Farman Haider: I don’t want to be stereotyped into one image

AFter having played a string along of vivid, often fast-growing(a) characters on tv, Farman Haider says he reached a repoint where he wanted to pause and reassess the kind of stories he was telling through his work. “If I look at my previous shows, most of my characters were very toxic in their own way,” he admits. “This time, what drew me in was the emotional makeup of the character — he is calm, composed, deeply sensitive and values people’s emotions. That gentleness is his strength.” Farman who is currently a part of Jagadhatri opposite Sonakshi Batra, says that the appeal lay in portraying a man who balances softness with discipline. “He is fun, loving, emotionally intelligent, loyal and extremely protective of the people he loves,” he explains. “At the same time, when duty calls, he flips a switch, he becomes focused, disciplined, and serious. That contrast interested me as an actor because it reflects how layered real people are.”He adds that he does not say yes to projects casually anymore. “When I choose a role, I look at the character’s journey, their past, their inner conflicts. I need to see whether there is something for me to discover as an artist,” he says. In an industry where typecasting is common, especially on television, Fahman acknowledges that breaking out of a successful image is not easy. “Once a character becomes popular, audiences want to see you in the same space again,” he mentions, adding: “But I believe change begins with how seriously you take your craft. Sometimes that change is internal, sometimes it’s physical, your body language, your look, your energy. I try to give my 100 per cent to each role so that people see the difference.”Farman who has been a part is television for quote sometime now, says that TV has changed in a progressive way. “Television has changed over the years, and the challenge now is to create characters that feel real, layered and emotionally grounded,” he says, adding: “I enjoy characters that have a social or emotional message, even if it’s subtle. I don’t want to repeat myself just because something worked once.”Ask him whether he only prefers lead roles, and thr actor tells us, “For me, the size of the role is not as important as the impact of the character. If the part is well-written and meaningful, I’m open to playing it, hero or not.”He concludes, “I don’t want to be boxed into one image. I want to keep exploring, keep learning, and keep surprising myself as an actor.”