Hina Dilpazeer’s forgetful character Momo on ARY Digital’s Bulbulay remains one of the most iconic figures in Pakistani television history. However, most fans don’t know she never originally belonged to the main cast.
Actor Ayesha Omar, one of the show’s leads, revealed this surprising detail on Wednesday during an appearance on Good Morning Pakistan. She explained that Bulbulay looked completely different when it first premiered in 2009. The original cast included only Nabeel Zafar as Nabeel, Omar as Khoobsurat, and Mehmood Aslam as Mehmood sahab.
Still, everything changed once showrunners brought Dilpazeer in as a guest star. Her portrayal of the eccentric, loud and endlessly lovable Momo struck a chord with audiences almost instantly.
“In one episode, Hina Dilpazeer was called in as a guest character to play Nabeel’s mother,” Omar explained. “That episode went on to become a major hit, bringing in remarkable ratings. They eventually decided to call her in as a stock character.”
Fellow guest Adnan Siddiqui reacted with surprise, asking whether Dilpazeer truly wasn’t part of the original show. Omar confirmed that the first 26 episodes were meant to feature only Mehmood sahab, Nabeel and herself. Their storyline, she noted, followed a completely different direction.
Interestingly, the three original characters lived under the same roof without any marriage involved. Therefore, showrunners eventually felt the arrangement didn’t suit the format. Once Dilpazeer’s character entered the story, Nabeel and Omar’s characters had to marry each other. Afterward, Dilpazeer’s character married Mehmood sahab too, which finally turned the group into a proper family unit.
That shift, according to Omar, essentially created the Bulbulay origin story fans know today.
During the same appearance, Omar also revealed she initially hesitated to commit to the show long-term, since her mother had some apprehensions about the role. However, Omar decided to stay on after Dilpazeer’s character joined and audience reception grew stronger.
The sitcom went on to become massively popular, and it celebrated its 16th anniversary last year. It has now entered its 17th year on air, far surpassing its originally planned 26-episode run.
Ultimately, Dilpazeer’s addition reshaped far more than individual character arcs. Instead, it transformed Bulbulay into the long-running juggernaut sitcom audiences recognize today. That single casting decision, more than any other, defines the real Bulbulay origin story.
