Mikaal Zulfiqar discusses his new drama serial, “Jaise Apki Marzi,” and working in India

Renowned Pakistani actor Mikaal Zulfiqar talked candidly about his ground-breaking role as Sherry in the TV series Jaise Apki Marzi in a recent interview with BBC Urdu. The actor discussed the intricacies of his character, the difficulties of playing dramatic roles, and his open views on the workings of the Pakistani entertainment business. The actor also mentioned how India takes advantage of Pakistani artists in a different context.

Mikaal started out by highlighting Sherry’s distinct personality and pointing out how uncommon it is to find someone like him who is unashamedly honest about their poisonous nature. He gave the screenwriter credit for creating an engaging story that broke from the mold of typical female-driven dramas.

“Toxic people seldom acknowledge their toxic nature. However, we must give Sherry credit for being himself on your face, at least. In addition, I want to thank the writer for this excellent work. Sherry was a driving character, so I said yes. Our dramas are typically led by strong female characters who advance the story. However, in this instance, it was the opposite.

The actor said that he was a little self-centered in taking the part since he thought Sherry’s complexity would make him look good on screen. Mikaal discovered a space for artistic expression despite Sherry’s dominant and overbearing demeanor in sequences with Alizeh’s character, and the audience’s enthusiastic response validated his choice. “To be honest, I didn’t find anything inspiring about Sherry; in every scene, he overshadows Alizeh’s character and does it in a way that made no sense to me in real life. However, I saw a lot of leeway as an actor. You may argue that, in accepting this script, I was self-centered since I thought I could excel. And I succeeded; that’s fantastic.

When asked if he had ever met someone that were similar to Sherry in real life, Mikaal said that he was inspired by narcissistic people, society, and his own experiences. In light of the difficult sequences, Mikaal emphasized his dedication to preserving a fluid performance. “I’m getting compliments on my attempt to keep things natural as well. I made no attempt to exert pressure. I could have paused and emphasized particular lines in my discussion, but I wanted to convey everything clearly. I wouldn’t argue that it wasn’t my best performance to date, as many have said.

The topic of intense characters’ effects on actors was brought up. Mikaal said he chooses the characters he plays carefully because he understands that the roles an actor plays can have a lasting impact. You are still acting out a scene that that character would, whether it is genuine or not. Seven years ago, I realized this, and I started to be quite selective about the personalities I chose to portray. I turned down the opportunity to play the role of a child molester, which Ahsan Khan plays in Udaari, because I didn’t want to play that out. My own daughters are here.

Speaking about Jaise Apki Marzi, Mikaal emphasized the drama’s emphasis on relationship red flags. “Jaise Apki Marzi is about the warning signs in relationships that we often ignore in our youth and the consequences that follow.” Because they believe their spouses or ex-husbands were just like this, most women can identify to it. It makes me sad. This play has succeeded, in my opinion, if it can alert individuals to these warning signs sooner rather than later. And males can also benefit from this. Additionally, women can be poisonous.

In an open admission, Mikaal talked about his experiences working in India and said that although he has heard good things from Indians, he thinks Pakistani musicians have been taken advantage of in the Indian entertainment sector. He made it clear that his remarks were motivated by a desire for fairness rather than hostility. “Everyone is aware of the background of our working relationship, and I spoke from personal experience when I made those comments. I’m not the only artist who has been taken advantage of in India. In my heart, Indians are wonderful people; I frequently engage with them and receive a lot of feedback from them. However, certain regions of India or individuals, particularly the Indian establishment, tend to portray us in a bad light whenever they have the chance. To be clear, I don’t hate them, but there needs to be parity in the playing field.

Mikaal ended by advising Pakistani performers not to believe that in order to succeed, they must work in India. “It’s also incorrect for Pakistani actors to believe that in order to become superstars, they must work in India.”