Our latest Fuchsia guests are Fajr Raza, director of Raja London Ka, alongside Samar Jafri and Ameema Saleem, who play Raja and Rani in the drama. And if their on-screen chemistry is easy to notice, their off-screen dynamic is just as interesting.
Talking about their first meeting, Ameema admitted she barely knew Samar at the time. Samar, meanwhile, was coming into the industry as both a singer and actor and was still figuring out where he fit in. Their first interactions were fairly limited, with Ameema describing Samar as very formal, reserved and proper. That, however, has clearly changed.
According to Ameema, the Samar she knows now is almost a completely different person. “How can I crack five jokes in two minutes?” is apparently how his brain works these days. Samar explained that when he first entered the industry, he was naturally reserved and introverted, but over time, as he became more comfortable, he also became more expressive and talkative. He now feels that the industry is no longer a place where he is trying to find his way in — it feels like family.
That growing comfort seems to have translated into their work as well. Ameema said she approaches every set like a sponge, trying to absorb as much as she can from the people around her, and Samar is one of the actors she has learned the most from. His comfort in front of the camera, spontaneity and ability to stay relaxed while performing are things she particularly admires.
From fight sequences to stepping out of their comfort zones
Raja London Ka has also pushed both actors into territory audiences may not have seen from them before. For Samar, that included action sequences that required much more than simply throwing a punch and hoping for the best.
He recalled being conscious of making the fight scenes look believable, particularly because action sequences depend heavily on choreography, camera angles and timing. The team would rehearse the movements before shooting, but the final result was a collaborative effort between the actors, action team and camera department.
What made it more challenging was separating the performer from the character. Samar admitted that while he was personally uncomfortable with some of Raja’s actions, he had to switch that feeling off once the camera started rolling and understand that he was playing Raja, not himself.
Ameema had her own version of stepping outside her comfort zone. Seeing herself in a more damsel-in-distress role was initially a little surreal, especially given the kind of characters audiences had seen her play before. But director Fajr Raza was very clear about what he wanted from her — and, as she put it, sometimes you simply have to follow the director’s vision.
The two also revealed that their time on set has involved plenty of movie references and banter. While Samar is familiar with a long list of iconic films, Ameema’s cinematic education apparently leans more towards Disney. Their contrasting references have become part of the fun of working together.
What they’ve learned from each other — and why staying grounded matters
If Ameema has taken something from Samar’s acting, Samar has clearly taken something from Ameema’s work ethic. His biggest takeaway? Punctuality.
Ameema is known for being ready well before her shot, while Samar openly admitted that waking up and getting to set on time has been a struggle. One particularly funny incident involved Fajr scolding Samar for being late — while Ameema stood right there, apparently even later than him, without being the target of the lecture.
Beyond the jokes, however, both actors spoke about the importance of protecting your energy on set. Samar described Ameema as someone who absorbs everything around her and advised her not to take in the negative energy that can exist on any set. His point was simple: you can learn from people without allowing everything around you to affect your own personality.
For Ameema, that same openness is part of what she values about acting. She wants to keep learning, exploring and challenging herself rather than becoming comfortable in one particular box. Samar, meanwhile, believes staying grounded is essential as recognition grows. He makes a conscious effort to remain close to his family and old friends, keeping himself connected to the person he was before the industry became such a major part of his life.
And perhaps that is the most interesting thing about the Raja London Ka trio: behind the larger-than-life characters, action sequences and on-screen drama are three people still figuring things out, learning from each other and, in Samar’s case, apparently trying to arrive on set on time.
