'Rahon Main' introduces novel concept on Express News

After more than three decades of experimenting with television, radio, film and digital media, creative content creator, director, writer, actor and producer Azfar Ali is returning to television with Rahon Main, a new show airing on Express News.

Known for youth-centric satire and unconventional formats, Ali has been behind projects including Sab Set Hai, Dreamers, Light On Hai and To Be Honest. In an interview with The Express Tribune, he discussed his new show, the changing media landscape, today's youth, comedy and the lessons of his long career.

"I am returning to television because I have made something that belongs on television. I designed Rahon Main specifically for a news channel, and content-wise, I felt television was the right platform rather than simply putting it on the internet.

"When I approached, they immediately understood that the idea was different, new and fresh. That was important because with my work, there is often no reference point. Usually, when you pitch a show, you say, 'It is like this film or that programme.' I cannot always do that because many of my ideas have never been done before."

Ali says the idea came from observing how celebrities dominate the media.

"Celebrities are everywhere newspapers, websites, television and social media. In a way, many of them have reached saturation point. They also cannot always speak freely because of television restrictions or the fear of online backlash.

"Meanwhile, TikTok, Instagram and YouTube have created a completely different phenomenon. People who were not celebrities have become celebrities. Someone can walk into a frame and have a million followers.

"I realised that this is the era of ordinary people. So I thought, why not make a show that is not about celebrities?"

The show focuses on working professionals such as tailors, mechanics, plumbers and other people whose contribution often goes unnoticed.

"They are invisible in today's society, but the moment you need them, they become the most important person. Ordinary people are also unfiltered. They are not worried about Instagram or backlash. If you ask them a question, they will give you a straight answer."

Instead of one permanent host, Rahon Main features different celebrities interviewing ordinary workers.

"The personality of the host becomes visible in every episode. When Bushra Ansari does it, the show feels completely different. When Yasir Nawaz does it, the energy changes. Faisal Qureshi brings another personality.

"The celebrity is not simply there to ask questions. They are entering the world of the person they are interviewing."

Ali says the pairings were carefully considered.

"You cannot put any celebrity with any professional. If I am interviewing a motorcycle mechanic, I need someone who can connect with him. Sometimes an unexpected pairing is the most interesting one."

From Sab Set Hai to today's youth

Ali has been speaking to young audiences since the 1990s and says technology has fundamentally changed them.

"When we were growing up, television was becoming common. We were among the first generations experiencing satellite television. But we had very little control over what we consumed. You had the television schedule.

"Today's generation has completely different power. They can decide what they want to watch, when they want to watch it and whether they want to watch it at all. Our generation had the power to change the channel. Today's generation has the power to create the content themselves."

"Our generation consumed media. Today's generation participates in media. They can create a TikTok, start a YouTube channel, build an Instagram following and potentially become more influential than someone who has spent years working in television."

Looking back at his sitcom Sab Set Hai, Ali says authenticity was the key.

"I used to watch television dramas and feel that the dialogue did not sound like real conversation. People were not speaking the way we actually spoke.

"When I got the opportunity to make Sab Set Hai, I wanted to represent the language I was hearing around me. People criticised us and said we were damaging the language. My response was: I wasn't damaging the language; I was representing the language people were actually speaking."