WHAT HE'S DONE: His eclectic experience includes: construction worker, owner of a Pakistani restaurant, doughnut street vendor — and now actor. His first gig, in Man Push Cart, earned praise at Sundance for its realism.
HOW HE'S DOING IT: Without any formal training. ''Doing this movie was my first class,'' says the 33-year-old Pakistani native. ''So whatever the teacher said is what I did.''
WHEN HE'LL BREAK BIG: On Sept. 8, Cart, about an ex-Pakistani pop star who sells breakfast on the sidewalks of Manhattan, opens in New York City.
WHY YOU SHOULD ROOT FOR HIM: His life, which partially inspired the documentary-style film, hasn't been all Sundance parties and rave reviews. ''It was so extreme pulling that cart down the streets,'' he says. ''It's over a thousand pounds.''
