Mawaan Rizwan on turning pain into comedy – and why Juice season 2 hits different

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Mawaan Rizwan observes that it’s become common for people to profit from sharing their difficult experiences. He adds that because he personally finds it hard to set limits, he has to be cautious about how he engages with this trend.

Now 34 years old, the comedian, actor, and writer-who first gained popularity on YouTube-has come to understand that life experiences aren’t just material for jokes. He remembers sharing difficult personal stories in writers’ rooms, hoping they’d be used in scripts. However, he was often surprised to receive feedback saying those feelings didn’t fit the character or made them unlikeable. This left him feeling incredibly vulnerable and exposed, as he’d deliberately chosen to share something deeply personal.

I’ve noticed something strange about myself – even when something really awful happens, a little part of my brain immediately starts thinking about how it could be turned into something creative. It’s almost like a reflex. But I’m realizing that can be a dangerous thing, because sometimes it’s just a way to avoid actually *feeling* the pain, and that’s not healthy. It’s a tricky balance, learning to tell when I’m processing something for my own healing, and when I’m just turning it into ‘material.’ I’m really trying to figure out where that line is, and what’s truly meant for me versus what’s for my art.

Juice, the acclaimed BBC Three comedy starring Rizwan, is finishing its second series this week. The show, which first aired in 2023 and won an RTS Award and a Bafta for Rizwan’s performance, explores the funny and often chaotic realities of life. Rizwan plays Jamma, a man who avoids responsibility, leading to hilarious mishaps and embarrassing situations.

Okay, so if you’re not seeing the video, it’s probably a privacy thing. I had to go down to the very bottom of the TopMob website – the footer – and click ‘Manage Privacy Settings’. Then, under ‘Site Vendors’, I had to make sure I gave permission for ‘YouTube’. After that, I just hit ‘Save & Exit’, and the video popped right up. It’s a little annoying, but worth it to watch the content!

Rizwan insists his show, *Juice*, is made up, but it clearly draws heavily from his own life experiences. It feels genuinely personal. It’s important to remember the show isn’t necessarily *true*, but it feels incredibly *real*. One of the things that makes *Juice* so enjoyable is its unique style. Unlike the cynicism of *Fleabag* or the sentimentality of *Big Boys*, *Juice* is surreal. When the main character, Jamma, feels strongly, the world around him literally changes. For example, when he’s called into his boss’s office, the room transforms into a dangerous jungle with plants reaching for him. Similarly, during a tense moment with his boyfriend, Guy (Russell Tovey), Jamma vanishes down a tunnel that appears in his bed.

Though the show ‘Juice’ is imaginative and over-the-top, it’s also a family affair. Juice’s brother, Nabhaan, appears as his on-screen brother, and their mother, Shahnaz, plays their mother on the show. Juice explains that making videos – and now this series – has always been a way to connect with his family. It allows them to discuss difficult topics through humor and provides a chance to spend time together, relieving any guilt he feels about not seeing them enough. Plus, he gets to work with them and earn a living doing it.

Rizwan says his mother, who moved to the UK from Pakistan, raised him and his siblings as a single parent while facing the constant worry of deportation, is the reason for his ambition. Her saying, “When life gives you mangoes, make mango juice,” inspired the name of his company, Juice. He describes her as a fiercely determined mother.

I’m incredibly grateful to her. Seeing what she accomplished – coming to this country and succeeding the way she did – really motivated me. I felt I couldn’t let myself fail, and I was determined to excel in whatever I did, even if it meant becoming a plumber and being the best at it.

Does making a follow-up feel stressful? Not at all, he explains. Unlike many artists facing the challenge of a second album, he didn’t experience any pressure with ‘Juice.’ He simply had a lot of ideas left over from the first season that he was excited to explore in the new series.

Despite his success, Rizwan felt a bit burdened by it. He recalls looking at his BAFTA award and eventually giving it to his mother, where it now sits in her bathroom. He also worried that achieving wealth and comfort would disconnect him from the experiences that fueled his creativity. He remembers thinking when he bought his first luxurious Egyptian cotton sheets, ‘This could be the start of losing touch,’ but he quickly realized he was being dramatic.

Rizwan, who was born in Pakistan and identifies as queer, feels that everything he creates is inherently political because of who he is. He observes that artists from marginalized communities often feel pressured to make strong statements or address societal issues through their work. He believes this can stifle creativity and diminish the pleasure of creating, but argues that even joy can be a powerful form of political expression.

He’s careful about appearing to speak for any group other than himself. He wants to avoid being labeled or categorized, preferring to remain independent. He explains, “I focus on simply creating – writing or filming – and don’t see myself as representing any particular community.”

Long may it continue.

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2025-09-23 03:14