Pakistani actress Zoya Nasir has revealed that her simple, girl next door appearance in ‘Bas Tera Saath Ho’ initially left co-stars Farhan Saeed and Sana Javed unconvinced that she was playing the drama's main antagonist. The actress shared that her modest look, complete with square glasses, was intentionally designed to break the stereotype of a typical glamorous television villain.
During her recent appearance on ‘Fuchsia Magazine’, Zoya opened up about the creative vision behind her negative character, Sehreen, explaining how director Qasim Ali Mureed wanted to redefine the traditional image of a television villain.
Recalling the first day on set, Zoya shared:
"When it was our first day of shooting with Farhan and Sana, they looked at my get-up and were surprised. They said, 'This is our villain?' They couldn't believe it because I looked like such a simple, decent girl. Then Qasim said, 'This is exactly my vision.' He wanted people to be surprised. It wasn't necessary for a villain to look glamorous, wear heavy makeup, or always be in heels."
The actress further revealed that the director repeatedly reminded her not to portray Sehreen as an inherently evil person but rather someone shaped by her upbringing.
"Qasim also told me, 'Zoya, Sehreen is not negative. This is simply her mindset.' She has learned everything from her mother, so she doesn't even realize that what she's doing is wrong. She's a very sheltered child whose every wish has always been fulfilled. She has been spoiled all her life and has had very little exposure to the outside world."
Explaining the psychology behind the character, Zoya added that Sehreen's moral compass has been entirely influenced by her parents.
"The way she was raised is all she knows. Whatever understanding of right and wrong she has comes from her parents. If they tell her to treat Anas badly, that's exactly what she does. From her own perspective, she doesn't believe she's doing anything wrong."
She also pointed out that Sehreen displays kindness in several of her relationships, proving she is far more layered than a stereotypical antagonist.
"She isn't an evil person. If you notice, she's kind to her friends, she loves her brother, respects her parents, and hasn't even been particularly disrespectful to her phuppo. I believe that as she gains more exposure in life, she'll eventually develop her own perspective and realize, 'Oh, this is what my life has been.'"
Zoya's thoughtful explanation sparked mixed reactions from viewers, with many taking to the comment section to discuss Sehreen's personality and character arc.
One user wrote, "You both siblings are literally slaying your characters, giving cruel-intentions sibling vibes. So Hollywood! I'd say you're doing even better than the main leads."
Another jokingly commented, "She was rude to Phuppo just last night though! "
A third user disagreed with Zoya's interpretation, writing, "How can she say Sehreen isn't bad? Most of the time she's the one leading everyone in the wrong direction."
Another viewer praised the realism of the performances, commenting, "Yes, it all looks so original. Everyone feels so natural."
One fan applauded the director's storytelling, writing, "This is the soul of filmmaking. Whoever the director is, salute! I never sensed pure evil from Sehreen. Her scenes with Farhan always make it feel like she doesn't actually want to hurt Anas it's her upbringing that pushes her in that direction."
Zoya Nasir's remarks have given fans a deeper understanding of Sehreen's motivations, highlighting that the character is driven more by conditioning and upbringing than by malice, adding emotional complexity to one of Bas Tera Saath Ho's most talked-about roles.