Superstar Becomes Highest Grossing Film for Bilal Ashraf

Bilal Ashraf is the only film actor of the current age who started with films and has never featured in any drama. Actor has only stuck to silver screen and that is working out well for the star as his boxoffice stats are exceedingly impressive.

Bilal Ashraf debuted with Janaan which turned out to be a huge HIT and collected well over PKR 160 million. Just a year later, Bilal Ashraf starred in mega budget Yalghaar. Yalghaar couldn’t emerge a box office success but the film went on to rake in massive numbers.

Yalghaar wrapped around PKR 170 million roughly. Later that year, Bilal Ashraf was lead in Rangreza which turned out to be a low grosser with a business around PKR 20 million.

Before the release of Superstar, Yalghaar stood tall as the highest grossing film for Bilal Ashraf but now into its second Week Superstar has overtaken the numbers of Yalghaar. As per estimates, Superstar has roped in around PKR 175 million till now and now stands high as highest grossing film for Bilal Ashraf.

Going by current trends, Superstar will also become first film for Bilal Ashraf to hit PKR 200 million.

Superstar Extended Week One Boxoffice Collections Pakistan

Mahira Khan and Bilal Ashraf starrer Superstar has roped in massive numbers during its 11 days extended week. However the film had the push of Eid that drew in huge footfalls during its first 4 days. But the film couldn’t show pick over the period of Friday to Sunday followed by huge fall over the weekdays.

So far the film has raked a whooping total of PKR 150 million as per estimates at Pakistani box office in extended first week of eleven days. The huge influx of Eid footfalls in first four days had indicated that the seven days extended weekend alone should have gone around PKR 150 million but here 11 days business has reached that mark.

Furthermore, trending on weekdays was way below the mark as weekdays have contributed around PKR 18 million which is a very low number. Last year Jawani Phir Nahi Ani 2 had done 18 million on the first weekday alone. The film has big budgets involved and it will need to show ample growth on second Friday followed by hefty growth on Saturday and Sunday to get back in the game.

Nevertheless, Superstar has already become the second highest grosser of Mahira Khan in just eleven days. With the on going trend the film will become the highest grosser for the star during coming weekend.

Bilal Ashraf goes Hulk Bulk for 'Yalghaar'

I had to cut down to 9% body fat and gain muscle mass for my role: Bilal on his inspiring physical transformassion

We've always known actors have a tough job; after all they're required to become someone else through voice, makeup and character performances. But sometimes even that isn't enough. Some actors have to up their game and undergo extreme physical transformation for a particular role; and that my friends is the toughest of all.

You or I wouldn't actually be agreeable about losing or gaining even a single pound of weight for our jobs. But the actors, they continue to undergo transformations as per the demands of their character. We've heard about Amir Khan and Christian Bale as being two dedicated actors who never hesitate to undergo extreme transformations for their roles but now it seems like, someone on this side of the border is trying to follow in the footsteps of these legends.

Meet Bilal Ashraf; the handsome hunk, who challenged himself for his role as Captain Bilal in Yalghaar and physically metamorphosed into the character. So HIP got in touch with the cool dude to know how his journey has been.

"It was a transformation, especially for the role that required me to cut down my body fat percentage to 9% and gain muscle mass." Bilal told us during the telephonic conversation all the way from London, where he's busy with Yalghaar's post-production.

Cutting down to 9% as the body fat percentage, must have been tough, we asked. "Don't mention tough- this is going to be an understatement. I worked out, with a rigorous routine, twice a day, six days a week for two solid year. Seemed like I didn't have time to do anything else. being in and out of the gym, shoots, training to fire live ammo and drills with actual SSG commandos - that has been pretty much my life since I undertook this challenge for my role," Bilal confessed with a sigh.

So what changes was Bilal required to make in his usual routine that gave him the ultimate look he needed for the role? "I followed a very clean diet along with my strenuous workout routines for two long years. I was eating only boiled food, a very clean diet in fact - no burgers, pizzas, fries, drinks; nothing at all."

Ouch - tough is definitely an understatement. But why undergo such drastic changes for a role? Did the director ask Bilal he had to look like someone in particular or was it the character's demand? "We knew this was what we wanted after going through the script. In fact, Doc and I both wanted Captain Bilal to look a certain way and so we undertook this challenge," Bilal admitted.

We'd say what's good in an actor. if he/she cannot change themselves as required by the character they're supposed to play. There are only a handful of such committed actors in our industry who are ready to undergo such rigorous transformations to put in that element of reality in their performance and Bilal Ashraf deserves accolades for having made such a drastic change in his appearance for the role.

Before we signed off, we did ask Bilal if there was any memory or anything he'd like to share with us about his entire transformation journey; the Janaan star actually burst out laughing and candidly mentioned,"I'd tell you straight that the years have been brutal - like living in a cell (he laughed out loud) but trust me, they've been every bit worth it. I love the outcome and I hope it gets appreciated as well."