Adeel Hussain on stepping away from the spotlight, returning with 'Doctor Bahu'

Actor Adeel Husain opened up about his long break from the screen, his return with Doctor Bahu and why playing complicated characters excites him more than being a conventional hero.

Husain seemed to disappear from the media landscape, but his recent interview revealed that the decision had been a conscious one. He had chosen to focus on his personal life and commit to one project a year.

He had a sustained run of work in 2016, following prominent television appearances and films, but eventually stepped away from the relentless cycle of sets, promotions and public appearances.

“I had a long stretch of doing a lot of work. Then my two films were released, I promoted them and I was exhausted,” he said.

Around the same period, his personal life had also taken a different turn. “I also was in a relationship and met someone amazing at the end of 2013 and 2014. After that, I needed time for myself,” he added.

Husain’s approach to his career subsequently became more selective. He remained interested in challenging scripts but wanted to take on fewer projects rather than constantly remain on screen.

“Around a year into it, I was still trying to find interesting scripts, so I thought I’d do a good drama once every year. I thought I’d earn that. Maybe I was naive. Some people took offense to that,” Husain said.

Taking time away

Hussain took another year off in 2017, although the gap appeared much longer to audiences because of the difference between film promotions and drama work.

“I took a year off in 2017 and people were like, ‘He’s been gone for years.’ But I felt responsible to push stories I didn’t really enjoy,” he said.

His decision to step away was also rooted in how he viewed fame and the opportunities it could provide. “I felt fame should enable you to do better work,” he said.

At the time, Husain had reached a point where he wanted to experience more than just the demands of being on set.

“I felt it was necessary for me because I was just that age, in my mid-30s, and I didn’t want to just be on set. I enjoyed that. So I guess I’m not sorry to my fans,” he said.

Despite his absence, his fans had continued to keep up with him and let him know they wanted to see him back on screen. “

I took it as a compliment. They knew, though. My fans are absolutely amazing. They really were on my case,” Husain said.

Returning with Doctor Bahu

Husain eventually returned to the screen with Doctor Bahu, taking on the role of Dr Faizan, whose personal and marital conflicts made him a far more complicated character than a conventional hero.

The project also reunited Hussain with Mehreen Jabbar, with whom he had previously worked on Jackson Heights and Dobara Phir Se in 2014 and 2015.

“I loved working with her. I was excited. I’m working with her after nine years, and we have so much chemistry,” he said.

Husain also recalled his first reading of the script. “When I read it at first, I had my instincts, even though I know that characters should serve their story,” Hussain said.

That uncertainty was part of what drew him towards the role rather than away from it. “I think if you’re not feeling a little afraid, there’s nothing of value to do there,” he said.

Faizan’s story involved infidelity, emotional distance and a troubled marriage, but Husain wanted to approach him as a human being rather than simply as a flawed husband. “I did realise it’s a huge responsibility. Infidelity is a thing there, but I need to play him as a human being,” he said.

Jabbar’s direction gave Husain a particular way into the character. “She told me to play him as someone who loved his wife but now he’s in a part of his life where things are not good,” he said.

The toxicity within Faizan’s family, particularly under Shah Nawaz, also gave Husain another way of looking at the character.

“Then I revised. They’re living under the hegemony of their father. I slowly realised there’s an opportunity here. More or less, he’s an invisible character who is not giving his marriage or wife due attention, for whatever reason,” he said.

The experience ultimately became one Husain found deeply rewarding. “I have had amazing experiences with Doctor Bahu. I was trying to hide my own joy,” he said.

Moving beyond the conventional hero

Husain’s interest in Faizan also reflected his broader preference for characters who were not simply good or bad. Even during his earlier work, he had found motivations beyond the traditional hero archetype more exciting.

“Even when I did Jackson Heights, I was in the middle of playing a hero at that time. But these kinds of motivations are exciting. It can be boring playing a goody two-shoes,” he said.

Husain also acknowledged that an actor’s performance depended on factors beyond their individual control, particularly the collaborators they worked with.

“It’s important to acknowledge that with performance, there are more skills that you don’t control. You don’t control who you will work with, but you hope they’re professional and good with what they do,” he said.

“I’ve been very lucky to work with amazing actors. They brought their A-game,” he added.

Life beyond acting

Acting had not always been Husain’s plan. As a child, he had imagined a career that was considerably further removed from television and film. “I wanted to be an astronaut. People told me, ‘No, it’ll be difficult to go to a different city, think about a different planet,’” Hussain said.

Animation had also been a strong interest, particularly Japanese animation and visual arts. “If I wasn’t an actor, I’d be an animation director. I was very into Japanese animation and visual arts,” he said.

There were other possibilities he had considered too. “Also maybe a sportsman or pilot. These kinds of dominating fields,” Husain said.

His years away from the screen had ultimately given him the space to step outside the expectations attached to an actor’s career. Rather than measuring his relationship with acting through constant visibility, Husain had chosen to wait for work that offered something he genuinely wanted to explore.