Cultural mélange: Fawad Khan set to star in web series produced by Indian OTT giant `Zee5’

Pakistani actor Fawad Khan made many hearts flutter when he made his Bollywood debut with `Khoobsurat’ in 2014. 

His performance in `Kapoor & Sons’ starring late Rishi Kapoor was appreciated across the board. 

The singer-turned-actor, who managed to leave a mark across the border, has been away from the limelight for several years now.

However, Fawad is now making his comeback with a web series, set to be produced by Indian streaming platform, Zee5. The web series stars his Zindagi Gulzar Hai costar Sanam Saeed.

The untitled project is being directed by Cake director, Asim Abbasi. Abbasi previously made headlines for another Zee5 production; the star-studded feminist show, Churails.

In a recent interview with Anupama Chopra, Fawad sat down to speak about his upcoming projects, whether he misses Bollywood and why he doesn’t take up too many projects.

The first pictures of Sanam and Fawad-starrer were released by the director on social media on Wednesday. Fawad plays a single parent in the upcoming drama.

Speaking about the show, the Humsafar star said: “The show features Sanam Saeed. That’s all I’m allowed to reveal. It’s been an amazing experience working with this wonderful cast and crew. There’s one thing I can definitely say about it: perhaps I didn’t get to know everyone on a one-on-one basis, but I spent a great time together with most of them.”

“After Kapoor & Sons, this is probably one of those projects where I feel like I’ve made a family on set. A lot of positive energy went into making it and I felt those positive vibes. I love these guys. This project is dear to me and near my heart. I made some great friends there and still keep in touch with them. I miss Bombay, I think it’s a beautiful city. In fact, in every city I’ve been to, I’ve had a lovely experience,” he said.

Talking about working again in India and his Indian counterparts, Fawad shared, “I would love to collaborate and work together. It is an educational experience. It increases your exposure and understanding of people from different parts of the world. It fosters friendships, relationships, and the things that we look for – more peaceful times.”

Fawad has also been at the receiving end of how his ‘looks’ might have been the reason he wasn’t signed up for a project. Was he too handsome for a role? Fawad doesn’t think so.

“If I lost a role, that’s because I wasn’t good enough for it, not because I was too pretty for it. There have been many more beautiful faces in the world, and they land all the roles that they want to. I never felt like that, at least,” he said. The actor further shared, “I didn’t get a role because I wasn’t good enough a performer or because I didn’t suit it. [As far as objectification is concerned] I think at some level, everyone likes being objectified as long as it doesn’t cross a very thin line and becomes offensive,” he said.

Apart from bagging projects, Fawad’s initiative to boast for better scripts made headlines in 2019. The Next Big Story welcomes writers from all walks of life and gives them an opportunity to put their thoughts on paper. Being in the industry for more than two decades, Fawad feels it’s high time to cater to new ideas.

“I would like it to happen for lighting and tech departments. There should be workshops where you call in people and are able to exchange ideas, learn from them and teach them something too,” he said. “Living in the kind of limitations that we do, enhances our ability to cope with situations, which we call jugaads. Between India and Pakistan, this could be a great trade of talent – learning the technology and exchanging ideas could be a great thing,” he said.