The director of Jannat Say Agay Haseeb Hassan, takes our questions on the Pakistani drama that has audiences invested in the story of Jannat & Tabassum! He sheds light on the real messages the Umera Ahmed narrative hopes to pass on to audiences.
Jannat Se Agay is a Pakistani drama series penned by Umera Ahmed and directed by Haseeb Hassan. It is produced by Abdullah Kadwani & Asad Qureshi under the banner of 7th Sky Entertainment. The cast of the show features a talented set of actors, including Kubra Khan as Jannat Ali Khan, Ramsha Khan as Tabassum, Talha Chahour as Farooq, Gohar Rasheed as Noman, Sheheryar Zaidi as Abid, Hina Bayat as Shabana, Faiza Gillani as Sirya, Saboor Aly as Zara, Daniya Anwar as Naseem, Sara Ashraf as Andleeb, Aina Asif as Aasia, Hoorain Khan as Aima, Ayesha Jahanzaib as Aalia, Aiman Zaman as Chanda, Hamza Tariq as Jibran, and Lubna Aslam as Tasneem.
Haseeb Hassan is a Pakistani television drama and film director. He is known for his dramas Alif, Dhoop Ki Deewar, Mann Mayal, Ahista Ahista, Dayar-e-Dil, and Bol Meri Machli. He has also directed films Parwaaz Hai Junoon and is now directing the popular drama, Jannat Se Aagay.
About The Narrative
“Jannat Se Aagay” explores the themes of identity, personal aspirations, and the potential consequences of idolizing others and takes a deep dive into the world of obsessive fandom. The story follows the journey of Jannat – a majorly successful morning show host and her majorly obsessive fan, Tabassum as they both navigate their dreams, relationships, and the inherent challenges of discovering their true selves.
Director Haseeb Hassan and Umera Ahmed are no strangers to the Pakistani drama arena and their joint projects have met with immense love and success from audiences. The issues addressed in their narratives have always scratched beneath the surface, delving deeper into the mechanics of the spiritual, social and even, morality. Hence our first question had more to do with, why not explore one significant issue in detail rather than two, three or more?
There are two different issues the drama deals with: 1. Obsessive Fandom. 2. Economic inequality and class divide. JSA has portrayed both the issues. Though one can be without the other. Do you feel it will compromise on effectively giving a platform to any one of them? And then working women, extra marital affair etc too? Too many issues in one drama?
The director has the last word they say, and he answered this one like a pro too.
Haseeb Hassan: It’s a valid point that addressing both obsessive fandom and economic inequality/class divide in a drama can be challenging, as each of these topics deserves its own focused exploration. However, it’s not necessarily a compromise if Jannat Say Agay effectively weaves these themes together and explores how they intersect or influence each other. This can provide a more comprehensive and nuanced view of the issues under the spotlight. By addressing multiple themes, the drama can highlight the complexity of real-life situations and how different problems can intertwine. It ultimately depends on the execution and storytelling of the drama in question to determine whether it successfully conveys its intended message without feeling too fragmented.
And we have to agree. More so because, if you are an avid viewer of Jannat Se Agay, you would have noted that although many of the above issues are under trial, the story itself might just as well be taken a s a stand alone story of two women’s struggle to achieve their dreams – the journey reveals a whole lot more, with multiple takeaways for viewers, and each viewer can connect with either the fandom of Tabassum, or the loneliness of Jannat or even the challenges of an ambitious career-oriented woman whose life up close, might be anything but perfect. Yes all this, in one drama and yet, the story sticks!
With this, we move on to our the character who is a growing favourite for many fans! So we can’t help but ask:
Do men like Farooq exist in our society? (rather, is Farooq too good to be true?)
And the director answers promptly, not missing a beat! “Farooq is my favourite character”
Haseeb Hassan: Yes, there are certainly men like Farooq who are understanding, forgiving, and committed to their love despite their mistakes and wrongdoings. There are men and women in society who value honesty, forgiveness, and strong relationships. Both can exhibit these qualities. Trust and forgiveness are crucial aspects of a healthy relationship. Farooq is my favorite character, so I put a lot of energy into making him feel real.
And we have to agree. Just as we are about to give up on Farooq, he does something so endearing that we can’t help but root for him. So girls, if you have a Farooq in your life, hold on tight to him, he might just save you from (ahem), yourself! You know, when you’re your own worst enemy and need another to not judge you but just catch you when you fall? That’s Farooq for you, carefully and lovingly sculpted by the makers of Jannat Se Aagay! For all the real life Farooqs reading this, take a bow!
Which brings us to our next question:
Did any of the actors make changes to the script or add their own touches to their character?
And the director once more, doesn’t miss a beat to let us know that…
Haseeb Hassan: No one was allowed to change script or dialogue. All the actors did their best and did justice.
Having said that, the performances have been delivered with a rather natural flair which is testament to the script writing and direction perhaps that the actor kept to the assignment and still managed to deliver a true-to-life portrayal. We feel Tabassum’s disorientation and disappointment presently just as we feel Jannat’s sense of isolation and loss, Noman’s double dealing and Farooq’s helpless yet tenacious determination!
And moving on to why Haseeb Hassan chose to take on the script?
What was your reason for taking on this project?
Haseeb Hassan: I chose this drama because it’s got a lot of messages for society and my share of it.
The messages in Jannat Se Aagay sure stand out and we think that’s reason enough to take on the narrative! So, copy that!
On the topic of morning shows, viral views and morning show hosts, this is what director Haseeb Hassan had to tell us:
“Basically, our point was not to target any individual (through the narrative). It was Umera Ahmed’s script, when she wrote it, she had an overall situation in her mind that was developing in society due to morning shows and their impact on society”
He went on to explain further:
While making the drama, we didn’t have any “real life” names in mind…Our purpose was basically, passing on the message to society and global audiences about the larger image of morning shows in the story which was important. But there were no personal discussions involved.
And that’s it folks that’s Jannat Se Aagay’s director Haseeb Hassan’s conversation as he took on our questions. Tell us in comments if there is one question you’d like to ask him, we might just ask it for you!
