In an exclusive conversation with Ali Hassan about his recent show Dil Dhokha and Desire, the actor opened up to midday about what drew him to the project, his approach to choosing roles, and what “relevance” truly means to him as an artiste.
Ali Hassan talks about his character
For Ali, the foundation of any decision begins with the character. “I think one of the major things that drove me to doing a particular character is the character itself.” He explained that what initially appears simple often reveals greater complexity with time. “If the character is good, initially it looks like a very single dimension person. But when you start digging deep, this person has so many layers to him. Nice. And that is what got my attention.”
Speaking about staying “relevant” in a constantly evolving industry, Ali reflected thoughtfully. “I don`t know what does relevant mean. Because relevant to many people means different things.” He elaborated, “Like some people, relevancy is just about making ends meet. Right. Some people`s relevancy is about creative satisfaction. Some people`s relevancy is to be seen everywhere. Some people`s relevancy is just keep working.”
On staying relevant
For him, the definition is far more personal. “So for me, relevancy is being able to hone your craft and store all the options.” Addressing the rising popularity of short format dramas, he admitted, “I`m not a great fan of the short dramas. I`m not a great fan, but I do it because I haven`t done it. But I don`t mind doing it one or two because I want to experience the frenzy of shooting in that environment, Because as an actor, you have to have the experience of everything.”
Listing his diverse body of work, he said, “I`ve done movies, I`ve done theater, I`ve done shows, I`ve done mythos, I`ve done historicals, I`ve done socials. So I`ve been a part of so many different genres and things, dailies and readings and everything. And so this is a new trend which is coming up. You cannot unnotice that you have to, because it`s here. I don`t know how long is it here to stay, but it`s here right now. And it`s ruling the room. So I wouldn`t mind doing something on the articles, experiencing them and just experiencing them. That`s it for the experience.”
