I was, and still am, incredibly shy: Humayun Saeed

Ever since he embraced his TV comeback with Mr After a gap of three years, Humayun Saeed found himself in demand again. Sit down for a quick interview with Nashpati Prime on their YouTube channelThe Mere Paas Tum Ho The star kept it low-key about his stable marriage with wife Samina, the arc of his acting career and whether he will ever be tempted by the fame and fortune of Bollywood.

In a revelation that will upset fans who have faithfully followed his on-screen journey from Ab Tum Le Saktay Ho to the crown, Humayun remarked in his restrained baritone: “I was very shy. I still am, you know. I’m better now, but still shy.” Recalling his youth and the first girl who broke his heart, Humayun recalled, “She brought me out of my shell. I taught her to drive. It was a completely different energy back then.”

About love, marriage and social media

Devoted as ever to Samina today, Humayun was adamant that there is only one woman in his life now. Happy in his nearly thirty-year steady relationship, the actor joked: “It’s not practical to have adventures anymore – I’m too scared of my wife!”

Apart from the lack of adventure, Humayun drew on the success of his marriage and advised that the core of any successful relationship centered around offering praise and acceptance. “My worst fear is upsetting or losing the people I love,” she admitted. “And I think if you want to keep the love, you have to compliment who you’re with. Give them time. Take care of them. Overlook their faults and love them for all their faults.’

Humayun’s marriage may be stable, but that never made him immune to rumors of infidelity. “You hear all these unfounded rumors about me being married to all these different actors, like Meera or Mishi Khan – none of them are true,” he warned. “I am married to only one woman and she is Samina!”

The star added that he and Samina would love to have children, but parenthood was a milestone that eluded them both. “I love all children, but it hasn’t happened to us. It is the will of Allah,” he said.

Giving the air of a man who wears his marriage comfortably like a second skin, Humayun spoke matter-of-factly about his life with Samina. “She’s never liked having her picture taken, but every now and then she’ll put up a selfie,” she mused as she pondered the pros and cons of social media. “I think social media has taken over our lives, but I also think it can be great to have that validation from people sometimes when someone likes your photo. It makes people happy.”

Social media may give people a mood boost, but Humayun warned how the tangled web of any rumor – almost always emanating from social media – can ensnare the most innocent of parties. “When I was younger, being the subject of rumors or scandal never bothered me,” he noted. “I was saying it doesn’t matter. But now I see that the lies spread on social media have a huge impact on your family. People read what they believe on social media, but my family doesn’t deserve to be caught in their lies!”

The world of showbiz

The welfare of his family is something that Humayun is very aware of, but it was something that Humayun was forced to ignore the moment he realized that he wanted to be an actor. Determined to pursue his passion for showbiz, Humayun bagged a role in his first project but hid it from his family. Never expecting anything to come of it, Humayun was surprised by the praise he received after it.

“I was working in a clothing factory at the time, but when people started responding to my game, I couldn’t believe it,” he recalls. “I couldn’t believe anyone would ever respond to me as an actor.”

Walking to a high point, Humayun knew then that this was what he wanted to do full-time. Although his interests turned towards cinema at first, he soon realized that the market for television dramas in Pakistan was much bigger. “It was so then, and it is still so now,” said Humayun. “From the beginning I wanted to be a producer, and once I started getting acting roles, producing opportunities opened up for me as well.”

Singleing out actors Nadia Jamil and Sania Saeed, Humayun noted that he would not have made it this far without their crucial help at the start of his career. “This woman worked with me in the beginning,” he said. “They, and Mehreen Jabbar – and of course Samina – are the reason I’m here today.”

Today, Humayun is in a position where the upcoming generation of actors stand in awe of him on set – but he makes sure he navigates their scenes without any hint of intimidation. “I’m friendly with all my younger co-stars,” he said. “I’ve worked with a lot of young stars and it’s important to make them comfortable, be their friend and look after them.”

Younger actors are often accused of becoming bigoted quickly, but Humayun sees their journey in showbiz through a more forgiving lens. “We don’t have a system where you can audition or train actors,” he explained. “So when a producer sees someone’s potential, it blows over, and then those actors get a lot of calls. The workload today is greater than before. He guides them [actors] to believe they are superstars. It is OK.”

Humayun himself may be a bona fide superstar of Pakistani television, but he added that he was never tempted by the promises of Bollywood. “To be honest, I never had a big offer from there, but I was never interested. I want to keep my career in Pakistan.”

With his commanding presence on set helping upcoming talent blossom out of their shell, it’s clear that Humayun is here to stay.

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