Actor Shuja Sami’s journey from an embroidery shop worker to an established actor is inspiring for all those who believe in hard work and consistently strive to achieve their dreams. He is an actor, director and a social activist. He may have done a few projects for television but all of them are impressive and has bought him critical acclaim from all over the world. His work in Sarmad Khoosat’s Manto and Asher Azeem’s Maalik have been widely praised. MAG got a chance to talk to this versatile actor. Here are 60 seconds from his life. Read on…

How would you describe yourself in five words?

S =Student H =Honest U =Understanding J =Jolly A =Artist

Which celeb would you want as your BFF and why?

Saba Qamar. I had worked with her in Besharam and I found her extremely humble and kind-hearted.

What do you do when no one else is around?

I try to think of a strategy to make my campaign ‘Make One 2 Five People’ more effective to provide relief to individuals dealing with depression and anxiety.

What's the best present you ever received?

It is not a present but advice that my father gave me years ago. He said, “kaam apna acha karoge duniya tareef karegi kaam apna kharab karoge duniya buraiye karegi”.

What's the last thing you watched on Netflix?

It was an Indian web series Ye Kaali Kaali Ankhen.

What do you consider the ultimate comfort food?

There are a lot of options and it mainly depends on my mood and the availability of food items at my place.

Life for you is...

I consider it a pure blessing.

The best memory to-date is...

When I found out that my work in Manto got appreciated at the Jaipur International Film Festival. I still remembered that awesome feeling when a well-known Bollywood writer praised my performance in a Facebook post.

Best vacation memory of yours?

I went to Larkana with my friend by bus. The driver was almost sleeping while driving and we all were so scared that we were yelling and asking him to stop. It was not the best vacation trip but surely an unforgettable one because I still couldn’t come out of that haunting experience.

If you were to interview a celebrity, who would it be?

I would love to interview three amazing ladies who inspire me a lot – and they are Madonna, Sushmita Sen, and Mahira Khan.

Social media is…

It is a powerful platform that can build or destroy anyone’s life in minutes.