Danyal Zafar responds to Nadia Afgan’s criticism of Raqaas

Fresh off the success of Zanjeerain, Danyal Zafar’s latest drama Raqaas is already attracting attention, but not everyone appears impressed with his new character. Actor Nadia Afgan recently shared her thoughts on Zafar’s performance, prompting the actor to respond with one of his typically cryptic social media posts.

Zafar took to Instagram on Tuesday and shared a series of pictures and a video from the sets of Raqaas. Alongside the post, he wrote a cryptic caption in which he appeared to address the criticism while also explaining his approach to selecting acting projects.

The actor said he had received a new compliment and went on to highlight what he described as the important difference between fictional characters and real people. According to Zafar, that distinction appears to be missing for many people.

He also explained that the meaning behind a project plays an important role in deciding whether he wants to be part of it. Zafar said he chose Raqaas because the drama explores the suppression of expression faced by women and girls, particularly within their homes and society.

His comments came shortly after Afgan discussed his performance on the drama review programme Kya Drama Hai on September 20.

While reviewing Raqaas, Afgan compared Zafar’s latest character with Sarbuland, the character he played in Zanjeerain. She jokingly suggested that his new role looked like Sarbuland after the air had been taken out of a balloon.

The comparison continued when Afgan described him as resembling a two-day-old birthday balloon. Nadia Khan, who was also part of the discussion, added another humorous comparison, saying Zafar looked like a tire with insufficient air pressure.

Afgan also questioned the way Zafar’s character had been presented in the drama. She suggested that there appeared to be an attempt to portray him as a brooding and arrogant hero similar to Fitzwilliam Darcy from Pride and Prejudice or Heathcliff from Wuthering Heights.

However, she felt the character’s dialogue did not fully support that portrayal.

Afgan further commented on Zafar’s experience as an actor, saying he was still new to acting and would need some time to polish his craft.

Despite her criticism of his latest role, Afgan also praised Zafar and his Zanjeerain co-star Sajal Ali during the same programme. The participants discussed the final episode of Zanjeerain, with Afgan acknowledging that Zafar and Ali delivered some of their strongest performances in the show during its concluding episode.

Zafar’s Instagram caption appeared to address more than just the comments about his performance. He also spoke about what he described as the toxicity surrounding “shipping culture”, referring to the practice of pairing celebrities or fictional characters together by fans.

The actor further reflected on the impact of digital advancement on relationships. He expressed concern that technology, which was initially expected to bring people closer, has in some ways contributed to people becoming more distant from one another.

Toward the end of his message, Zafar added a brief statement that appeared open to interpretation. Whether or not it was directed specifically at Afgan, he wrote, “Kindly adjust your frequency.”

The exchange has since added another layer of discussion around Raqaas, as viewers continue to follow Zafar’s latest role and debate his performance on social media.