Shaheer Sheikh on bringing his interpretation to Salim's role in Dastaan-E-Mohabbat and their struggle to find the female lead
Shaheer Sheikh amd Sonarika Bhadoria
What made you greenlight Dastaan-E-Mohabbat: Salim Anarkali?
The main challenge is to get the right project. Nowadays, people are not willing to experiment; they want to make shows that, they are certain, will work. My last show [Kuch Rang Pyar Ke Aise Bhi] was unconventional, and I was proud of my choice. Fortunately, the makers of Dastaan-E-Mohabbat have a grand vision and want to keep the story as authentic as possible. When they offered me the role of Salim, I felt blessed. Over the years, I have been in talks with the channel for several shows, but this was a role I couldn't refuse.
Since you brought up Kuch Rang Pyar Ke Aise Bhi, fans believed that while the show started out as a unique story, the makers eventually changed the plot to garner TRPs.
That's not true. The makers stuck to their guns and didn't change anything for TRPs. The story remained exactly as it was shared with us during our first narration.
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While Anarkali was famed for her dancing skills, will the show depict Salim's artistic side too?
Since I personally love shayari, I suggested to the makers that my character be depicted as someone who enjoys them. The team asked me to write the shayari; they may be included in the show at a later stage. I think it would be a natural extension of my role since Salim was known to be poetic and romantic.
The period drama requires you to be well-versed in Urdu?
I had learnt the language as a kid in Jammu. So, I brushed up on it as part of prep for the show. I also watched Urdu news to grasp the language better.
The youth forms a large part of your fan base. Do you think the period drama will strike a chord with them?
If we keep the narrative real and don't make it a hardcore historical, the youth will connect with it. At the end of the day, it's a timeless love story, and people love the idea of falling in love. So, it's bound to find audience connect.
When you mention Anarkali, Madhubala is the first name that comes to mind. How close does Sonarika Bhadoria come to establishing the character?
I have always been a fan of Madhubala. She was beautiful, graceful and a fabulous actor. Finding the perfect Anarkali was a long and tiring task. I had done screen tests with so many actors, but we still couldn't find the perfect girl. However, when Sonarika gave her first shot, her eyes peeping out of the pallu, I instinctively knew that we had found our Anarkali. I kept imagining Madhubala every time I saw her. She has done a commendable job with her dancing. I didn't know she was such a fabulous dancer.
Also Read: Ashish Sharma and Sonarika Bhadoria kiss on show Prithvi Vallabh goes viral
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