Zain Iqbal, the actor playing Ravi Singh in the Netflix adaptation of Holly Jackson’s bestselling novel ‘A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder,’ has been thrust into the spotlight with his breakout role. The 26-year-old, with four years of commercial experience under his belt, shares his journey of connecting with Ravi, working alongside his co-stars, and his hopes for the future.
His initial reaction to seeing the completed show was one of shock and awe. “Honestly, I was shocked. It was even better than I thought it would be,” he exclaims. “My worry at the start was that, with shows like these, it takes a while to set the scene up, and people have to get through that first—but with this series, from episode one, it grips you.” He marvels at how well the team has brought the book to life, from the set design and costumes to the locations, all contributing to a captivating and suspenseful experience.
While he wasn’t familiar with the book before auditioning, he admits that looking it up later was a bit daunting. “I didn’t know of the book, and I didn’t look it up even when the audition came in. That actually worked in my favour because I think knowing how huge the book was would have scared me off. But towards the end of my audition process—I went through about six or seven rounds—I did look it up, and it was like, “Oh crap, this is huge.” And then I read the book after I booked the job.”
His reaction to the book? “The way it’s written is so clever. I was gobsmacked. You can never tell who’s done it. Just when you think it’s one person, suddenly, it seems like it’s someone else, and then again, it seems like another character completely. It’s quite a ride.”
What drew him to Ravi? “Just his heart—his generosity, empathy and understanding.” Ravi has endured a difficult time, facing consequences despite his innocence. “To go through all that, and still go forward and help Pip investigate and find the truth says a lot about him as a person.”
Zain connects with Ravi on a personal level, recognizing the unfair treatment faced by people of color. “When we see his brother being accused of murder and the negative impact it ends up having on his family, you realize how unfairly they are treated because they’re people of colour. I’ve not experienced it to that extent, but I know what it’s like to go through life and just have people treat you unfairly.”
One aspect he was particularly looking forward to was working with Emma Myers, who plays Pip. “I was looking forward to acting with Emma Myers. I didn’t really know of her, but then I went and checked out Wednesday just before the chemistry read and I thought, “Wow, she’s brilliant.” So that was great. Pretty much all my scenes were with Emma, and I honestly learned so much. She’s amazing, and just so dynamic as an actor. Sometimes she would do scenes in one take, and I would think, “How are you doing this?” So that was something I was really looking forward to, and enjoyed a lot.”
His favorite scene to film? “My favourite scene that I filmed was probably the hotel scene in episode four where we get away. That was probably the best day that I had. That’s where Ravi has a lot of fun, and loosens up, and is just so carefree. Before that, he was so closed off, and it was quite tough to know how much vulnerability to show. But when I got to episode four, I was just able to have a lot of fun and be free.”
Zain is excited for audiences to see the dynamic between Pip and Ravi. “The Pip and Ravi scenes are great. I think the chemistry is really there, and every time they come on screen, there’s just a good energy that’s very different from everything else going on in the show. Pip will go off and see the rest of the world, and then she’ll come back to Ravi, and it’s like a little getaway for her. They find comfort in each other and they have each other’s backs. I can’t wait for fans to see those scenes.”
This project has cemented his love for acting. “Definitely. I love it even more. I love being on set, I love losing myself in a character and just getting to try different things and so something new every day.”
The most meaningful aspect of this journey? “Just getting the opportunity to play such a beloved character. These roles don’t come around often for people that look like me, so getting to do this has been amazing. I also think it’s so important that people who look like me will be able to see themselves in a character that’s portrayed as the romantic sweet lead, and I hope that sets off more opportunities for these sorts of roles for people like me in the industry.”
Looking ahead, Zain is eager to explore new roles, particularly those that challenge his acting range. “I want to play a villain. I’d love to tackle a character that looks like an innocent guy but has something really dark inside him. Or I’d love to play a detective. So like a bad boy. Or maybe Batman. I’d love to play Batman. Hey, we’ll see what comes up.”
‘A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder’ is available on Netflix from August 1st, 2024.
