While promoting his debut film Cake, Adnan Malik, said in an interview with BBC Asian Network that he thinks there should be more diversity in male characters in the Pakistani tv shows and movies. The 33 year old model/actor said that it is about time the Pakistani cinema changed how they portrayed men. It is rare to see a sensitive, emotional or even a less masculine man on Pakistani silver screen which is quite disappointing.

Men and women are all complex which means we all feel the same motions. Being angry, scared, sad, or happy is humane but showing some of these emotions on screen somehow takes away from men’s masculinity according to Pakistani cinema. Being compassionate or emotional is not the only thing that’s important but character diversity is as well. Malik has played diverse characters multiple times, such as a Christian in Sadqay Tumharay and Romeo in Cake, who was not only Christian as well but a shy male nurse as well.

“I will play characters that I feel morally aligned to. If I am doing something that is misogynistic, I will definitely have second thoughts.”

Adnan Malik believes that playing not just action and macho roles but sensitive roles as well will also help eradicate sexism and misogyny in the industry. Our media is the biggest influence for the youth and it is time we used it for raising awareness and educating people to be better. “I believe that my decision to play Romeo in Cake will help mainstream Christians in our society. Pakistanis need to see people of other religions in films, television dramas, stage plays, novels, stories and poems, in roles that are positive, admirable and respectable,” Malik said.