Zeerak Khan: Sneaky Zeekee
Tell us about your journey as an actor, director, and comedian?
I started with mimicking when I was 13, it was the joker because I generally enjoyed comic book movies, once I had this down my friends encouraged me to keep at it which led to acting and I started to learn and understand the purpose of ‘acting’ and films and what form of art it is. I was 14 when I landed my first short film but when I was 15 that’s when I landed a part in a theatre play called ‘ye shaadi nahi ho sakti’ which changed ALOT for me. It made me want to work hard and grind and keep myself humble as well as launch me on my feet and understand my craft. I learnt new things every single day. I have a habit of acting out random scenes when I have nothing to do which keeps my chops fresh and it has been a crazy journey because along the way, I started to write stories. I’ve had visions that I wanted to tell and that’s when I started learning film-making and directed my first short film ‘Broken’. Of course I knew nothing but that one film made me realize how far I can go, and looking back to that film, it makes me sick because if you don’t feel off by watching your own first attempt at film making, then you’re on the wrong track. You have to disgust yourself at your first attempts to motivate yourself to keep getting better!
The comedy side of my life came a year ago when I was lucky enough to perform on Akbar Chaudhry’s show ‘jokes on jumerat’. I always had a funny bone, no not my weird collar bone but the one that’s nonexistent but in my mind. So I gave it a shot because I always enjoyed making people laugh or feel good, so that has been going well, Alhumdulillah.
What inspired or motivated you to choose this profession?
I’m not gonna say ‘yo man always been a dream since I was a kid’ that’s cliché, but really it was a childhood dream, kidding! What motivated me at first was again, just to be in the center of positive attention, by that I mean I’d like attention. If I deserve it for something I’ve worked on and I’ve always been a living cartoon and been imitating characters, started with spider- man as a kid since he is my all-time favourite character! What motivated me to pursue this as a career was that when I was younger, we shifted to Pakistan from Saudi Arabia and my life turned upside down and I couldn’t afford to sleep and eat all day so I decided to go for something that I love and will pay as a profession. Because I believe I’d rather die young and maybe broke but have the world know what I did and how much I cared about being myself and giving the people a meaning, a New hope or help in any way along with being on that stage and having living the best time rather than being old and rich and have no one remember who I was. performing on that stage any day over an office job.
Because to me, life is like that up there, the stars, it’s about going up no matter what you face and doing what you love instead of settling for what is below you.
What do you enjoy the most, acting, direction or comedy?
Personally, I enjoy acting and performing because that is my strongest suite. Direction comes as a bigger responsibility which I sometimes don’t want to carry but no matter how big the acting job is I’ll take it. Either losing weight for a character or staying up for days on end! This is the life I chose so it’s only fair I give my all in every opportunity to show my humility otherwise I’d be another wannabe star who just wants fame and that is NOT what I was meant to be. Acting is all about being so versatile and engaging that people relate, engage, learn or just enjoy. What’s your biggest hurdle that you’ve had to overcome in your career?
What kept you going in crisis?
It’s usually been the ‘connections’. I always have to audition or work double for what people with a name behind them or money. Usually the politics as well, roles are taken from me or not given because some big name ‘feels’ like he wants to play. And it is sometimes with the appearance. I am confident with how I am but I’m not the sexiest man alive, so mostly the good looking dudes are wanted even if they can’t act. Personally to me, talent over looks, looks can be made in a day or two but talent can’t be compromised or just ‘given’
Which personality inspired you? What is it about them that you admire?
Interestingly, two people did, the legendary man himself, Jim Carrey! This man taught me to laugh in times I cried, the times I felt lost his voice, his movies, his personality, what he believed in and how had this slapstick persona which was too addictive to watch and learn from. He was the example of humility to me.
And when it comes to performing? None other than the Queen himself, Freddie Mercury (lead singer of Queen). This man was the epitome and prime example of ‘best performer’ the way he moved and gave his heart and body out every time he picked the mic, was just unreal, even months before he died he was giving all he could, that is beyond inspiring.
What got you into cosplaying? What cosplay is your own personal favourite one?
Cosplaying to me was a part of acting. It’s about bringing iconic characters to life; I’ve always been a fan of comic con but never thought I could go to one, until 2015 when I got to know about one happening in Karachi, Dastan-E-Comic con. It was my first con and first cosplay. I cosplayed Quicksilver (from X men) and Freddy Kruger. What encouraged me were the people though for the most part I enjoyed it, I found the community toxic and something I didn’t want to associate with too much but I still love cosplaying, I was blessed and humbled to host Karachi Con 2016, thanks to Nehal Ahmed the organizer and most of ultimate comic con 2017. I cosplayed as the joker on both of these events and it’s a tie between spider-man and the joker for my favourite cosplays!
Tell us about your favorite moment of your career so far?
This was a tough one so I came down to two of them, one was being casted in my first drama which is Khasara (2018) and the other is hosting Eatistan (2019) where I was lucky enough to be in the best phase and managed to make the crowd energetic and have vocal improv with. Having a crowd pump up with you and share their energy is BEYOND amazing!! For proof my Eatistan Vlog on my page would help!
What would you say is the hardest part about being in showbiz?
The hardest part has to be staying active. While I’m a workaholic and constantly looking for projects or what not, I also wish to have time for myself to play video games and paint. Of course that is cut short because of work, relates to being a superhero, one minute you’re chilling the next thing you gotta be a hero and save the day! Or save my day in this case, because the Bills won’t pay themselves!
Has any fan complained to you on social media? How do you feel when they criticise you?
Yes a couple times, it’s usually been about my short films, while I understand their criticism they sometimes don’t look at how we have made it. We manage to pull off films with nothing but a camera and an okay mic because of budget so we do whatever is possible but of course we are improving that up because I’m done settling a compromised vision due to equipment! And of course they have their right to criticise.
Tell us about your project film “The Joker”? How is the response?
The joker’ was the first film I had a proper team with. Hassan Bhangar co directed and wrote it which made it easier for me to focus on my acting and easily directing the visuals and pace of the film. Before that I had to do everything which ruined whatever was good enough. And ALHUMDULLILAH, the response is positive with just a little bit of critique of technical errors, something we can fix now!
And I had to get this movie done because I’ve done alot of gigs as the joker so I thought to make a proper film before I hang up the nasty grin and make up for a little while to focus on our original screenplays and something fresh for the audience in a unique style!
What are you most terrified to be remembered as?
The one thing I always fear is after I’m gone, not being remembered for who I really was. It would be devastating if all I’ve achieved is not remembered or even celebrated so I live each day as a performer so my greatest fear is far from reality. I’d always like to do what I was born to that is to be a performer and punch a hole in the sky.
What is the best thing about being an actor according to you?
The free food on set! Haha, kidding. It’s the surreal experience to be in someone else’s shoes and then make people feel or connect to whoever I portray and make it as grounded as possible and to enjoy life in hundreds of visions! It’s like living many lives in one lifetime!
What’s next on cards for ‘Sneaky Zeekee”?
For now it’s bringing out original short films, (in Urdu of course), constant content and experimenting with whatever is possible and of course, my comedy shows! And if lucky, to finally be given an opportunity to bring the one film to life that blows everyone away!
All Images Sources: www.facebook.com/sneakyzeekee