Pakistani actor Imran Abbas has shared an interesting account of linguistic and pronunciation challenges he faced while working in India, saying that differences in Urdu articulation often became a point of discussion during shoots.
Speaking during a recent conversation, the actor said that working in Indian productions exposed him to subtle but noticeable variations in Urdu pronunciation, which occasionally led to on-set confusion.
Imran Abbas explained that certain Urdu sounds, particularly the letter “خ”, are often pronounced differently by Indian actors due to the influence of Hindi phonetics and regional speech patterns.
He added that even small differences, such as the pronunciation of the word “ke” versus “ki”, became noticeable during filming.
Recalling his experience in the drama project Jaanisar, he said that while working alongside actress Bipasha Basu, he was once advised to adjust his pronunciation from “ke” to “ki”. However, he chose to maintain his natural diction, which reportedly led to brief discussions on set.
The actor also mentioned working in the film Ae Dil Hai Mushkil, where similar linguistic differences surfaced during interactions with actress Anushka Sharma.
He cited an example involving the word “bewaqoof,” noting that he pronounced it in its standard Urdu form, while some Indian actors used a slightly altered version influenced by their linguistic background.
Imran Abbas said these differences are not conflicts but rather a reflection of South Asia’s linguistic diversity, where multiple dialects and pronunciations coexist across borders.
He emphasized that such experiences helped him better understand regional variations in language and reinforced his respect for cultural and linguistic diversity in the entertainment industry.
The actor added that criticism or negativity based on such minor differences does not diminish artistic collaboration, and such variations should instead be seen as part of shared cultural heritage between India and Pakistan.