With over 100 TV plays, a number of telefilms and cinematic appearances to his credit, popular actor-host Faysal Qureshi, is a well-known veteran of the acting world.
With over 100 TV plays, a number of telefilms and cinematic appearances to his credit, popular actor-host Faysal Qureshi, is a well-known veteran of the acting world.
Currently hosting a morning show on a local TV channel and playing the protagonist in drama serial(s) Waada and Parsai, Qureshi looks like he is the go-to actor for every producer.
In a recent interview with BBC Urdu, the actor talked about the impact of social media on our TV plays and also discussed how it affects the way our characters are presented.
“Social media has a strong influence on our TV plays,” he shared. “There are many plays in which characters are shown as either black or white because the society we live in is not open to any sort of variation in between these two extremes. They are quick to make judgments otherwise.”
Talking about some of his roles that have allowed him to present a more realistic picture of human emotions, Qureshi said, “In Bashar Momin, Bashar was a negative character but there was a gray side to it too. On one hand, he was villainous, but on the other hand, he loved his sisters very much and eventually fell in love too. Similarly my character in the play Rang Laaga also had shades of gray; there were some good as well as some bad aspects attached to his personality.”
However, this variation is restricted to a few drama serials that present characters that are closer to reality and therefore relatable. There remains a need for strong, nuanced writing so that characters and their development looks both natural and convincing.
