Anwar Molani: “I Am Always Interested in Portraying Muslim Culture”
Anwar Molani is a doctor by day and actor by night. He plays Dad, Soniya and Yasmeen’s family patriarch, in the “Ramadan America” short “In The Meantime.”
Leading up to and throughout Ramadan, we’ll be highlighting the filmmaking process for “Ramadan America,”Rifelion Media's first-of-its-kind film anthology written by, directed by and starring American Muslims. Our series on “Ramadan America” will include interviews with the cast and crew — many of whom are Muslim American — who brought the film to life.
Molani plays Dad, Soniya and Yasmeen’s family patriarch, in the “Ramadan America” short “In The Meantime.”
(This interview has been edited for length and clarity.)
Fann Staff: Tell us about yourself.
Anwar Molani: I was born and raised in Karachi, Pakistan, in a business family. Currently, I live in Los Angeles. I am a fulltime working physician — a pathologist, to be precise. I write short stories, poetry, scripts, and of course, [I am an actor]. I am an avid golfer, tennis player and a gym rat (but you can’t judge that by my physique).
Fann Staff: Did you fall into acting or was it always a passionate pursuit for you?
Anwar Molani: I was always interested in acting. I wrote, directed and performed my first play at school when I was in fourth grade. I quit acting due to my commitment to med school, but restarted after my last child went to college in 2016.
Fann Staff: Do you have an idol in the world of theater, film or television?
Anwar Molani: Most people might not not know the names of Pakistani actors, but my idol was the late Munawar Zarif.
Fann Staff: Why were you interested in “Ramadan America”?
Anwar Molani: I am a Muslim American and I am always interested in taking a part in portraying Muslim culture, whether it is my writing or acting.
Fann Staff: How did it feel to work on a set mostly made up of Muslim Americans?
Anwar Molani: It was wonderful. I didn't have to make sure that there was no pork in the food.
Fann Staff: What makes “Ramadan America” worth watching?
Anwar Molani: Ramadan is a very special month for all the Muslims across the world. Portraying the family struggles of a Muslim family in the background of Ramadan and Eid was special and shows how significant it is for all Muslims. [I think that] it will draw a parallel with all the Christmas movies most audiences are familiar with.
Portraying the family struggles of a Muslim family in the background of Ramadan and Eid was special and shows how significant it is for all Muslims.
Fann Staff: Do you have a favorite Ramadan or Eid memory of your own?
Anwar Molani: I ended up in rural Louisiana to practice medicine in an underserved area to obtain my green card. [We ended up organizing] an open house for all the community to come and celebrate Eid with us and observe all the Muslims praying and having fun; it was very special. Many people came to me and told me that it changed their perspective about all the Muslims in the U.S.
Fann Staff: Is there anything else you'd like to add?
Anwar Molani: We should make more movies in the background of all the Muslim festivals and our beliefs. It will show the world that we are normal people with the same problems and issues that everyone else has.
During Ramadan, Zubair attempts to connect with his culture through food content on social media ... he ultimately ends up getting schooled by his grandmother on how to prepare a traditional dish.
