Anayah Shahid has praised Sajal Ali for supporting her during her acting debut in Zanjeerain. The newcomer said Sajal guided her through the early challenges of working on a major television project.

In an interview, Anayah recalled her first experience on set. She said her admiration for Sajal played a major role in her decision to join the project.

“I love Sajal, so when I found out she was in the project, I had to do it,” Anayah said.

She described Sajal as an elder sister who helped her understand how things worked on set.

Anayah said Sajal would visit her room and explain what she needed to do. She also encouraged her to ask for help whenever she faced a problem.

Anayah Wanted a Negative Debut

Anayah also revealed that she always wanted to start her career with a negative character.

She said positive roles can sometimes offer fewer opportunities for a newcomer to show their acting range.

“I like doing negative characters because I feel positive roles are very flat and there is no margin to perform,” she said.

The actor said she wanted a challenging role from the beginning of her career.

Her interest in the character led her to push for an audition for Zanjeerain.

She Fought for the Role

Anayah said she strongly wanted to audition for the role of Shireen.

“I begged them to let me audition for that character,” she recalled.

The production team initially had concerns about her availability. She was already working on another project and faced possible scheduling problems.

Anayah said she convinced the team to give her a chance because she found the character interesting.

Two days later, she received a call confirming that she had won the role.

Shireen Brings Strong Viewer Reactions

Her performance as Shireen also brought strong reactions from viewers.

Anayah said she received significant criticism because some viewers connected the character’s actions with her real personality.

“I got a lot of hate for the character because people’s personal emotions were getting attached,” she said.

She recalled receiving long and harsh messages from viewers who blamed her for the character’s actions.

Some viewers even criticised her upbringing, she said.

The reactions eventually led her to address the issue on Instagram.

Anayah explained that Shireen was a fictional character written for the show. She asked viewers to direct their concerns towards the story and its writers.

“I am just an employee of the script,” she said.

Fans Still Call Her Shireen

Anayah also spoke about meeting fans in public.

She said older women and children often approached her and called her Shireen.

While she appreciated the recognition, she said she was particularly pleased when people recognised her by her real name.

One interaction stood out to her.

A girl approached her and asked if she was Anayah Shahid. The actor said she found the moment surprising.

She added that being recognised by her real identity felt even more meaningful.

Family Slowly Accepts Acting Career

Anayah said her acting journey began on social media.

She used to create role-play videos and perform different characters online.

Her family initially opposed her decision to pursue acting. However, she said their attitude has gradually changed.

Anayah has not appeared in another major project since Zanjeerain. However, she has indicated that she is working on upcoming projects.

Her debut has already given her a strong introduction to television audiences. Her performance as Shireen has also helped establish her as a newcomer willing to take challenging roles.