Young actor aims to break down cultural barriers

Danyal Zafar said he was "shocked" to get the role in the BBC comedy

A 19-year-old who landed his dream role in the TV series Man Like Mobeen says he is "proud" to help break down barriers for South Asian actors.

Danyal Zafar, from the Black Country, plays the character Moped in the BBC comedy's fifth and final season.

He did his audition on a Zoom call from his bedroom and said landing the part took him "one step closer to the dream I had when I was eight years old".

Mr Zafar said he believed the success of programmes like Citizen Khan, Man Like Mobeen, Virdee and Ackley Bridge showed there was a growing appetite for South Asian television series.

He believes it is important for series like these to break down barriers.

"I'm from the Pakistani community, so acting is very looked down upon in my community of South Asian people," he said.

"It's a cultural hangover, where doctors and lawyers are seen to be proper jobs."

Danyal Zafar had just finished his BTEC in acting when he saw the casting call

Man Like Mobeen, which was filmed in Birmingham and Coventry, has been described as a launch pad for young acting talent.

Mr Zafar said he had been "chilling out" at home after finishing at his acting BTEC Halesowen College when he saw the invitation on Instagram to a casting call in Birmingham and thought to himself, "why not".

He said his college course had prepared him well for auditions and added: "You're quite confident in yourself when you're doing them regularly."

Appearing on set was a different matter though and he admitted to feeling a bit starstruck when he first met the star of Man Like Mobeen, Guz Khan.

"A few years back I was just watching the show with my friends," he said.

"It was just seeing someone you only see on screen in real life."

Man Like Mobeen tells the story of a former drug dealer in Birmingham and his efforts to live a good life as a Muslim

Mr Zafar has recently filmed a small part in the upcoming film I See Buildings Fall Like Lightning and said his preference would be to do more television and film work.

But, he said: "If I just get to perform and I like the role and I like the script, I'll do it."

He also said he hoped his story could encourage others from his community to take up acting.

"If I can inspire anyone to just follow what they want to do when they dream, honestly that would be the best feeling on earth," he said.