Tag: Mikaal Zulfiqar

  • Decided to prioritise Pakistan after Mumbai attacks: Mikaal Zulfiqar

    Decided to prioritise Pakistan after Mumbai attacks: Mikaal Zulfiqar


    Actor Mikaal Zulfiqar’s journey in the entertainment industry has been full of twists, turns and hard decisions. Despite recognition for his work in Indian films, the actor says he made a life-changing decision to “prioritise Pakistan” after the 2008 Mumbai attacks.
     
    Appearing as a guest on AK Buzz ‘Persona’, Mikaal shared some candid insights into his career, explaining how his approach towards work and priorities has evolved over the years.

    “After 2008, I decided Pakistan would be my priority. Even though I had aspirations for Hollywood due to my background, Bollywood opportunities came my way and I took them. But after the Mumbai attacks, I firmly shifted back to working in Pakistan,” he said.
     
    When asked how he got the opportunities in Bollywood, Mikaal said he was lucky. “I started with Bollywood early. I used to go to India for modeling and fashion shows in Delhi. Especially for bridal events. I think it was 2002 when I first went to India… just a year into my modeling career. We did this for two or three years.”
     
     
    “Later, I was part of a film called ‘Godfather’ that was produced by Aslam Bhatti. It featured some Indian and Pakistani actors and was shot in Dubai as well as Bulgaria. I got a role there, thanks to Ahsan Khan, who was initially cast but couldn’t do it. We were friends, so he suggested I talk to the team. That’s how I ended up doing the role,” Mikaal revealed.
     
    The Aap Jaise Marzi actor also praised the relationships he built along the way. “Vinod Khanna recommended me for my next project, ‘Shoot on Sight,’ an Indian-English production. It was a major turning point for me as I worked with legends like Naseeruddin Shah and Om Puri. Their craft is recognised not just in Bollywood but across the globe.”
     
    “That film gave me confidence as director Jagmohan Mundhra told me how they had considered actors like Abhishek Bachchan and Vivek Oberoi but eventually decided I was the right fit. That acknowledgment made me feel like I was on the right path,” he added.

    When asked if it was challenging as a Pakistani artist in India at the time amid political tensions, Mikaal said it was “indeed tricky”. 


    “Bollywood is a bigger industry with more opportunities, fame and larger-scale projects. Around that time, I started focusing on India and took fewer projects in Pakistan. Things changed after the 2008 Mumbai attacks that strained Pakistan-India relations. The projects I had lined up in India were put on hold or cancelled,” he said, sharing how it prompted him to decide to focus entirely on Pakistan. 


    Mikaal Zulfiqar has starred in dramas such as, Saiqa, Dil Hai Chota Sa, Kiasay Kahoon, Pani Jaisa Piyar, Shehr –E- Zaat, Talafi, and Mann Pyasa. 
    Dil-e- Nadaan , written by Sadia Akhtar and directed by Saima Waseem, is his latest offering.

  • Mikaal Zulfiqar calls THIS his best performance

    Mikaal Zulfiqar calls THIS his best performance

    Mikal Zulfiqar has-been in the industry since a long time, working away in many hit projects. So which one is his favourite? 

    The actor delivered one of his most remarkable performances by playing a toxic, narcissistic and controlling character in Jaisay Aapki Marzi. Critics and fans praised his portrayal of the flawed and complex role. 

    During a recent appearance as a guest on After Hours with Ushna Shah, Mikaal opened up about his favourite role. 

    Mikaal said he considers Jaisay Aapki Marzi his best performance despite the character being negative.   

    “It was one of my best performances, even though the character wasn’t very likeable, he was toxic, narcissistic and controlling, but the writing was fantastic, and the scenes were really well done. My character was so full of himself, thinking he was superior to everyone else. Playing him was a lot of fun, and Saba Qamar did an amazing job of making it feel real,” the actor said with enthusiasm. 

    Mikaal said the response to his portrayal m was overwhelming. “I received heartfelt messages from women who said they could relate, sharing how their husband were just like that. While it was rewarding to know people connected with the character, it was also sad to hear about their struggles.” 
     
     Mikaal Zulfiqar also shared the emotional impact of the role on his audience, especially the women who were familiar with toxic relationship dynamics

    “I received long messages from female fans who told me they have been suffering the same in their lives, and their husbands are also like that. It was great to see that people were relating to it, but I felt sad for those women,” Mikaal Zulfiqar said.


    The Dil-e-Nadan star believes that commercial success is an aspect of any project, as an actor, he knows how much effort goes into creating a drama, and for it to have meaning, it must reach a wide  audience:
      
    “I believe that the commercial success of project is crucial in today’ time, if you are putting in all that hard work and your project doesn’t become a commercial success, what the point , What do you gain from a drama that only reaches ten people, when you’re working so hard, it should be seen by a large audience.”  
    Mikaal Zulfiqar has starred in dramas such as, Saiqa, Dil Hai Chota Sa, Kiasay Kahoon, Pani Jaisa Piyar, Shehr –E- Zaat, Talafi, and Mann Pyasa.  


    Dil-e- Nadaan , written by Sadia Akhtar and directed by Saima Waseem, is his latest offering.

  • Junaid Khan is ok with Mikaal Zulfiqar not finding him good-looking

    Junaid Khan is ok with Mikaal Zulfiqar not finding him good-looking

    Junaid Khan, a versatile personality known for his tacting and singing, was invited as a guest in FHM Pakistan podcast with Adnan Faisal.

    The host asked Junaid Khan if Mikaal Zulfiqar is his friend, to which Junaid responded, “Mikaal Zulfiqar is indeed my friend.” The host then asked why Mikaal thinks Junaid is not good looking. Junaid replied, “Mikaal thinks I’m not good looking? Well, that’s okay. Mikaal is a guy, and I’m a guy too. He shouldn’t have to find me good looking. It’s a good thing if no guy wants another guy to call him good looking. “

    He said, “Everyone has their own perspective. It’s actually a good thing if he doesn’t think I’m good looking.” Then Junaid added, “But Mikaal is indeed a charming guy. Calling him a ‘pappu boy’ is not necessarily a compliment. It’s okay to praise him, but it’s not a big deal. He is a good looking boy; I don’t know in what gathering or mood he might have said that.”

  • Is Mikaal Zulfiqar ready to get married again?

    Is Mikaal Zulfiqar ready to get married again?

    Actor Mikaal Zulfikar has expressed his opinion regarding a second marriage.

    Mikaal was the guest on a T.V. programme, and opened up about his personal life as well as issues within the industry.

    In response to a question about the second marriage, the actor said, “My father advises me to marry a foreigner; he often says, ‘Do what I have done and marry a foreigner.’ Well, I have had the experience of marriage in Pakistan. To be honest, I don’t think about getting married again because I have two kids, and I am at peace. I want to live like that.”

    Mikaal Zulfiqar’s first marriage was with Sara Bhatti, which ended in 2017 after seven years.

  • Exclusive: Hamza Ali Abbasi opens up about refusing Varun Dhawan’s ‘Judwaa 2’ and Akshay Kumar’s ‘Baby’

    Exclusive: Hamza Ali Abbasi opens up about refusing Varun Dhawan’s ‘Judwaa 2’ and Akshay Kumar’s ‘Baby’

    Actor Hamza Ali Abbasi is currently riding high on the success of his Pakistani feature film, The Legend Of Maula Jatt, which has garnered over 100 crores globally. During the promotions of this Bilal Lashari directorial, Hamza exclusively revealed to The Current that he refused the Bollywood film Judwaa 2 starring Varun Dhawan, Jacqueline Fernandez and Taapsee Pannu.

    The Pyarey Afzal star said that he was approached for the film by Bollywood producer Sajid Nadiadwala however he turned the movie down for multiple reasons, but the primary reason was the turbulent relationship between India and Pakistan. Around the same time, Pakistani actors were banned from working in the Hindi film Industry.

    Hamza’s co-star Gohar also guessed the same film on being asked about the Indian film which Hamza rejected a few years back.

    The Man Mayal hero also rejected Akshay Kumar’s political thriller Baby due to its anti-Pakistan content. Another Pakistani hero, Mikaal Zulfiqar, later performed the role.

    This is How Mikaal Zulfiqar Praises Akshay Kumar for His Neutral Attitude towards Pakistan - Style.Pk
  • ‘Constant attack, lies’: Sara Bhatti hits out at ex-husband Mikaal Zulfiqar’s ‘I am scarred’ revelation

    ‘Constant attack, lies’: Sara Bhatti hits out at ex-husband Mikaal Zulfiqar’s ‘I am scarred’ revelation

    Actor Mikaal Zulfiqar recently opened up about his divorce and idea of remarriage for the first time in a recent interview.

    During a recent outing at a digital talk show, the Diyar-e-Dil star broke the silence on his failed marriage, while he also clarified the chances of him going for remarriage in future.

    Addressing the question about his marriage with his ex-wife, model Sara Bhatti, Zulfiqar responded, “In my marriage, I had certainly felt the pressure to clarify things with my wife. I would feel bad for her.”

    Dunya News

    “The nature of this work can lead to your spouse making assumptions even if there is no truth to them at all,” he added.

    He also touched upon the idea of remarriage but elaborated that his work and daughters with his ex-partner are his current priority. “I am still scarred and scared but I am open to the idea of remarrying,” he told the show host. “I don’t about it all the time, though. I am very busy with work and I have my girls.” For those unversed, Mikaal Zulfiqar married model Sara Bhatti in 2012 after being engaged for two years. In 2017, the former couple announced their divorce publicly.

    The ex-pair have two daughters together.

    Mikaal Zulfiqar opens up about his life after divorce

    He announced his split in 2017 on Facebook: “Wanted to say this for a while. Finally found the courage to do so. Sad to announce, unfortunately my marriage of 6 years has ended. After a long separation and despite efforts from both ends, things could not be resolved, which has resulted in divorce.”

    Now his ex-wife Sara Bhatti has reacted to this new in her Instagram stories. She termed Mikaal’s revelations to be false and claimed that she was a supportive spouse.

    Sara also revealed that she has been slammed on social media over the last few years.

    On the work front, Mikaal is currently being seen in ARY Digital’s Fraud and Geo’s Chauhraha.

  • Shae Gill hits out at trolls for scolding her on prayers for Sidhu Moose Wala

    Shae Gill hits out at trolls for scolding her on prayers for Sidhu Moose Wala

    Singer Shae Gill is currently riding high on the success of her chartbuster global hit Pasoori. However the talented crooner took to her Instagram stories on Monday to hit out at netizens who trolled her over praying for the late Indian singer, Sidhu Moose Wala.

    Gill earlier posted an Instagram story sharing the news and wrote, “Heartbroken. May his soul rest in peace and may his family and friends have the strength to bear this loss.”

    A few netizens started scolding her for wishing a non-Muslim. Having had enough of being ‘policed’ by such people, she shared screenshots of the DMs and made her stance clear.

    The message read, “As a Muslim, you are not allowed to make dua for non-Muslims when they die.”

    “I’ve been getting a lot of such messages. Just wanted to inform everyone that I am not a Muslim. I am a Christian, belong to a Christian family and can make prayers for people from different religions,” Gill wrote in response.

  • Suspense and style: Yasir Nawaz outdoes himself with a blockbuster trailer of Neelam-Ahsan starrer ‘Chakkar’

    Filmmaker Yasir Nawaz has outdone himself as far as aesthetics, scale and filmmaking is concerned, going by the colourful trailer of his forthcoming biggie, Chakkar.

    The trailer for the Neelam Muneer, Ahsan Khan and Yasir Nawaz starrer ‘Chakkar’ has dropped and it’s definitely one that raises numerous questions.

    The scale and the grandeur of the film adds to its cinematic appeal. Neelam’s wardrobe and styling is done appropriately for the feature film’s format. More experiment could have been done with Ahsan’s look. Yasir Nawaz looks impactful in his mysterious role.

    Produced by Nida Yasir and Yasir Nawaz under the Farid Nawaz Productions banner, this multi-starrer narrates the tale of two twin sisters, one of whom (Zara) is deeply entrenched in the world of glitz and glamor, much to the dismay of the other twin’s husband, played by Ahsan. Nawaz’s directorial feat takes an interesting turn when the twins pull a switcheroo, with Khan’s wife taking the place of her twin at shoots while he is away.

    In doing so, she comes face to face with the dramatic upheavals of the industry. This switch is complete with a murder taking place, with the world thinking it is Zara who has been brutally killed. Then the investigation begins in earnest, with numerous suspects at play. However, Khan ends up becoming a prime suspect as well, due to his unfavorable demeanor towards Zara, owing to their interpersonal disagreements.

    The investigation is led by Yasir’s character, and with action scenes inundating the trailer as well, one does develop hints of anticipation towards the eventual release of the film.

    It is set to be released on Eid-ul-Fitr, Chakkar posits itself to be a murder mystery, with all the promise of masala that desi audiences have grown to love.

  • Exclusive: Zarnish Khan opens up about marrying at seventeen and bond with Mikaal Zulfiqar

    Exclusive: Zarnish Khan opens up about marrying at seventeen and bond with Mikaal Zulfiqar

    Actor Zarnish Khan recently appeared on The Current Life series. Zarinsh revealed three qualities of co-star Mikaal Zulfiqar, “He is a lot of fun, I think our chemistry is very good, and he is very easy to work with.”

    Upon answering a question about how did she feel on winning the ‘Best Actress Soap’ at Hum Style awards in 2015 for Susraal Mera, she said, “When I started working, I was very young and I did not know much, so I did not know how much it is exciting to win an award.”

    She continued by saying that it was overwhelming to win an award for her first project, first in terms of lead. The Sun Yaara diva also said that her mum passed away, the day she heard about the news of wining the award, because of that she had mixed feelings.

    She also told The Current that her favorite childhood book is Notebook. Her favourite actress is Saba Qamar and favourite actor is Nauman Ijaz, she revealed.

    Zarnish Khan was married when she was only 17 years old. She said she would recommend it marrying at that age because one is very flexible and adaptable at that age.

    Watch the complete interview here:

  • Veteran actress Naila Jaffri passes away, was battling cancer

    Veteran actress Naila Jaffri passes away, was battling cancer

    Earlier this year Yasir Hussain, Mikaal Zulfiqar, Ayesha Omar and Sabeeka Imam stepped forward and raised their voice for veteran actress Naila Jafri, who was battling ovarian cancer.

    The Mausam fame veteran actress passed away on Saturday, July 17.

    In her appeal video, Naila had requested for compensation of her re-broadcasted dramas on PTV.

    “For the last six years, I [have been tied to] hospitals, as well as illness and cancer,” said the veteran actor. “I have also not had my second round of chemo either because of persistent infection and during this time I wondered: ‘What if the government lends a hand in this? What if they set up some policies for older people from the arts and sports sector?’.”

    She further said: “When I initially joined PTV, I would get royalties for re-run shows and while that amount was nowhere near enough, it was still something and I liked having a stream of disposable income on the side.”

    “I have been confined to a hospital bed for six years now and while everyone has supported me, loved me, helped me, and motivated me I wish there was some way to gain royalties on some of my last re-run plays,” said the actor. “Though I understand that it might not look like a lot to many people, for people like me who stopped working years ago, this support becomes important.”

    “I request and demand that something is done for senior artists in the future since it’s become harder and harder for us to manage,” requested Naila.

    Her famous and notable projects include Noorpur Ki Rani and Anaya Tumhari Hui.