In Biryani, Ramsha Khan steps into a world of quiet heartbreak and human vulnerability — a story that simmers slowly, revealing its truth one delicate layer at a time. But for Ramsha, it wasn’t the drama or dialogue that drew her in. It was silence.
“When I first read Biryani, there was this one moment that stopped me,” she recalls thoughtfully. “The character quietly breaks — not in front of anyone, but alone. That silence said everything. It wasn’t loud, it wasn’t dramatic, but it felt so real. That’s when I knew I wanted to do it — because it wasn’t just about performance, it was about honesty.”
Building the Emotional Core
To bring such layered emotion to life, Ramsha approached the character with both reverence and intuition. “It was a mix of both — the writer’s vision and my own experiences,” she explains. “Every emotion had its own rhythm and purpose in the story. But as I sat with the character longer, certain moments began to echo things I’d felt in my own life. I didn’t consciously use personal experiences, but they slipped in naturally — little gestures, pauses, the way you breathe through pain. It became this blend of their truth and mine, meeting somewhere in the middle.”
That delicate balance — between inhabiting a character and discovering oneself through them — became the soul of her performance.
Identity, Desire, and the Beauty of Contradiction
At its heart, Biryani explores themes of identity and desire in ways rarely seen on Pakistani television. “The story doesn’t hand you easy answers about who the character is or what they want,” Ramsha says. “It forces you to sit in their confusion, longing, and contradictions. I realized their journey wasn’t about finding one clear identity, but about learning to live honestly within all the messy parts of themselves.”
She pauses before adding, “That shaped how I played every scene — not as someone chasing resolution, but as someone slowly learning to accept their own truth.”
Magic Between the Takes
Behind the camera, Biryani’s set became a space for experimentation and authenticity. “Some of the most defining moments weren’t planned at all,” Ramsha shares. “We’d be in between takes, talking about something random, and suddenly that energy would slip into the next scene. Badar Bhai [the director] gave us so much freedom to play — to not overthink. There were days where a simple look or pause said more than any line could. Everyone brought something real to the table, and that honesty shaped the entire tone of Biryani.”
Conversations That Stayed Long After ‘Cut’
Even after filming wrapped, the world of Biryani lingered in unexpected ways. “On set, we’d start talking about the characters, but the conversations always drifted into something personal — identity, desire, the parts of ourselves we don’t always understand or show,” Ramsha reflects. “There were nights we’d just sit around, not even talking about the script anymore, but about life. Those moments grounded the whole experience. Stories like Biryani don’t just ask you to act — they ask you to confront yourself a little too.”
A New Chapter for Pakistani Storytelling
As Pakistani dramas gain increasing global recognition, Ramsha believes Biryani contributes to that evolution by simply being true. “It’s unapologetically human,” she says. “It’s not trying to fit into a box — it’s just honest storytelling. Pakistani dramas have always had emotional depth, but what’s changing now is the kind of risks we’re taking — showing vulnerability, complexity, and stories that aren’t afraid to be uncomfortable. Biryani sits in that space. It doesn’t shout for attention, it invites you in quietly — and that’s exactly what resonates beyond borders.”
She also addresses the common misconceptions international viewers may have. “A lot of people still see Pakistani television through a narrow lens — like it’s all melodrama or tradition. But what they don’t realize is how layered and diverse our stories actually are. Biryani challenges that by refusing to simplify anything. It’s intimate, uncomfortable, and real — proof that our storytelling can hold silence and contradiction just as powerfully as anything else out there.”
A Night to Remember: The HUM Awards
Reflecting on this year’s HUM Awards, Ramsha smiles. “It was already special because it was my first-ever performance at the HUM Awards,” she says. “Standing on that stage, hearing the crowd, feeling that energy — it was surreal. But what really struck me was how much creative diversity was being celebrated. Artists from every background and style were just owning their space. It felt like a big creative family — proud of how far we’ve come.”
Recognition, Representation, and the Road Ahead
As Biryani garners attention beyond borders, Ramsha reflects on how international recognition reshapes ambition for artists back home. “When you see people from completely different parts of the world connecting to something you helped create, it hits differently,” she says. “It reminds you that our stories and emotions aren’t small or limited to one place. For many of us, it’s not about fame — it’s about being seen, being understood. That kind of recognition reminds you why you started in the first place.”
With Biryani, Ramsha Khan doesn’t just play a role — she invites the audience into an emotional truth that lingers long after the credits roll. It’s raw, reflective, and quietly revolutionary — much like the actress herself.
