Usman Mukhtar on male trauma

Actor clarifies character's struggles in serial

If there is one thing everyone must know about Usman Mukhtar, it is that he has an affinity for his craft and creative choices. Like any artist, he finds joy in what he does and naturally seeks out the best in the characters he portrays. Referring to Numair from drama serial Jafaa, Usman took to Instagram to offer some clarity on his character's recent controversial choices.

"I know, I know, everyone's frustrated with Numair right now! But here's the thing, sometimes we underestimate the impact of personal struggles, especially with respect to men who feel societal pressure to always appear strong and in control. Trauma isn't a one-size-fits-all journey, and everyone handles it differently," Usman began.

For those not caught up with the latest episode, Numair's wife Andaleeb is blessed with a child. However, due to a secret medical history, Numair suspects that the child is not his, leading to a mental crisis and eventually a DNA test.

"Numair's journey may not be perfect, and he's certainly not handling things well," Usman admitted. "But imagine how this news might hit someone who believed he was infertile for most of his adult life." Usman also highlighted that the episode was "also a look into the silent battles that can shape how we respond to the unexpected."

Fans of the show have been rendered disappointed by Numair's lack of faith in his wife, who is evidently troubled by his silent contemplation and eventual betrayal of trust. This led to a user on Instagram reaching out to Usman and posing a speculative question.

In defence of his character opting for a DNA test over an infertility test, the 39-year-old actor put forth a medical analysis on Instagram Stories to justify his character's decisions. "A fertility test mainly evaluates parameters like sperm count, motility, and morphology, and it can tell the likelihood of being able to father a child. However, these tests aren't conclusive about a person's ability to father a child in every scenario," he said.

Usman further emphasised that a DNA would immediately identify whether or not Numair's doubts have weight to them, since the tests guarantee an undeniable accuracy rate. This would not just dissolve his character's suspicions regarding himself, but also validate his status as the child's father.

All in all, Usman raised pertinent critical evaluation of his character from a gendered perspective, since Numair feels not just responsible for his actions but also his emotions. Therefore, Usman deems it realistic that his character, no matter how educated a doctor, would take matters into his own hands, failing to realise how damaging this would be to his loved ones.