Casting Actors

For this film, I decided to take a more intentional approach toward casting compared to my previous projects. In the past I mostly relied on opportunity sampling (can you tell I take psychology? shoutout miss Natasha) using whoever was around and available. This time I knew I needed more than availability. I needed presence, emotional maturity, and most importantly actors who could commit to uncomfortable dialogue and layered performances.

So I put out acting calls. I wanted people who were not only interested in acting but also capable of deeply engaging with the characters. The story involved emotionally heavy material and bilingual dialogue so I had to find people who could handle both smoothly and consistently.

this was the basic description for the call i posted on instagram

Saif

For Saif I was looking for someone who appeared physically strong. He is not just a survivor in the story. He is also the one who punishes abusers. That contrast mattered. I wanted to show that even the strongest men can carry trauma and emotional weight. This contrast between appearance and vulnerability adds depth to his character.

But strength alone was not enough. The actor needed to be emotionally intelligent. The role required internal volatility, the ability to carry heavy silence, explosive moments, and subtle breakdowns. He needed to feel like a person who had lived through something but was still trying to function. Not every actor can handle that kind of intensity. I was fortunate to find someone who not only physically fit the role but also had the emotional maturity to carry it. For Saif, we have Raahim Yasir:

Saba

Saba is the opposite of Saif in many ways but just as complex. She is a comfort character. Soft, patient, warm. She does not just speak. She listens in a way that allows the audience to breathe. Her role required an actress who understood how micro expressions can hold entire emotions. One raised eyebrow, a blink held too long. These moments matter more than words.

I needed someone who could bring that to life naturally without overacting. Someone mature, artistic, emotionally open. Someone who could reflect safety and empathy without losing the weight of the scene. Casting her was one of the most important decisions for the emotional tone of the film. And for Saba, we have Sanjana Zehra:

Ikhalaq Hussain

This role came with a bit of chaos. I had someone lined up who fit the role perfectly. Tall, older looking, had the beard and body language down. Unfortunately he dropped out last minute because the shoot location was too far for him to travel.

That left me with a challenge. I could not just grab someone random like my mother jokingly suggested. It was not just about standing there and getting fake punched. The person had to act. The punches had to look believable. This is performance not improv violence.

I needed someone who could understand timing and choreography. So I called Naael, a junior of mine from the school drama team. He looked nothing like the original character but he was the only one skilled and available. I adjusted the blocking and camera angles to hide his face more often. Reshaped the choreography to match his movement style. Focused on the performance instead of physical resemblance. It worked because of his dedication and skill not just because I restructured the scene. Lastly for Ikhalaq Hussain, we have Naael khan: