A family as big as ‘Baby Baji’ is a no-go for us: Hasan, Sunita on joint family system in Pakistan

The couple is currently playing on-screen husband-wife Naseer and Asma in the family drama

Celebrity couple Hasan Ahmed and Sunita Marshall have become the new favourite on-screen couple with their portrayal as Naseer and Asma in Baby Baji. However, Hasan revealed that neither of them was the first priority to cast for these roles, with Sunita’s role undecided up until three days before shooting.

In conversation with Fuchsia, the couple opened up on working together after eight years, their views on the joint family system and the subliminal messages that Baby Baji is bringing to the audiences.

Talking about how they got the script in the first place, Hasan revealed that only he was first considered for the project. “I got the script three months before the project was supposed to start, but they offered me Jamal. I said no, and told them that I was more interested in doing Naseer. Jamal is a very nice guy, but he’s too good. Naseer sounded like a character for me, but then they went blank, and I forgot about the drama,” he said.

Hasan continued that the makers called him after a long break and said that they’ve decided to give him Naseer’s role, and someone older than him will play Jamal. “I said okay, that’s what I wanted. We were about to start the shoot in three days, and they called me to ask if Bhabhi (Sunita) would be up for the job,” he said, adding that they were unsure before because their kids had school and one of them had to be there for them.

“Sunita was sitting next to me, so I asked her, and she was interested,” Hasan exclaimed. “Adeel gave me a call and explained the story. I liked it. But we do not do dramas together, and since this was a husband-and-wife character so, we had a lot of scenes together. Luckily, the production agreed to work around our schedule. When it was time to pick kids from school, they’d let one of us go,” Sunita shared.

As surprising as it may sound, Baby Baji was Sunita and Hasan’s second project together. “I was working with my wife after 6-8 years. It was one of the easiest experiences of my life,” exclaimed Hasan.

Moving to the subliminal messages in Tehseen Khan’s star-studded drama Baby Baji, Sunita said that the biggest win is the drama emphasising the need for financial stability and the mental peace it brings.

“If you look at the women in the drama, and especially my character, now that she’ll go to work, she won’t have time for petty gossip and fights. One should definitely be financially independent because work also keeps you mentally stable. Even if you don't need money, a busy routine is good for your health. The drama also shows how one can do so much within the house also. Even microfinancing is very common these days,” she said.

Adding to the conversation, Hasan gave Azra Bhabhi’s example from the show. “If you see the example of Azra Bhabhi, if she had work, she wouldn’t be giving so much worth to all problems inside the house. It also shows how just one person can ruin everyone’s mental health. If anyone has a family member who’s not even loud but manipulative and deceitful, then everyone is disturbed inside the house,” he said.

Hasan exclaimed that actors, directors and writers can only try so much to give messages in their dramas, but it will only make an impact if there are people ready to grasp them.

The couple even shared their own experience of how a joint family has helped them, but they still would never opt for a family as big as Baby Baji. “If there’s one son and he’s living with his parents, that’s fine. It’s helpful also, but a family as big as Baby Baji’s is a no-go,” said Hasan.

“However, a joint family has taught me restraint. If I am frustrated or if we have a fight and I want o shout at her, I don’t do it because I don't want my parents or kids to know that we’re having a fight. It helps the fight get resolved easily,” he added. The Saiqa actor also said that there’s nothing wrong with couples wanting to move out and live alone instead.

“Change is inevitable, and it’s not wrong for couples to want a separate home,” said Sunita.

Apart from Hasan and Sunita, Baby Baji also features Samina Ahmed, Munawer Saeed, Javeria Saud, Junaid Jamshed Niazi, Tuba Anwar, Fazal Hussain, Aina Asif and Faiza Khan. The drama is written by Mansoor Ahmed Khan.

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