Actor Sumbul Touqeer, who has been a part of shows like Imlie, Kavya—Ek Jazbaa, Ek Junoon, and Itti Si Khushi, among others, has been working in the industry since before she was a teenager. Having spent her teenage years, late adolescence, and early adulthood in the industry, she calls it her second home. From some role to now playing lead roles, she has left the audience in awe of her every time she comes in the frame.
She said, “I always wanted to be an actor. Though my journey in the industry started with dance reality shows, I always wanted to face the camera, and things worked out well for me. Of course it was not easy. I have seen the bad, the better, and the good—all three—but I wouldn’t have it any other way. From the early shows that I did to my ongoing one, Itti Si Khushi, I love to bring different characters to life for the audience.”
“However, I must admit that when you play a character and it resonates with the audience, the line between the character and actor can sometimes blur. But I feel when the audience reacts strongly to your character, it means a job well done. I am so proud of the characters that I have played so far and can’t wait to explore more and bring much more for the audience,” she added.
Characters get divided love, hate, and attention, especially the negative characters are often perceived as being the bad guy in real life too. Asked about her opinion on how the audience views protagonists and antagonists, she said, “Different characters are perceived differently by the audience. I feel if an actor plays a protagonist, the audience expects them to be morally good, selfless, and patient in real life too. As for an antagonist, I believe they do receive some hate. The audience views them as the one planning and plotting and doing everything wrong in real life too.”
“I have seen people curse negative characters, but they should know it’s just a part of the story. We actors follow a script and say the dialogues we are given; we only put our emotions into the words that are given to us. But again, be it the love or the hate, that’s another part of the job we are doing, she added.
At the same time, Sumbul is happy that she inspires others through her characters. “Be it my character in Imlie or Kavya or Itti Si Khushi, I am happy to know that the audience gets inspired by my character. Something that she has said or done had helped them in their difficult times. It’s for moments like these that I wanted to become an actor, and it also tells us how powerful storytelling can be,” she ended.
