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Acknowledgment is key
Human beings thrive on positive affirmation and
acknowledgment; from children to adults. We all need
it and it pushes us to excel. Therefore, when you are
working in a certain field, you do need acknowledgment.
It is taken very positively and in particular, for those
in this sector, I feel the HEALTH Awards will certainly
help the respective experts excel even further in their
particular fields.
Creating awareness
Creating awareness across all fields is very important.
Nowadays, people are getting back to nature and what
is right for them--from the gyms and fitness products to
organic food. These days, it’s really all about the basics
and learning, so the HEALTH Awards are a great way of
giving back that importance and recognition. It should be
discussed and made important.
The impact on today’s consumer
If I know a doctor or health professional is an award
winner, I personally, will definitely go to this person over
others. That expert who has been lauded a ‘HEALTH
Award’ means distinctions in excellence. Plus, it’s
all about people creating awareness and inculcating
education across all sectors.
Lifestyle
I am a self-confessed foodie; being a half Punjabi
and half Pathan, it goes without saying that I love my
food, especially Punjabi food. To be honest, it is very
challenging to stay fit, but I do my best to steer clear of
junk food, include lots of healthy protein and less carbs.
I try and stick to my workouts to balance everything
out. In fact, I have a fitness trainer who comes home.
But working out and being fit is not just for actors, but
staying fit and healthy is for everyone.
Carving a niche
Yes, I am an actor, but I am also involved with certain
NGOs. I go and visit places where there are no doctors,
no running water, and no schools. When I was offered
Recognizing excellence in healthcare through the annual HEALTH Awards
The HEALTH Awards are a wonderful idea and I think that it’s very important because
mostly we see people from show business getting awards; but health is the core focus for
all of us. The old saying ‘health is wealth’ is absolutely true. If you are healthy, you can enjoy
everything in the world—all kinds of luxuries, all sorts of entertainment, you can travel,
and overall feel good about yourself. Health, therefore, is our biggest asset as human
beings and the fact that these HEALTH Awards are awarding excellence in the health and
wellness sectors is an excellent idea and a wonderful initiative.
my role in the TV Serial Udari, a drama that portrayed child
abuse, it was a taboo subject both in Pakistan and India. It’s
unfortunately something people shy away from discussing
across the board. In fact, we were the first to actually bring
this to light in such a huge way. I have always played the boy
next door, the lover boy or the generally the nice boy. When
I was offered this villainous role, initially I thought it would
negatively impact my career. But it was actually very well
received, not only in Pakistan, but abroad also. Initially, I also
faced some criticism from my family who told me perhaps I
would be judged negatively or my image might get tarnished
somehow; people may forget that it’s just acting.
H
Discussion
After Udari, some people have actually come forward and
told me stories from their childhood of abuse. So, yes, I feel
in retrospect, it was an educational project that did well as
an entertainment portal as it created awareness and people
are now talking about abuse in Pakistan. Again, creating
awareness in all realms is key to today’s consumer; be it in
the healthcare sector or in television.
15
Nov/Dec 2016