Nadia Khan regrets turning down Shoaib Mansoor's 'Bol' role

TV host says family circumstances and social expectations around films influenced her decision to turn down the role

Television host Nadia Khan has opened up about a career decision she now wishes she could have made differently: turning down a role in Shoaib Mansoor’s acclaimed film Bol.

Speaking in an interview alongside actor Atiqa Odho, Khan said she had genuinely wanted to be part of the project, but circumstances surrounding her personal life ultimately influenced her decision. “I regret turning down 'Bol'. I really wanted to do it and he really wanted me to do it,” Khan said, referring to director Shoaib Mansoor.

Khan recalled that Mansoor was particularly disappointed by her decision and made several attempts to persuade her to reconsider. “Mansoor was very upset and had many meetings to try to convince me,” she said.

Looking back, she said her decision was also shaped by the social expectations surrounding film and television at the time. For women who had established themselves on television, making the transition to cinema could carry additional scrutiny.

“My generation was different and I wasn’t strong enough to do films or to convince other people of why I should,” she said.

 

 

 

 

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Odho, who was part of the conversation, agreed that the distinction between television and cinema was much more pronounced at the time. “Doing films was very different from being on television, for our society back then,” she said.

Khan later revealed that family circumstances had also played a significant role in her decision. Asked directly about what had held her back, she acknowledged that her then-husband was a factor. “It was also my ex. I just wanted peace in my family,” Khan said.

Despite Khan’s decision too, Bol went on to feature a cast including Mahira Khan, Humaima Malik, Iman Ali and Atif Aslam, becoming one of Mansoor’s most widely recognised films.

Khan has remained a prominent figure in Pakistan’s television and entertainment industry for decades. She first gained recognition as a television host before expanding into acting and other areas of media, with credits including Pehchaan, Dolly Darling, Kam Zarf and Aisi Hai Tanhai.

She is also set to appear in Pakistan’s first Netflix production, Jo Bachay Hai Sang Samait Lo.

 

 

 

 

 

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Nadia Afgan also revealed that she had turned down two other projects around the same time: Faraar and Jo Bichar Gaye.

“I refused the projects because there were too many projects I was doing at the same time, and I wasn’t going to work for what felt like 2 rupees when I deserve more,” she said.

Looking back, Afgan said that while she sometimes wished she had been part of certain projects, she still stood by her decision not to accept those roles. She later revealed that both the roles went to Nadia Jamil. 

Previously, she has discussed the changing landscape of Pakistan’s entertainment industry, her evolving relationship with younger actors and the unlikely turn of events that launched her career decades ago.

Afgan has been part of many successful projects recently, including Aik Aur Pakeezah and Dar-e-Nijaat. She also starred in Jinn Ki Shadi Unki Shadi, Sharpasand, and Kabuli Pulao previously.