Jinn Ki Shadi Unki Shadi has managed to crack the code on humour while dabbling in the supernatural, with hints of a storyline that’s striking a balance between light-hearted comedy and a plot that just hits the right watch-spot. There’s romance, there’e comedy, there’s suspense, thrill, and then… there’s Ali C. We decided to catch up with the actor behind the character as Wahaj Ali takes our questions on Ali C – Khushi aka Sehar Khan’s love interest in JKSUKS. Read on!
Ali C is certainly amping up the Jinn vs Humans games at the haveli, one minute you see him imprisoned in a dungeon with no way out, and the next, he’s freed everyone, including himself, by convincing Khushi to go against her clan and help them break free. But despite all his wins so far, there seems to be an ordinary, everyday character living inside Ali – we don’t see any larger than life heroics or even clever tricks, the first riddle he solved was also aided by Nadia’s mom Fareeda.
What is the secret formula to the Ali C. fandom we see in JKSUKS conversations then? Is it the ‘cool’ persona of Ali C., the inner courage that’s nudged gently by the secrets revealed in dada’s diary, or is it just the way Wahaj Ali essays the role? We’d put our money on that final one, but there’s certainly a lot going for Ali C in JKSUKS.
For one, we know, deep down inside that, clever or not, this is our hero who’s going to save the day, eventually! And on that note, we had a breezy chat with Wahaj Ali, the man himself, on what motivations drive Ali C and… who’s afraid of spiders?
What’s up with Ali C? Why does he have brain fog every time he’s with Khushi? Also we heard the JKSUKS haveli was heavily infested with reptiles. And a little bird told us spiders and lizards are not your best friends?
Wahaj (prefers to answer the second question first and also clarifies it’s not the lizard he’s afraid of, but its creepy crawly neighbour): “I am not afraid of lizards, but yes, I am afraid of spiders. I just don’t like spiders. I cannot see spiders. I am not comfortable in a room where there are spiders. It is what it is.” The man is totally unapologetic about the spider phobia, and don’t worry, we get it. You have our sympathies Wahaj. Imagine battling Jinns in reel life and spiders in real, that would drive anyone to experience nightmares and Ali was no exception!
“As far as brain fog is concerned,” Wahaj defends Ali’s disorientation, “Come on, I mean, Khushi is a Jinn after all. If you see any Jinn in front of you and whether you know he or she is a Jinn or not, the presence of such a being in your premises will make you a little worried. So brain fog is pretty normal.”
The scene that was hardest to perform in JKSUKS?
Wahaj confesses that “I was the most non-serious person on that set.” He related that “There was a scene in which Rumaisa attacked Arsalan, they were performing so well that I was laughing a bit too much and the director was getting a little upset that I just couldn’t get serious. Wahaj continues to state that there were many scenes that were hard or really funny, with the entire cast turning out great performances – Arsalan, Sidra, Rumaisa, Seher especially, Nadia ji and Irfan bhai. “They have delivered such great performances that I used to end up breaking into laughter when they were performing. It was so difficult to control my reactions. So yeah, we shared a lot of laughs!”
Working with Arsalan, dialogue improvisation. Did you two even follow the script, or just rolled with the vibe?
Wahaj: “Not really. I’m one of those actors who follow the script the least, to tell you the truth. Saife (Hasan) bhai is also one of those directors who is not dependent on the script, we improvise the situations and dialogues to quite an extent and see what works at the time. With Arsalan and Ali’s character, it was important to show a natural camaraderie. And I think we were somehow able to achieve that because we spent a lot of time together on set. The dialogues also supported our interaction, and we improvised where we felt the need.”
Which scene did you have to repeat multiple times because someone would end up laughing?
Wahaj: “That is that scene in which Rumaisa is possessed by Aazer and she slaps Arsalan and then she grabs my neck. So, it was a very comical situation and also, it was a very long scene and I kept laughing a lot halfway through. “So yeah,” recollects the actor, “some scenes were a little difficult to perform because I used to laugh a lot while performing them. And,” he adds, “there are more scenes coming up in the following episodes I can’t tell you now, in which I would burst out laughing in the middle!”
Which character would you have liked to do in the drama if not Ali C.?
Wahaj: “I think Arsalan’s character Asad, and even Syed Jibran’s character, Aazer. I would have liked to perform both the characters.”
Is Ali C. anything like Riz from Ghisi Piti Muhabbat in the beginning, but later, he grows up?
Wahaj: “Not at all.” Responds Wahaj instantly. “I mean, Riz was… Riz was not honest. Ali is honest. Ali is very cool, genuinely cool. And Riz is really not cool, he’s just trying to look or be cool.” Oh well, that’s that for all Riz fans…
And now for the questions on everyone’s mind…
Is Ali using Khushi to save his family?
Wahaj: “Well, well, well. that one, you have to figure out. That’ a key point and you’ll have to watch the story to know more!”
If Ali has to choose between saving his family or being with Khushi, who will he choose?
Wahaj, without batting an eyelid: “His family for sure!” Oh well, are you listening Khushi? All that risky business of helping Ali break free from prison – would you do it all over again knowing now what you didn’t know then?
Is Ali smart enough to outsmart the Jinns?
Wahaj answers this one in signature Wahaj style, kabhi haan, kabhi naa: “Ali is not smart. He’s a bechara bacha.” But then after a pause the actor continues, not giving anything away… “Or maybe he’s very smart, but for that, you have to watch the rest of the drama.” And just like that, he keeps us guessing!
Ali’s wardrobe and styling?
Wahaj: “All styling is by Sharjeel from HUM TV.” So if you’re liking Ali C.’s cool vibe, you know who to go to for a wardrobe makeover!
And that’s all folks. Ali C, signs off but we still have a whole lot more to watch as Jinn Ki Shadi Unki Shadi builds up the Jinn vs humans encounter. What happens next is anybody’s guess but one thing’s for sure, Ali will be right in the middle of all the ‘drama’, yes, pun intended there. And as for Wahaj, it’s great to see him taking on a character that’s part serious, part humour, part brave and part relatable – heroes don’t always need to be extraordinary, they just need to be all heart and Ali might just show us that – follow your heart Ali, and you’ll manage to keep your love and your family, though how you do that, is why we’re still watching!
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