I was not the villain, I played an honest guy in ‘Meray Paas Tum Ho’: Adnan Siddiqui

Siddiqui talks about his viral selfie and why good looks surpass all the acting talent

Veteran actor Adnan Siddiqui is known for sharing his unfiltered thoughts about the entertainment industry as much as he known for his memorable performances. Earlier this week, during a conversation on The Mirza Malik Show, Siddiqui spoke about Pakistani dramas and their reign over South Asia.

Talking about Meray Pass Tum Ho, the Mom actor credited all his popularity to the show's success. "I feel like that drama impacted my whole career," he began. "I was even told that although the script was finalised at least six years ago, they had my name in mind from the start. I've received so much recognition for a character that people believed to be the villain. I wasn't a villain, but a man who didn't lie to the woman in his life and was completely honest with her. But yes, that role did wonders for me."

After the host, Sania Mirza, called Meray Pass Tum Ho a drama that was ahead of its time, Siddiqui immediately corrected her by drawing an interesting comparison. "Actually, it's [Meray Pass Tum Ho] not ahead of its time, because these things happen in our society too. Pakistani dramas are like Indian films, we can't compete with Indian films as they make outstanding films, similarly, they can’t compete with our dramas. The credit goes entirely to Pakistan Television (PTV); they set a benchmark that no one has been able to top," explained the Dum Mastam star.

The meme fest in 2022

After the hosts brought up a picture of Siddiqui standing in front of a massive fire taking a selfie, everyone broke into a burst of  laughter. The Ye Dil Mera actor further explained that this picture, which was also made into a meme on various social media platforms actually had a deeper meaning to it.

"Everything that comes to the country illegally such as alcohol and drugs gets confiscated by our customs authority. After they gather everything, they just burn it. So, the picture I took was of them burning drugs, including hash and cocaine," detailed Siddiqui.

Moving on, he explained the intent behind taking such a picture and uploading it on the internet. "I uploaded the selfie with the intent that it would show my love for the nation. Why am I here? To save the future of Pakistan. I want to make sure that the youth does not get into drugs. However, it turned out to be something else for people. Luckily, I took the picture with my own camera so I still had all the rights and it went viral all over social media. I would call it a blessing in disguise," remarked Siddiqui.

The veteran actor also revealed some fascinating truths about the fraternity. "What is the one thing that you notice in a person before casting new talent?" asked one of the hosts. To this, he truthfully replied, "A new talent is a package. In many books, it's claimed that 95 % of talent is chosen by their looks and that includes their voice, behaviour, and the way they carry themselves. The remaining 4% is just their luck and the 1% that's left is just their acting skills." Siddiqui then admitted that he too concurred with this checklist. "Personally, I agree with this and wish for everything in a person. When it comes to female actors I don't think much and just cast them," he joked.

Before concluding the conversation, Siddiqui also expressed his desire to work with Iqra Aziz, if he were to choose one actor from the industry. "I know if I say a younger actor's name, people would go online and bash me for being so aged and wanting to work with younger women. However, having addressed this first, I would certainly wish to work with Iqra Aziz because she's quite beautiful," he shared.

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