Saba Azad, known for her work in music and acting, is making headlines again, this time for her role as a crime journalist in the Hindi web series Crime Beat.
Saba Azad talks about handling paparazzi attention, her private nature, and her role in Crime Beat.
Saba Azad, known for her dynamic presence in the entertainment industry—both as a musician with her electronic band Madboy/Mink and for her relationship with Hrithik Roshan—is once again making waves. This time, it’s for her portrayal of a crime journalist in the upcoming Hindi web series Crime Beat. In a candid conversation with Hesha Chimah Varinder Chawla, Saba opened up about her evolving relationship with the paparazzi and how public visibility has shaped her interactions with them.
Reflecting on her experience, Saba shared, “I’m a private person and I’m an awkward person. I think I’m a socially awkward person.” She further noted that attracting media attention is often a choice, stating, “I also think you can very well exist without attracting that attention. Like Saqib said, I think people pay for it—because actually paps don’t bother me unless now mera show ho raha hai—there’s a buzz around it.”
In an interview with Money Control, Saba elaborated on her naturally reserved nature, explaining the contrast between her personal life and her stage persona. “To be honest, I am a very private person, and I’m a very socially awkward person. It’s an absolute contrast with the fact that I’m an actor, and I love being on stage. But, in real life, I’m the person standing or sitting in a corner, even in a large group of friends. So, it’s not easy for anybody to be on display at all times.” While she doesn’t necessarily enjoy constant media attention, she acknowledges the reality of it. “I can’t say I enjoy it, but I can’t say I don’t understand it. That man is also trying to take food back to his family, and that’s the medium he’s found. If he gets a photo of this person…”
Despite her growing presence in the public eye, Saba clarified that she has never been harassed by the paparazzi. “Honestly, I’m not really harassed by paps at all. It’s not like it happens all the time for me—just once in a while at some event or something. And I’ve never been treated badly. No one’s ever misbehaved with me, and it’s okay. They’re trying to do their job, and I’m doing my bit by saying, ‘Ki mujhe jana hai.’ And that’s it. To each their own, and we can all coexist peacefully without making an ordeal out of it.”
Her latest project, Crime Beat, takes audiences into the intense world of investigative journalism. Starring alongside Saqib Saleem, Saba plays Abhishek, a small-town crime journalist whose pursuit of a career-defining story entangles him with a fugitive gangster. As the lines between right and wrong blur, the show delves into the cost of ambition and the dangers of chasing the truth.
