idiots.

What other hidden talents do you have?

I love interior design.

Which films/dramas have you worked in so far?

Aik Gharana, Naya Purana

Darar

Kisay Kahania

Aarau – Telefilm

The End – Telefilm

Film: Janaan (Debut Film)

Which projects are in the pipe line?

Film Janaan is in pipeline. Due to be premiered on 13^th September 2016, four days after my birthday.

Work is also in progress for a remix album. To start off from where the great Bally Sagoo left.

Tell us a little about Janaan and your role in it.

The story is of a pathan family and revolves around the culture and family values. It touches a social issue as well. In short it’s a romantic comedy for families to enjoy.

I’m in the second lead. My character is of a pathan living abroad who is visiting his family.

What message would you like to give to my readers?

Never lose hope, keep your feet firm on the ground you stand and let no one convince you that ‘this can’t be done’.