In just a short span of time, co-stars for the show Har Mard Ka Dard, Faisal Rashid and Jhinal Belani, have impressed audiences with their camaraderie. However, initially, the two admitted that they were a little reserved while interacting with each other. Once they started working together, the two got along famously. We caught up with them to get them talking about their journey and more. Edited excerpts from the interview:
Can you recall your first meeting?
Faisal: We were to shoot for the pilot episode. In fact, our first scene was a romantic one, where we were to shoot on a terrace in Patiala. Initially, I was a little hesitant. The scene was the crux of the pilot episode, and took almost half a day to shoot. We shot the scene again for the first episode, and when we were done with it, we were extremely comfortable with each other. It was fun to work with her since she is instinctive and brings positive energy on the sets.
Jhinal: I was a little unsure about shooting, when we were just starting out. I didn’t know him well, and he had to lift me up for the first scene. But he made me feel extremely comfortable, and since then we hit it off well.
Faisal and Jhinal, it is said that you two find an excuse to bond over food…
Jhinal: Both of us are foodies. I would say it is a fight worth watching. We even have fights on who gets how much food.
Faisal: We generally eat lunch together. Actually, the entire team bonds over food. We discuss who has got what, and there is a lot of food on the table. We even discuss places to visit around the vicinity, and even exchange recipes!
Jhinal, you get Gujarati food, while Faisal gets authentic Kashmiri food on the sets. Which cuisine is generally relished on the sets?
Jhinal: Once Faisal cooked mutter paneer for the team, and everyone on the sets enjoyed the food he rustled up. However, I wouldn’t say there is a winner when it comes to both the cuisines.
Faisal: I rarely get Kashmiri food on the sets since I don’t have a cook. But Jhinal gets Gujarati food often, and it is delicious. I enjoy it a lot since it is home made.
Faisal, you have been helping Jhinal with her scenes since you come from a theatre background. How does Jhinal reciprocate the gesture?
Faisal: We have a give and take relationship. We read our lines together. I give her a lot of inputs, and she is open to it. Since Jhinal and I were working together right from the start, we have established a good working relationship between the two of us.
Jhinal: Faisal helps me a lot. He guides and gives me suggestions, which I try to make use of in my scenes. He pays attention to even small details, whereas I usually don’t.
Faisal, this show gives you an opportunity to guess what women want. Has it helped you understand your wife?
Faisal: It has left me confused! (Laughs). I feel like I am back to square one. Even in the show, he still hasn’t figured out what women want. However, I must say that it has made me patient. I have started listening to her. I also started paying attention to body gestures, pauses and started reading between the lines.
How many times have you been able to guess what Jhinal wants?
Faisal: Not even once! I remember an instance where we had just started shooting; I had got chocolates for Prabhjot Kaur and Jhinal. They seemed disappointed with the chocolate, but they still said thanked me and took it. I could sense that they didn’t like the brand.
Your bonding is very strong off-screen. How do your co-stars react to it?
Faisal: Though we do not meet out of work, we have a good working relationship. We don’t need to react because no one is judging us here.
Jhinal: Touchwood, we bond well but I would like to add that the entire unit it amazing. Everyone is happy with the team.
Who is a better performer among the two of you?
Faisal: I would say Jhinal is a better performer because she comes with zero tantrums. Every morning she is upbeat, and never carries yesterday’s baggage.
Jhinal: Definitely Faisal, since I am constantly learning a lot from him. In fact, I am always observing him as to how he is enacting his scenes. We also discuss and read scripts together. Faisal helps me a lot with improvising the scenes.
Rapid Fire
Your favourite corner on the sets:
Faisal: The courtyard of the house.
Jhinal: The swing in my room.
Your favourite food on the sets:
Faisal: Anita Kanwalji’s food, as its North Indian.
Jhinal: Paritoshji’s home-cooked dabba.
Your 2 am buddy on the sets:
Faisal: None till now.
Jhinal: I can call Prabhjot Kaur any time.
Things you cannot do without on the sets:
Faisal: Hot water, chai, fruits and, of course, scripts.
Jhinal: Make-up.
Your favourite line on the sets:
Faisal: “Pack-up!”
Jhinal: “Lunch break!”
Your stress buster on the sets:
Faisal: The team has found a way to annoy me, but I like to come to my room and relax.
Jhinal: Faisal.
