Apurva Agnihotri has officially stepped into COLORS’ ‘Seher Hone Ko Hai’ as Dr. Farid with a dignified presence that fuels one of the show’s biggest twists. With Mahhi Vij as Kausar and Rishita Kothari as Seher, the show is a mother-daughter saga that has gripped the audiences since its premiere. Set in the heart of Lucknow, the drama follows Kausar’s relentless fight to give her sixteen-year-old daughter the education and autonomy she herself was denied, even as her husband Parvez, an uncaring patriarch, attempts to force Seher into marriage with Mahid (Parth Samthaan), the heir of the powerful Mufti family. Caught in this storm is Mahid, nursing wounds of his own and seeking solace and answers from Dr. Farid, a healer, who is in need of healing himself. In a candid chat, Apurva Agnihotri reflects on essaying this layered role, the emotional complexity he brings to Dr. Farid, and the mystery that continues to bind his character to Kausar.
- Tell us about the show. . Seher Hone Ko Hai follows the journey of a mother and daughter trying to break a cycle of oppression and patriarchy that has shadowed their family for generations. Kausar brings her sixteen-year-old daughter, Seher, to Lucknow because she wants her to have the freedom and education, she herself never got the chance to fight for. But Seher’s father, Parvez, strongly opposes it. He’s intent on getting her married to Mahid from the influential Mufti family. As Seher gradually understands what it means to stand up for her own dreams, Mahid enters her world, a young man expected to carry forward his grandfather’s legacy as a religious leader. From the outside he seems privileged, almost perfect, but he carries emotional wounds no one sees. While Mahid seeks treatment from my character, Dr Farid, fate slowly nudges Seher and Mahid toward each other. And the hidden connection between Dr Farid and Kausar becomes the show’s biggest mystery. Amid all this, the mother and daughter spark an unexpected rebellion, leaving viewers to wonder whether they can truly break free from the cage of patriarchy. And with its scale, emotions, and storytelling, Seher Hone Ko Hai unfolds in a way that feels larger than life.
- Tell us what attracted you to your role? What attracted me instantly was the duality of Dr Farid. On the outside, he’s a respected doctor, a man everyone turns to for help. But inside, he’s a father still figuring out how to emotionally reach his adopted daughter, Amal. Then Mahid walks into his life as a patient, and suddenly there’s this unexpected bond forming between them. Add to that the unexplored history he shares with Kausar, and Farid becomes a man constantly pulled between logic and old, buried emotions. As a father myself, I instantly connected to him. I’m a girl dad, so I understand what it means to want to protect, guide, and still learn every day. Bringing my experience as a father into this show has been incredibly special.
- How did you prep for this show? I really wanted to get this right, so I started by reading up on basic neurology and some psychiatric frameworks just to understand how someone like Farid thinks, observes, and holds space for other people while keeping his own storms tucked away. I even went through a few real case studies to understand the emotional fatigue and discipline that come with this profession. And of course, I worked a lot on my Urdu because Farid comes from a world of calmness and tehzeeb, and that must come through in the way he speaks. What honestly surprised me was how the character slowly started slipping into my real life. I caught myself calling my mother ammi, waking up to the sound of azaan without even setting an alarm, and even started calling my own daughter by my reel daughter name Amal at home. From calling my mother ammi to waking up to the azaan – Fahid slowly slipped into my life. These tiny shifts made Farid feel real to me.
- How is this show different from earlier Muslim-backdrop shows on TV? For me, the cultural backdrop is secondary to the story. What truly stands out here is the core emotion, a mother and daughter fighting generations of patriarchy so one dream doesn’t have to die just because the previous one did. This isn’t about stereotypes or community labels. It’s about freedom, choices, and the courage to rewrite your destiny.
- Since the narrative revolves around traditions and religious nuances, how did you ensure nothing comes across as insensitive or misrepresented? Right from day one, sensitivity was non-negotiable for the makers. Every detail, language, rituals, relationships, was approached with care, research, and constant discussion with people who understand this world deeply. For me, the biggest rule was simple: treat every character as human first. When you work from empathy instead of assumptions, respect follows naturally. And I’ve been very conscious about making sure nothing feels exaggerated or misrepresented.
- How did you feel comfortable embracing a narrative set in a different cultural and religious world from your own? Honestly, labels never mattered to me. What mattered was the story. This world has been created with so much respect and care that it never felt like I was stepping into something unfamiliar. At its core, it’s about very universal things, a mother’s courage, a daughter’s hope, a young man’s inner conflict, and a doctor who tries to hold everyone’s broken pieces together.
- What are your thoughts about the hatred around Muslim community? I’d prefer not to speak about hatred toward any particular community. That’s not what Seher Hone Ko Hai stands for. Our story isn’t built on labels or identities; it’s built on people. It’s about a family, their struggles, their dreams, and the choices that define them. At its core, the show is driven by universal emotions: a mother wanting her daughter to rise, a young girl trying to stay true to her dreams, and individuals learning to heal through life’s ups and downs.
- What is your message to the viewers? We’re genuinely excited about having entered your homes and hearts. Every person on this team has poured honesty and hope into this story. As actors, we’ve tried to keep it real, grounded, and emotional in the right way. All we ask is for viewers to watch the show with an open mind. Let the characters breathe and grow on you. I promise you; this world has a lot to say. Your love is what keeps us going, and we are counting on more of it coming our way.
Watch ‘Seher Hone Ko Hai’ every Monday to Friday at 10:00 PM only on COLORS.
