From captivating viewers through an engaging narrative to taking them on a journey brimming with adventures, Sony SAB’s ‘Alibaba Dastaan-e-Kabul has it all. The show has gained immense audience appreciation for its differentiated storyline and portrayal of its intriguing characters. One such unique character is played by Raviz Thakur, as Khabees, the head of 40 thieves.
Talking about his role in Alibaba Dastaan-e-Kabul, Raviz said, “The audience understand characters in two ways – either as the hero or as the villain. For me as an actor, I see the different shades the character offers and polish them to make it the most entertaining entity in its own way. My character is similar. He has a tall gait, a muscular frame, and a half-burnt face. His presence with the 40 thieves makes the entire group dangerous. He is cruel and bloodthirsty and always looks forward to training children to become his obedient assassins. He has been by Empress Simsim’s side for a long time to help his master, Ilbis wake up from the eternal sleep caused by Mustafa. Khabees has different coloured eyes and has the power of hypnosis. He has the perfect villainous existence to this show.”
Taking into account that no one has ever heard about Khabees’ 40 thieves gang, Raviz spoke about the importance of his character in the show. He said, “Khabees is a character which was not mentioned in the stories and through my research, I learned Khabees is a dangerous Genie. For a hero, you need a villain, and Khabees will play that role well. In the beginning, I doubted the character since it seemed monotonous and less active. Still, when the character’s wit and inherent self-opened up in the town of Parvaz, it became delightful.”
Each character in the show carries its own aura with its costume, and it’s the same with Raviz. Elaborating on his look on-screen, Khabees said, “The look of Khabees is not a joke. It takes so much effort to pull that look off. Acting in costume was one of the most challenging things I have faced. Apart from the distinguishing look, the character of Khabees has a lot to offer. When he is in front of SimSim, he is a loyal servant who doesn’t speak much. Once out of the cave, his body language and speaking style change, giving him the personality befitting of the leader of the 40 thieves. I added something special to the character to make it stand out. I tried a bit of an Afghani accent, making the character realistic and powerful. One thing about the look is it is not only devilish but exhibits a remarkable style. After acting for the past 4-5 months as this character, I sometimes miss that devilish look of Khabees whenever I turn into my real-life self.”
Sony SAB Alibaba Dastaan-e-Kabul has considered every minor detail to make the show’s characters stand out. The character of Khabees, the main thief, is one such character that proves to be mysterious and outstanding.