Not long ago, you may have praised the up and coming actress Maria Malik for her innocent and captivating performance in the much talked about drama Dil Hi Tou Hai. This charming actress made her television debut from drama serial Khoobsurat. She further went on to act in various drama serials which are Adhi Gawahi, Khidmat Guzaar, Rashk, GT Road, Bicchoo and Zindagi Aik Paheli to name a few. Additionally, she also shared the screen with Hiba Bukhari and Junaid Khan in the drama serial Inteha-e-Ishq. Malik was hugely inclined towards acting since her childhood, and her hard work to prove herself as a talented actress has successfully captured the hearts of her fans. With a really pleasant on-screen presence, the audiences also liked her realistic portrayal in her recent projects namely Dil Hi Tou Hai and Fitna. Having studied business administration, she plans to start her own clothing label in the future and also aims to make it big in the field of acting. Read on to get to know the actress a bit more in this conversation with MAG. Excerpts:

Icebreaker! Tell us something about yourself? Who is Maria behind the camera?
Maria is an introvert person behind the camera, but someone who loves genuine people, really enjoys nature, and studies about business whenever she gets the time.

What sparked your interest in the field of acting? How did you end up getting your first project?
In 2016, I was shooting for a clothing brand when someone from the team reached out to me and asked me if I would be interested in acting for a drama serial. That was the first time I considered acting as a career. So then, I went on for the audition, and right after, I started shooting for my first drama serial for Hum TV. I've enjoyed acting ever since.

What do you like about acting the most?
Well, I would say that I enjoy getting to play new characters, being part of different scripts, and moulding myself to experience new places.

How is your experience working in the industry so far?
Honestly, I'm enjoying the journey so far and I’m excited for the days to come.

Are there any things that you want to do other than acting?
As a business administration graduate, I am very much into starting my own business and for that, I want to start my own clothing brand, which I've been working on for the last two years. I am very excited for this
new venture.

What kind of characters attract you the most? Would you also want to play negative characters or you only like to play the positive ones?
I have usually been offered and cast for positive characters, but I would love to portray different characters on screen as an actor.

If you could work in your favourite TV show or film with your favourite actor, what or who would you choose, and why?
I would like to work with Humayun Saeed because I really liked his drama Mere Paas Tum Ho, and I would also like to work with Wahaj Ali because I think he's a very talented actor.

Are you open to the idea of acting on the big screen? What kind of movie would you like to work in?
I am interested in doing films and hence, I would definitely like to work for the big screen, but it also depends heavily on the script that I am being offered.

Who is your favourite co-actor whom you really enjoyed working with?
I wouldn't want to name just one, as all of my co-actors have been super kind to me, and I have thoroughly enjoyed working with all of them.

If you could swap lives with any fictional character for a day, who would it be and why?
There is a Netflix series called Chilling Adventures of Sabrina, and I think that I would love to swap lives with the lead character of Sabrina because she was a talented witch! Laughs.

What’s the strangest fan encounter you’ve ever had?
When my serial Dil Hi tou Hai was on air, one of my fans came up to me and said, 'Aap wohi hain na jis ki waja se Moeed ki taangain tooti hain,' and I tell you it was one of the most hilarious fan encounters for me ever.

Are there any upcoming projects you are most excited about?
I am currently in the process of reading different scripts and will be announcing my next project very soon.

Lastly, what role does social media play in your career, and how do you navigate its impact?
I don't take social media very seriously, else it would affect me in a bad way because nowadays, there is literally so much negativity online. People are living in their fake worlds on social media, so I try not to pay too much attention to it.

• Coordination: Umer Mushtaq
• Hair & Makeup: Rumela Fatima & Aneera Farhan
• Styling: Syed M. Hamza
• Designer: Munib Nawaz, Korali & Shoaikh The Brand
• Photography: Mohsin Khawar
• PR by: Alchemist