Actor Shamoon Abbasi believes playing morally complex characters comes with the challenge of convincing audiences that fiction should not be confused with the actor behind it. Speaking about his role in the 16-episode crime drama Shaandaar, Abbasi said, “The biggest challenge in playing such roles is that the audience starts thinking that the person acting is actually the same as shown in the dramas.”

Directed by Wajahat Rauf, Shaandaar draws inspiration from several real-life roadside killing cases, exploring crime, privilege, power and the consequences of reckless behaviour. Abbasi said the responsibility of preventing entitled behaviour begins at home, stressing that parents must remain aware of how their children are growing up.

“Outside their houses, these privileged, reckless children take such actions that later they become news highlights nationwide,” he said. “Money should not be a privilege to flaunt.”

With its focus on privilege and unchecked power, Shaandaar moves beyond conventional family dramas to examine what happens when wealth and influence collide with accountability.