Like many outsiders in a fiercely competitive industry, Usama Khan faced a long road to success in show business. Originally from Gujranwala, a modest city in Punjab, Khan relocated to Karachi, the heart of the Pakistani media industry, with dreams of making it big on television. However, before he could become a beloved figure on the small screen, he had to navigate a steep learning curve. Khan spent some time in Dubai searching for job opportunities, an experience he considers pivotal in shaping his character. “Dubai taught me a lot,” he reflects, fondly remembering his time there. “I had just finished my ACCA in Pakistan and was eager to achieve great things, thinking everything would be easy.” He recalls how a friend encouraged him to explore opportunities outside Pakistan, leading him to Dubai in search of his fortune. “I moved to Dubai and started looking for jobs, often sitting in parking lots with friends,” he recounts. “We would talk about anything and everything. It was a special time.” He smiles warmly as he reminisces about his Dubai days. “Living in a city like Dubai, you learn a lot. People work incredibly hard, and you gain exposure to how people from all over the world live.”
Recently, Khan visited the UAE and shared his experience on social media. He wrote, “When you dream big and those dreams come true, it’s most fulfilling to share the joy of those dreams with the people who believed in them. I’m grateful to my parents for seeing my success today, and also to my friends in Dubai who I still keep in touch with. I cherish my connection with them and find it rewarding to share this new journey with them.” Khan’s three shows, Ghair, Sunn Mere Dil, and Qarz e Jaan, are highly rated and widely watched in Pakistan and on digital platforms. He values his success but is aware that it can be fleeting. “I’m very cautious now,” he says thoughtfully. “I know you can be up one moment and down the next. I also feel a greater responsibility to choose my characters carefully. While I may take on commercial projects occasionally, I hope to portray characters that people can relate to, rather than larger-than-life heroes they can only admire from a distance.”
Khan began his journey in 2018 and has come a long way since then. From small roles in occasional telefilms or soap-style TV shows, he now leads two major projects (Ghair and Qarz e Jaan) and is gaining attention for his role in Sunn Mere Dil, where he stars opposite Wahaj Ali and Maya Ali. Khan’s insights reveal how deeply he considers his characters and their nuances. He shows a diary filled with notes about his characters. “These are my notes! I take detailed notes about my characters. Salis wears a lot of colors, which reflects his indecisiveness and self-involved nature. Ammar is extremely possessive about Sadaf, while Burhan is the opposite of Salis; he’s decisive and knows exactly what he’s doing.” Does he discuss his roles with directors? Are there things he wouldn’t do in a script? “There’s always room for discussion,” he answers. “I believe human beings are complex, and characters are best portrayed when they’re multifaceted. I hope to showcase that. I wouldn’t do anything too toxic though.”
Rapidly becoming a household name, Khan’s impact on the audience’s hearts is here to stay. “People are really invested,” he admits, still somewhat in disbelief that he’s not yet considered ‘famous.’ “I get a lot of messages on Instagram where people tell me they don’t want me to leave Wafa and ask why I married Sadaf. I also meet people who tell me how they want my characters to be. It’s wonderful to see how seriously they take them.”
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