What Made Mehwish Hayat Say Yes to Playing a Dayan?

News Desk

Islamabad: Mehwish Hayat recently shared insights into her experience of portraying a dayan in her latest drama, which has not only received widespread acclaim but also garnered impressive viewership.

Speaking on Rabia Mughni’s YouTube show Gup Shup with FUCSHIA, Mehwish described the role as an “experiment” and explained that she took it on to challenge herself and step outside her comfort zone.

When asked why she chose this particular project, she said, “I’ve been working on a lot of films lately, and I love them because they offer fresh, unique stories. But this drama struck the perfect balance between commercial appeal and realism. It was bold, edgy, and most importantly, it offered a storyline rarely explored on television.”

Recalling how the project came her way, Mehwish shared a chance encounter with producer Abdullah Kadwani during a connecting flight from Dubai to Karachi. “We started talking, and he asked if I’d consider doing television again. I told him I’d only be interested if the script felt cinematic and not typical. Later, he messaged saying he had something special. After meeting with Siraj and the team and hearing the story, I was sold. It was just so different.”

She also talked about the challenge of portraying two contrasting characters in the same story. “The most difficult part was figuring out how to convincingly portray two completely different personalities within one narrative.”

Speaking about the story’s core message, Mehwish said, “It centers on a strong female lead who decides to take a stand and say, ‘Enough is enough.’ Once she takes control of her circumstances, she becomes unstoppable.”

Recalling the graveyard scene, she added, “I had a condition — I don’t feel comfortable filming in actual graveyards out of respect. So, we recreated the set. Even then, it was eerie because the grave used was real, and there were actual insects around.”

Wrapping up, Mehwish expressed her gratitude for the audience’s overwhelming response: “The feedback has been amazing. Hearing such positive reactions from fans means the world to me.”