Pakistani actor Anees Qadir plays M.N. Roy in Ask the Vast, a historical drama broadcast on China Central Television.

by Xiong Weisheng

BEIJING, May 15 (China Economic Net) — When China Economic Net reporter first met Anees Qadir in 2022, the Pakistani actor was marking Chinese lines with Pinyin before heading to another shoot. Four years on, he says he can read most scripts more directly and has appeared in 14 Chinese film and television projects.

Anees first came to China as an international student to study nautical engineering in Xi'an. Acting was not his original plan, but it gradually became his chosen path into Chinese television and film.

"My Chinese has improved a lot. Now I can read lines more easily and memorise them," Anees said in a recent interview. "It has helped me get better roles."

Since the 2022 interview with China Economic Net, Anees said he has appeared in eight TV dramas and six films in China, with some projects broadcast on China Central Television or released on popular streaming platforms such as iQIYI.

His screen credits include the TV drama Nanyang Daughter's Love, the historical drama Ask the Vast, the TV drama Dream City and the Hong Kong action film A Mission in Danger.

He said Ask the Vast, in which he portrayed historical figure M.N. Roy, was particularly meaningful.

"It was a realistic character from history, so I really enjoyed playing this role," he said.

In terms of opportunities for foreign actors in China, Anees said there are chances for those who are professional, dedicated and able to stay in China for work. But actors also need to accept the uncertainty of the industry, he added.

"Sometimes you may not have work for six months or even a year, and sometimes your schedule is full," he said. "You need passion, and you need to accept this reality."

Anees said he still hopes to push forward a film project about Pakistan-China cooperation around the Karakoram Highway, which he mentioned during the 2022 interview.

"We wrote the script according to that time, but now circumstances are different, so it definitely needs some changes," he said.

As the two countries mark 75 years of diplomatic relations, Anees said he hoped screen cooperation could move beyond individual appearances to larger co-productions.

"I want both countries to collaborate and make one blockbuster movie related to Pakistan-China friendship, history and culture," he said.