Baby Baji Ki Bahuwain kicked off by crossing 7 million views on its first episode in just a few days. So here you have it: the Baby Baji boys are in the house today!
Last year, Baby Baji took over our TV screens and our hearts, making us cry, laugh, and smile along with the characters. The relatable, emotional journey resonated with viewers, offering something for everyone. Whether it was sibling rivalries, generational gaps, or the complexities of family dynamics, Baby Baji struck a chord, bringing an authentic slice of life to our homes. The season finale left us all teary-eyed and longing for more, making it one of the most talked-about family dramas of the year.
Fast forward to this year, and we were pleasantly surprised by the announcement of Baby Baji Ki Bahuwain, a continuation of the heartwarming saga. Picking up right where the story left off, the second season dives deeper into themes of forgiveness and rebuilding broken family ties. The question of how a family overcomes toxicity and reunites as a single unit takes center stage.
Curious to know more, We sat down with Hassan Ahmed (Naseer), Junaid Niazi (Wasif), and Fazal Hussain (Waleed), for an exclusive conversation. We chatted about behind-the-scenes fun, their characters’ journeys, and what keeps fans coming back for more!
The Challenge Of Maintaining Your Character’s Originality In Baby Baji Ki Bahuwain, Given The Uncertainty Of How Sequels Are Received?
We asked them how they felt about the challenges ahead, especially considering that a drama as successful as Baby Baji makes a sequel a tricky endeavor. With no guarantee of how the audience will respond, we wondered how confident they felt about Season 2. We highlighted the importance of maintaining their characters’ originality while mapping the transition of the characters and asked how they were approaching this challenge.
Hassan Ahmed: “First of all, if you’re talking about expectations, we also had a lot of expectations. We also worked hard and we were shooting the teaser. I think we shot it in January. So I think, as soon as they called that we were starting off with it, to sabne bol diya hoga, haan haan sure chalein, bas karen jaldi karen. To wo hua, expectations bhi theen, but kuch reality checks bhi thay, ke maine hamesha notice kiya hai, it’s very difficult to pull off a very successful sequel. To wo bhi challenges thay, phir ye bhi challenge tha, ke jo ke maa baap have passed away, to ab kahani ko aage kaise barhana hai. But we were very much looking forward to it and I think we put in a lot of hard work. And I agree that keeping the old characters, how you transitioned to the new Wasif, new Waleed and new Naseer was quite a challenge. But we all took that challenge and we’ve tried to get above that challenge.”
Fazal Hussain: “Technically speaking, I don’t think it was that difficult to change. The reason for that is that at the end of season 1, Naseer, Wasif, Jamal, Waleed, all of them had already found out the truth. They also had regrets. Tou jab regret ap dikha detey hein, tou usay pata hota hai k agar kisi cheez ka regret hai tou agla step kia hoga? Obviously positive hoga, change ayega.”
Junaid Niazi: “Bilkul aesa hi hai. Regret wala factor itna mushkil nahi tha kyun ke Season 1 ke end me regret tou dikha diya tha. Isme bas ye tha k ye show karwana hai k apny maa baap k sath boht ziaditi ki thi, rishton ki ab apko ehmiyat ka pata hai, bhai phir sy ikatthe hue hain, biwi ka bhi khayal rakhna hai. Han lekin … Farhat aur Azra ke character k liye boht mushkil hoga, kyun k unki nature thi ye.”
Did The Inclusion of a New Writer Bring Any Concerns?
Junaid Niazi: “It was scary. Because Mansoor Ahmed Khan wrote season 1. It was a real story. It was his family’s story. When season one ended and the makers said they wanted to make season 2, they approached Mansoor to write season 2. But he was very worried that he had written such a great drama, so what should he write next? He tried a lot, but he couldn’t write it. He said that he couldn’t write it because it was a big challenge. And abhi jo season 2 likhrahe hain, wo pehli baar likhrahe hain. He is doing a good job but somewhere I felt that the characters have changed a lot in this. I used to see myself in season 1 as a very emotional boy. At some points I felt that he has changed so much from the character, that Wasif seems funny at points. Like Wasif’s nature has been changed completely. Similarly, as for Waleed’s character, they showed that he is very mature in season 1. He takes care of his family and his mother. In season 2 I felt that he is a very immature guy. But we discussed with the director and he explained it to the writer, we made a lot of changes and the story that we have now is much better.”
What Would It Be Like To Be On The Sets Of Baby Baji?
All three actors were excited to share their behind-the-scenes stories, giving us a glimpse of what it would have been like to be on the set of Baby Baji. They painted a picture of a lively, friendly environment with only positivity and no room for negative energy. Hassan Ahmed humorously compared his collaboration with Sunita Marshal as “ghar ki murghi daal barabar”, highlighting how they’ve worked together for years. They described how the cast sits together on set, mixing and mingling without dividing into boys and girls.
Junaid and Fazal recalled a hilarious moment when Asma Abbas arrived on set for the first day, surprised by the lively atmosphere. After getting her makeup done, she jokingly asked if it was a wedding house, as everyone was chattering away like old friends. It is clear that laughter, friendship, and a love for their craft are the driving forces behind the magic of Baby Baji!
How Does A Hit Project Like Baby Baji Impact Your Career & Opportunities?
Fazal Hussain: “Actually, what happens is that when you give a hit on an extreme level, you get a lot of responsibility. On your work and on your selection of work as well. Because the reason for that; jo apke fans hain wo aap se boht kuch expect krrhe hotay hain. But mein isko aese dekhta hun k koi bhi boht bara project hit hona, koi bhi apke career me boost ana, ye sab apke hath main nahi hai. Ye sab upper se control horaha hai tou agr aesi koi cheez apki life main hogai hai tou ap zyada qareeb hojaen Allah ke or koshish karein ke wohi dede apko kuch acha, kyun k apk hath me kuch nahi hai, Ye hit humne nahi diya, humse karwaya gaya hai. So I don’t take it in a way that what will we do after this. All this is planned from above, he is watching everything.”
Junaid Niazi: “As an actor, you always learn. No one is perfect. All the big actors learn something or the other every day. You have a responsibility to do better than you did. You have to improve yourself. You have to learn more. And after Baby Baji, the day after the last episode, I was in Tamasha. I went there for two months. I didn’t know what was happening. When I came out, people have given me a lot of respect, a lot of love. Wherever I go, people remember me by my character. So the responsibility is that season 2 or whatever drama, we have to do it better. But the actor always learns. The process of learning should never end. And you don’t know which project will be a hit. Which one will not be a hit. No one can judge. It doesn’t happen anywhere. All the superstars you have, they can flop. And normal people can also be a hit. This is a matter of fate.”
Hassan Ahmed: “Junaid ki baat se agree krunga, the learning never stops. Fazal ki baat, apke control main kuch nahi hai. At the career point where I am it’s something k Allah apko opportunity deta hai, career graph sabka alag hota hai and sath sath learning apki kabhi rukti nahi hai. Ab mere pass jab koi project ata hai tou mein kehta hun ye opportunity hai, you realize opportunity when you are in touch with the graphs of your career, when you are close to Allah and when you want to work hard or learn. You take that opportunity and you say: how do I spin this now? How do I put my best into it? So that is how I see it, that is how I take my roles.”
Is It Time To Break Barriers & Challenge The Categorization Of Actors In The Industry?
Junaid Niazi: “See, our production houses have also put actors in a category that this is an actor of 7pm, this is an actor of 9pm, this is an actor of 8pm. Until we don’t finish these things, until we don’t break this barrier, how can you say that the actor does not belong to 8pm? Who knows, if he does it in 8 o’clock or prime time? He’s doing a better job. Give him a chance. We have also categorized actors at one place that this person has a good face, this is a hero. It’s the fault of our production houses. And the biggest fault is the public, that this is our hero, because he has a good complexion and height. In our neighboring country, people are working there, there are so many big actors who don’t have conventional good looks, but they are working hard. So, we have to end this.”
Hassan Ahmed: “I have a man inside me. I keep explaining to him that… It’s a very strong word. When we tell someone “Apni auqaat main raho, I never tell anyone. I’m telling that man to stay within his limits. I mean, you should never forget your roots. Where you came from. In the sense, ke aapne kya characters kiye hain aur auqaat mein rehne ka matlab aur apne roots ko yaad rakhne ka matlab yeh ke if you believe in Allah, if you believe in God to aap sab ek hi zameen pe parhe hain aapki apna cheez hai, … har kisi ka graph alag hai pehle se likha hua hai to yeh andar mere ek aadmi usko main yehi cheez samjhata raha tha, jahan uska ego bahar aata hai na, drama hit ho gaya hai I keep telling my man that when his ego comes out that the drama has hit, it is very important to tell that man that take control over your own self.”
We had the pleasure of sitting down with three actors, each from different age groups and stages in their careers. Our conversation went beyond just Baby Baji and Baby Baji Ki Bahuwain, touching on topics that resonated with everyone. It was wonderful to hear all three of them consistently express gratitude to Allah, attributing their success to Him. Their humility and perspective made for a truly meaningful discussion. We have so much more to uncover, so stay tuned for the full interview coming out soon on FUCHSIA’s YouTube channel!
