KARACHI: Actor Mikaal Zulfiqar has said he remains open to working in India again, but only if he is invited respectfully, treated fairly and given suitable opportunities.
Speaking in a recent interview, Zulfiqar said he would consider a Bollywood comeback if the circumstances were right. He stressed that he was not dependent on work in India and was satisfied with his career in Pakistan.
“I am open to the idea of returning, provided I am invited respectfully and treated on equal footing without being misused,” he said.
Zulfiqar also criticised the freeze on artistic collaboration between Pakistan and India, describing the restrictions as “childish and ridiculous”. He said political tensions often overshadow relations between the two countries and argued that artists should play a role in bringing people together rather than becoming part of political disputes.
The actor began his association with Indian cinema early in his modelling career. His first major cross-border project was the 2006 film Godfather, a Pakistan-India co-production filmed in Dubai and Bulgaria, in which he worked alongside Indian actors Vinod Khanna and Arbaaz Khan.
He later appeared in Shoot on Sight in 2007, sharing the screen with Naseeruddin Shah and the late Om Puri. Zulfiqar described the experience as a defining moment in his career and said working with the veteran actors taught him valuable lessons about discipline and professionalism.
He recalled arriving late to the set one morning and finding Naseeruddin Shah already fully prepared and reading a newspaper, saying the incident demonstrated the discipline of an experienced actor.
Zulfiqar said his experiences with Indian colleagues had also challenged stereotypes created by political differences. According to him, people on both sides share similarities despite cultural and political divisions, and he found his Indian co-stars to be friendly and supportive.
The actor also revealed why he has generally avoided romantic relationships with fellow actors. He said people working in the same profession can sometimes be difficult to deal with because of the high-pressure nature of the entertainment industry, stressing that his comments were not limited to female co-stars.
Zulfiqar has established a successful career in Pakistani television, with notable appearances in Sang-e-Mar-Mar, Shehr-e-Zaat, Diyar-e-Dil and Fraud.
