‘Dobara’ was initially supposed to star OKB as Mahir, not Bilal Abbas Khan

Actor Osman Khalid Butt, known for his roles in popular drama serials and sitcoms such as Chupke Chupke and Diyar e Dil, was recently asked by a fan whether there was a particular role he regretted missing out on. While the actor isn’t one to dwell over scripts he has turned down, there is one project that he wishes he had found the time to take on. Butt revealed during an appearance on Nida Yasir’s Good Morning Pakistan that he regrets not being able to do Danish Nawaz’s Dobara, which now stars Bilal Abbas Khan and Hadiqa Kiani.

Answering the fan question during a segment of the show, Butt shared, “Usually, I don’t feel any regret because when I read [the script], I can tell whether it's powerful enough or not. Also, sometimes you feel like you won’t fit well in the character and that you won’t be able to portray it with honesty.”

However, reflecting on the one project he wished he hadn’t let slip, the actor added, “Dobara, which was directed by Danish Nawaz. At the time, I was stuck in Karachi because of Covid and I was also shifting. Chupke Chupke had also taken off. I had a lot of commitments and responsibilities in Islamabad that I had to fulfil, and the shoots were starting very soon after Chupke Chupke. So, unfortunately, I couldn’t do it. But after watching five to ten episodes [of Dobara] and even after reading the script, I found it very interesting.”

Another fan asked the actor why he prefers to portray characters that are part of “love triangles” and steer clear of “saas-bahu” stories. To this, Butt responded, “I don’t really agree with this point of view, because I’ve tried very hard to portray different characters in my career. Aun Zara didn’t have any love triangle, it was the story of a family. Surkh Chandni was the story of an acid burn survivor."

He added, “My main aim is that the project I do should not be similar to ones I’ve done previously.”

The Ehd e Wafa actor also shared that he is interested in starting his own production business soon. He revealed, “I have thought about getting into production. I’ve always been very interested in direction and gathering a team. Writing is something I’ve been doing for some time. Just trying to take it to the next level now.”