DNA (October 1, 2014)


Humsafar was a huge hit and a career highlight for you. Is the show out of your system now?
Humsafar was my first show and it was an overnight success. It was life altering for me. It still lives with me because the character of Khirad is very close to my heart. The entire cast and crew are responsible for the success of the show. It changed the face of Pakistani television.

How excited are you that your show Humsafar will now air on Zindagi?
I am really excited. I am not sure how the reaction will be, I hope it is positive. Humsafar is actually older than most of the shows that have aired on Zindagi. it can easily be touted as the most successful show in last 20-30 years in Pakistan.

Tell us something about the serial?
Humsafar is the story of two people from different backgrounds. They’re both strangers who get married to each other. There is amazing love that brews between them. How they separate and are united after several years forms the crux of the story.

What kind of a character are you playing in Humsafar?
Khirad is a small town, independent girl. Her mother is unwell and there are always money constraints at home. Despite her circumstances, she has a very liberated thought process. The name Khirad means ‘intelligence’. She is well behaved, smart and most importantly she is a girl who has a lot of self-respect. To sum this up in a line, Khirad is the ultimate woman.

Fawad Khan is already a big name here, how was the experience working with him?
I feel happy for him. Every time I hear something nice about him, I smile. Fawad is exactly what you know about him. As a friend, he is a really great guy. Both as a friend and co-star, I really look up to him. I love the way he conducts himself. The way he debuted in Bollywood, is the best way he could do it. Though I was a newcomer and Fawad had been in the industry for quite a few years, he really helped me through the filming of the show. We had amazing fun while shooting for Humsafar and I think that has translated into a great onscreen chemistry between us.

How difficult was it for you to play Khirad?
It wasn’t all that difficult for me because a part of me is just like Khirad. She is a little shy and hesitant and so am I. But there were times when I didn’t identify with her. For example, Khirad is very submissive, and while shooting certain scenes I wished she could handle the situations differently. There were times when I wanted Khirad to be a little composed in life. I was very new in the industry and I got an opportunity to work with all the veterans. Over the years, I have now accepted that one needs to be very honest to the character. The lines you say, you need to mean them. Only then the audience will also be able to connect with your role onscreen.

How did you and Fawad crack this brilliant chemistry?
While shooting, we never improvised or rehearsed before the scenes. Sarmad, our director often used to get all worked up and call us fools and say that Fawad and I have no chemistry at all. But when they began editing the show, Sarmad called me and said “You both have created magic on screen”. I trusted Fawad and I knew that he would bring out the best in me. After Humsafar, Fawad and I became everyone’s favourite couple.