Juggun Kazim

Juggun Kazim also known as Jay Kazim, is a
very talented and ambitious young woman. She has worked in numerous Pakistani
telefilms and even embarked on the Canadian film scene. Not only is she an
admirable actress, she is also a model and TV host for various shows airing on
Pakistani channels. Read on to learn how she got into acting and what her future
goals are…

How would you introduce yourself to our readers?

I would like to think that I’m a rather multifaceted personality. From
modeling to hosting to acting and lately the random bit of journalism; I seem to
want to do it all. I just love the arts, and more specifically the media. I’m
one of those people that wake up in the middle of the night because of having a
dream that could be converted into a scene. For me, this line of work is more
than a passion, it’s an obsession.

Tell us about where you grew up, your family and
education?

I grew up in Cantonment, Lahore with an elder sister and a younger brother.
My mother is still alive, but my father passed away 5 years ago. His murder was
one of the most traumatic experiences of my life. My own tiny family unit is
comprised of my two year old son, Hamza Ahmed and myself. I am a single mother
and adore my son to distraction; he is my motivation to do everything and truly
makes me want to be a better person.

I went to Lahore Grammar School, and then to Kinnaird College for my FA.
After completing that, I went to Canada to attend the University of Western
Ontario where I did my BA Honors in Media Information Technology and Sociology
with a minor in Psychology. One summer while in college, I also did my CCNA 2.0
just for fun. I guess I was bored and computers aren’t exactly rocket science,
so I decided to have fun and educate myself at the same time. After college, I
took a variety of courses in acting and commercial modeling. I am also now
planning to do my LLB privately. I have to admit, I miss college and I love to
constantly educate myself; it makes me feel like I’m still a kid.

You are an actress, a TV host and a model; how
did you get involved with working in the media?

When I was four, someone asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up. My
reply was “mein bara ho kay actor banu ga.” At that age, I obviously hadn’t
quite realized that I was a girl, which of course came along as a rude awakening
at the age of thirteen.

My first commercial play was when I was fourteen years old and the director
was my best friend Mashal Peerzada. I must say, it was one of the most fun
theatre projects I have worked on till date. However, I started my professional
acting and modeling career under the name ‘Jay Kazim’ in Toronto. I was
approached by Sutherland Models in Canada to work as a ‘petite’ and ‘commercial’
model; because obviously I am way too short for the ramp. I did two music videos
with them and then was approached my current Canadian Agents, The Newton Landry
Management. Sandie Newton and Yanick Landry took me under their wing and started
sending me to auditions. I ended up doing a Diet Coke Ad which ran for 2 seasons
because it was so popular. I also then did a few more commercials and theatre
work, and in the process also auditioned for the movie Pink Ludoos. Never in my
wildest imagination did I think I would be chosen as the lead in this movie; but
Allah Mian was very kind to me and after only the 2nd stage of auditions, I was
offered the part. (You can google me under ‘Jay Kazim’ and the rest of my stage
and acting work in Canada will come up.)

Did your family support your decision to enter
this industry? What obstacles have you faced by entering this profession?

My family didn’t really approve of this line of work initially, but now I
think they have come to accept it and are secretly a little proud of me. I had
no major obstacles because I have always been very independent in my behavior
and thought process. Also, once I had finished my degree from college, my mother
was pretty much okay with whatever profession I chose to pursue.

Out of modeling, acting and hosting, what do you
enjoy most?

I have never really considered myself to be a model. I am essentially an
actress and enjoy hosting. Hosting is something I just fell into while I was
pregnant, and now I have to say I love acting and hosting just as much. Though,
I do have the soul of an actor. I host predominantly to change people’s
narrow-minded perception of the media industry and to promote positive social
change.

What type of modeling have you done? Have you
participated in fashion shows? If so, when and where?

I am mainly a print model, if you can call me a model that is. Modeling is
something I do just for fun; I have never participated in fashion shows despite
being trained by Sutherland Models to walk the ramp. I just think that at 5 feet
4 inches, I’d look rather stupid walking the ramp. One should learn to work
within the limitations of one’s body rather than make of fool of themselves.

Tell us about the shows you host on TV.

A.My career in hosting started with the program Beanbag, which I wrote and
conceptualized for Business Plus. After that, I hosted: CEO for Business Plus,
Aaj Entertainment Tonight for Aaj TV, Fashion Stop for Ary Digital, Sunday
Brunch for Aaj TV

My current programs on air are: Morning with Hum Weekend Edition for Hum TV,
Aik Din Juggun Kay Saath for Vibe TV (Celebrity and Media Personalities kay
interview.), Honestly Speaking with Juggun Kazim on PTV (Program deals with
social issues within Pakistan)

You have acted as well; what shows you have
acted in and what is your most memorable role in acting?

As of late, I have acted in various projects in Pakistan. The ones I was most
noted in 2007 were: Manosalva in the character of Sheena for
Hum TV, Sitam in the character of Kiran for PTV and
Piyasi in the character of Dolly for Hum TV. I have also acted in a
variety of series and telefilms. Just recently my new serial aired on ARY
Digital by the name of Sher Dil, on which I play the character
of Neelum. I am now working on 3 serials, Momal Productions ‘Saiqa,’
Shahid Zahoor’s ‘Chaat,’ Talking Filmein’s serial and a
television soap that has yet to be titled. The most favorite character I’ve
played was Maya in ‘Aik Pal,’ a telefilm which I producted and
which was directed by Mashal Peerzada. The film has been selected by Hum TV for
their telefilm competition.

They say there is a lot of competition in
modeling, what has your experience been? Would you recommend this profession to
the youngsters who want to enter this field?

Thank god I’m not a professional model! I just model for fun. If you are tall
and skinny, it’s easy to become a model in Pakistan. However, it’s a lot tougher
to be as good of an actor as Nadia Jamil or Faisal Qureshi. Twenty years ago I
wouldn’t recommend this profession to anyone, but now things have changed for
the better and that’s allowed a lot of people to enter this industry on a more
positive note.

You recently appeared in the latest Jal video,
tell us where that video was shot and how was the experience?

The video was shot in Lahore at Bari Studios. It was amazing to work with a
team of such talented professionals like DOP Neil Lisk and director Bilal
Lashari. Within the limited amount of technical facilities, they did a fabulous
job. The hair and makeup was done by Maram and Abaru, and the wardrobe was
provided by Rabya Butt and Munib Nawaz. Basically, there was no way that things
could’ve gone wrong. It’s the team that makes the production, not just the
talent!

To a lot of people, being a model means having a
glamorous lifestyle, hundreds of fans and traveling; how true is this and what
are the drawbacks?

People say that success goes to your head, but I wouldn’t know since I am not
even one hundredth as successful as I aim to be eventually. Of course the fans,
traveling and glamour are all part of the package that comes with acting,
hosting and modeling. But it’s not quite as glamorous at it may seem. It’s a lot
of hard work and effort at the end of the day. The drawbacks included constant
exhaustion, constant criticism and the fans that sometimes decide to start
stalking and harassing you. All in all, I love it because I don’t get caught up
in the issues.

What are your goals for the future? Where do you
see yourself professionally in the next 10 years?

I will hopefully have my book published and be working on the next few. In
terms of acting, I hope to be recognized as the Shabana Azmi or Meryl Streep of
Pakistan. As far as hosting is concerned, Oprah is my idol! And of course, I do
plan to start producing feature films. Those are the goals… I hope I can
supersede them.

Lastly, what is your message to the readers of
The Saturday Post?

Learn to love yourself. When you can honestly love yourself, only then can
you love others unconditionally. Learn to respect yourself and the opinions of
others. Be a good person; a clean and pure soul goes a long way. And ALWAYS
follow your dreams. One always gets those things that they want the most in
life… but you have to really have to want it.

Courtesy: The Saturday Post

Watch This Episode

Iman Ali

One
wonders why Iman Ali is only known for her smoking hot looks, and not for
the acting talent that she flaunts rather sparingly! It was delightful to
see smouldering Iman act in a TV play after a long time. The play methinks
was titled Meena Aur Muhabbat, was nothing to write home about and had a
done-to-death storyline. However, Iman look scrumptious in it and acted like
a dream. In fact, with a supporting cast of seemingly amateurish actors she
pulled the entire drama through with her effortless performance and
charm.Now why doesn’t she act often? She’s wasting her talent. What is she
waiting for? Another Shoaib Mansoor to cast her in a hut-ke role? The
showbiz industry has a dearth of aesthetically pleasing performers and is
infested with mediocre actors. And Iman can make a difference. Time to act
girl!

Watch This Episode

Iffat Rahim Omar

She is a model, an actress, director and
producer. Having appeared in countless TV shows and catwalks around the country
and internationally, Iffat Umar needs no introduction. In an exclusive interview
with The Saturday Post, she tells us how she began her career and how she finds
the time to balance work, home and motherhood all at the same time!

How would you introduce yourself to our readers?
Tell us about where you grew up, education and family.

My name is Iffat Rahim Umar, I am a former model turned
Producer-Director-Actress-Anchor. Currently, most of my work is related to
acting which is primarily due to the fact that I feel I am good at it, and
secondly because I think I can balance it very easily with my family life.

I grew up in the lovely and historic city of Lahore, which according to most
people is also the cultural capital of Pakistan. I have travelled elaborately
throughout the world and have stayed for an extended period of time in Europe
and the Middle East, but I think I am in my element when I am in Lahore. I just
love the city and of course all my childhood and teenage memories are associated
with it. I went to school (Esena Foundation, Gulberg), college (Lahore College
for Women) and university (Punjab University) here. I have a masters degree in
Fine Arts with a Gold Medal in Film Making, which for me is my biggest
educational achievement.

I was raised as a single child by my mother, who has been a constant
inspiration and a role model for me all my life. She has been the anchor who has
supported me through my early childhood until the time I was wise enough to
distinguish between right and wrong, and I owe her greatly for that.

I fell in love with Umar and had a fairy tale wedding about ten years ago. We
are blessed with a seven year daughter, Noor-e-Jehan, and as the name signifies
she is the light of our lives.

When and how did you get into modeling and
acting?

My modeling career began out of the blue, when one of the leading
photographers saw one of my pictures from some school function and invited me
for a shoot. My first shoot turned out to be a big hit at that time and my
career just took off.

Acting came later when I was offered a lead role in a play, which I took just to
try it out. That too was greatly appreciated by the critics as well as the
masses, and I slowly made the transition from modeling to acting.

Did your family support your decision to model
and act or did they oppose it?

My mother was very strict but professional in her outlook. She had the
foresight to see that I could make a career out of show-biz. Her only
reservation was that I must complete my education along with my professional
commitments. Once she saw that I could do both, she supported me all the way.
Similarly, Umar wanted a balance between work and family life and once we
reached that balance he has been supporting me thoroughly.

You have a background in fine arts, why didn’t
you pursue a career in arts?

Well, in a way I am pursuing a career in fine arts. I have produced/directed
more then ten docudramas on fashion, history of film and biographies of actors
and actresses belonging to the sub-continent. Some of these are divas & gurus,
Chand Chera and Zikr Us Pari Wash Ka have been declared as masterpieces by the
national press and are highly appreciated.

You have worked with countless designers, who is
your favorite and why?

That’s an easy one; I would say Omar Saeed because there is no one who makes
clothes better than him. I actually recommend that his work should be put in a
museum because it’s out of this world!

How many TV serials and shows you have worked in
and which is your most memorable?

Iffat, Tahira & vaneeza

That’s a toughie because seriously I have lost count, but I think a ball park
figure would be around 50. The most memorable, at least for me, is Banoo Ko
Pahchano which was written and directed by Salman Shahid.

A lot of models have turned to acting, does acting come naturally to models
or do TV people just approach models in general?

It’s actually a bit of both. We have to be honest; show-biz is still
considered a taboo by most segments of Pakistani society. So girls who have, so
as to say, crossed the threshold are the ones who are in modeling and are always
easy to approach. However, acting is not a natural extension of modeling, most
models try, but don’t cut it. So I wouldn’t say that it comes naturally to them,
although it might give them an advantage.

You are a working woman, a wife and a mother;
how do you balance all these roles?

By keeping my priorities in order i.e., family and then work. It’s not easy,
but once you get your priorities right everything else falls in place. Although
in my case it was a little easier because my mother and then my husband both
have supported me in my career. I also make it a point to not take on too much
work, and what ever work I do, I finish by 8 or 9 in the evening so that I can
be at home when my daughter goes to sleep.

What are your hobbies and interests?

Reading and of course shoes, bags and clothes. I have to admit, I love to
shop and this is one thing I have never lost interest in and no woman should
(laughs).

What advice would you give to the young people
who want to enter modeling and acting?

It’s a good career with a lot of opportunities, but also a lot of pitfalls if
you don’t keep your head up straight. So go for it, but tread with care.

Lastly, your message to the readers of The
Saturday Post.

I think you people living out there in the U.S. can help the country in
projecting a positive image and especially in changing the perceptions about
Pakistan. These days, all that matters are perceptions as no one is going to
come here to know the actual truth. So please, please don’t let our country go
down any further and make sure that in every action you project is the best our
country has to offer to all other nationalities and the rest of the world.

Watch This Episode

Hina Dilpazeer Khan

By Fouzia Mapara
Sunday, 25 Oct, 2009

It was by sheer luck that Hina landed the outstanding role of Saeeda in
Burnes Road ki Nilofer written by Fasih Bari Khan, after challenging the
director Mazhar Moin to find someone better than her to give depth to the
character.

“I knew I could do the role well. I’m grateful to Mazhar Moin for putting so
much trust in me. He cast me opposite TV veteran Abid Ali which was an honour
for a newcomer like me,” she said.

After Burnes Road ki Nilofer went on air, Hina’s phone rang incessantly
throughout the night with offers and appreciation. “When something new and fresh
goes on air and is loved by all who see it, uss ka lutf hi kuch aur hai. I got a
call from someone who wanted to speak to the person who played Saeeda. I told
her it was me but the person on the line said, ‘Nahin, woh to bohot jahil si
khatoon theen, mujhe unn se hi baat karni hai!’”

While wanting to start an acting career, Hina set off on the grueling task of
visiting TV channels to look for work with no contacts but just determination
and talent, “I have nothing against people who didn’t give me a break. As a
newcomer, it is difficult to prove one’s talent and people here don’t have the
time for evaluation. Maybe what our media lacks is the mature, seasoned eye that
can spot talent a mile away.

“We are in a race against time, and very little time is spent on looking for
the right person to do the job. Even if people come up to me and say ‘I can act
very well, please get me a role’, I would be too busy to find anything suitable
for them. Likewise, those working for TV channels are too busy.”

After Burnes Road ki Nilofer and the unprecedented success, offers and
opportunities, there’s been no looking back for her. Madam Rizwana and Baby
Shabana, Bichhu Phuppi and Veena, to name just a few, are just some of Hina’s
best work on television. She’s accused of taking all the choicest roles, “Loge
kehte hain sab achhay roles Hina Dilpazeer ko dediye jaate hain.”

Sometimes it worries her, feeling obsessed and nervous if she can’t do
justice to the writer’s creation, “No one can ever guarantee public response,
even if I know that the role has a lot of potential for me as an actress. It
happens with most of the roles that I get: I ask myself if I can be this person
and to at least give it a try. If I feel a role is powerful then I also put in
my best. I have to try and make a difference.

“I have always wanted to live many lives in this one life; lives of the rich,
the impoverished, the disabled and even the blessed. Any interesting person who
catches my attention, I try and enter his or her world through my imagination,
curious to know how I would feel in their situation. I have always been like
this, I would get told off for what appeared to others like I was imitating them
but in reality I was so deeply absorbed in a fascinating character that I would
be subconsciously following mannerisms, gestures and gait. I always wanted to
become the medium to deliver those feelings, sensitivities and stories to
audiences.”

Hina’s debut as an actress has been rather late. Why not earlier? “I was in
the UAE and it had always been my dream to make my debut and establish myself as
an actress from Pakistan. I am fine working anywhere else once I am recognised
as a product of Pakistan. I have no desire to acquire another passport or
nationality. There is enough work to be done here.”

Her initial challenge was that she didn’t fit the bill for a young attractive
actress to be caste as a leading lady. “Nobody would say haan bhai yeh bauhat
khubsoorat larki hai isse leliya jaye. To convince someone that you can act
without any prior experience is difficult but I was determined to impress.” In
that, she has also shattered the stereotype and set the ball rolling for
character actresses who share the spotlight with the lead pair and are just as
popular with the viewers. In a short time she has given a lot of variation by
doing the juiciest characters.

Today, Hina seems to have swept over the mini-screen, filling the gap left by
the late Arshe Munir, Ishrat Hashmi, Atiya Sharf and Sarwat Ateeq, “If I feel I
don’t have the capacity for a role, I won’t accept it. Recently, before I got
the script somebody told me about the role, and later when I saw the script it
was a word-by-word copy of an Indian sitcom. I refused although I felt a bit
sorry afterwards because the director was good. At times I ask for more money to
discourage bad roles but I am quite sure about one thing: I don’t want to make
any compromises,” she said.

Is it true that Hina Dilapzeer might have surpassed seasoned actresses Zeba
Shehnaz and Bushra Ansari as a performer par excellence? “No one can push anyone
over. Insaan kab berang hojata hai, usko khud nahin pata chalta. I feel it is a
miracle of God that people like my work. Before I came, plays were being done
and they will continue even when I’m not there. Each and every character has to
be composed, created and brought out from inside you. If your aim is to become
famous, your performance will suffer as an actor. Acting is such a dangerous
field and one should not enter unless (s)he is sure that this is what (s)he
wants. You have to be focused, responsible and then leave the rest to destiny.”

Hina says it her dream to work in a play by the late Ashfaque Ahmed and/or
Bano Qudsia, “Their plays had huge messages and if only I could become a tiny
part of that message, it would be a great honour for me. My aim is not to
capture audiences, all I want to do is give life to the character I play. If I
get two similar roles, I would perform them in a way that they appear different,
just like each person will arrange the same bunch of flowers in a particular
way. It depends on the actor’s vision how the character is presented.”

All praises for senior PTV actors, about her contemporary artistes and
co-workers Hina said, “We are in a rapidly moving river and it is up to us to
swim against the tide. We need to work with honesty and touch reality.” Since
everyone is so busy these days, she believes nothing registers with audiences
like a serial or a soap. “I like doing teleplays so that whole story starts,
builds, climaxes and ends in one go; leaving a strong impact on the viewer.”

While living in the UAE, Hina said she also experimented with radio, “I would
love to write and perform radio plays. You can give so much variation to your
voice on radio, just like when you put your hand inside a bag and a whole new
world of textures opens up, it’s as though your fingertips have sprouted eyes.”

The person closest to Hina was her late father. “He passed away not very long
ago and he was my friend, my biggest support, my inspiration. From him I learnt
to be forthright, honest and straightforward. He would say to people upfront if
he didn’t like something about them. He has left a big vacuum in my life that
nobody can fill. I feel that he still supports me and he is still with me in
spirit.”

Was Hina exposed to characters like Bichhu Phupi, Saeeda and Baby Shabana or
had she experienced similar situations. How does she get so real?

Before I was offered the title role of Bichhu Phuppi, I had already read the
story several times. “Ismat Chughtai is my all time favourite writer. There was
a time jab chup chup kar parhti thi and when I grew older, my mother would
actually discuss the stories and ask me whether I had read this one or that one.
When I read something interesting, I begin to live the main character. I think
other people do that too. You seem to relate to or go through all that the
character experiences in the story.

Bichhu Phuppi’s character was already lying dormant in my system and all I
did was to bring it out. I was worried if I could do it as well as it was
written or not. What I didn’t like though was that they made me wear a white wig
which did not look quite right. If they had made my own hair completely white,
it would have looked much better.”

“I remember all the Fasih Bari Khan plays that I have done and they will
always remain with me. I recently did a play called Rating by Anwar Maqsood. It
was about a woman who wants to launch an acting career, has no talent but a
parchi. It was of course very well-written and hilarious. I wore a short-haired
wig and a sari and I loved my look. She would run after everybody and say ‘mujhe
drop kardein’. In the end a director says ‘Mein apko drop hi kar ke ja-raha hoon’!”

“Usually we judge people and react to them in a typical way, but I always
like to find out why they are the way they are. What happened to them to make
them a certain way. What is the real story behind their exterior. People usually
open up to me and I know secrets and inner feelings of so many people but it
remains deep inside me and I would never divulge anything about anyone to
another soul. When I meet strangers, I listen to them, I feel everyone has
something to say but no one to listen to them. I love to understand people.
Recently, while doing Manji, a Sheema Kirmani theatre play, I met a female
sweeper and discovered a most interesting, deep woman. Her eyes sparkled as she
told me that she loved to be on stage like me, she sang for me and told me how
violent her husband was and what a strong person she was! There are characters
around us everywhere. If someone catches my eye, that person will live inside me
till I can play her. I like to talk to people without being personal or
curious.” — F.M.

Watch This Episode

Bindiya

Catchingup: Back to Bindiya
by Uzma Mazhar
She
pursued her dream in television and films despite her conservative family that
had a hostile attitude towards her showbiz aspirations from day one. Bindya, the
bold and beautiful artiste ruled the roost throughout the 1980s and well into
the ’90s. Today, she is back in Pakistan with a bang after a long hiatus of some
14 years.

She left showbiz at the height of her career, disappearing mysteriously and
not being initially missed. But as time wore on, questions were raised of her
whereabouts and as all things come to pass, her memory too got lost in the
annals of time. “As they say ‘I have been to London to see the queen and
frightened a little mouse under the chair’! I had gone for a music show to the
US, and since my son Jahanzeb was already studying there, I felt that he needed
me so I stayed on. It doesn’t seem like 14 years have passed, rather it seems
like I had been there just for just 14 days. Now I am back in Pakistan and ready
for action,” said Bindiya when approached by Images on Sunday.

Q. So what made you make a comeback?

A. To tell you the truth, I had erased that part of my life from memory and
broken off all contacts with the showbiz folk simply because I felt if I stayed
in touch I would miss the limelight, my fans and the adulation. I was busy
taking care of my son and working for US immigration as a translator in four
languages — Urdu, Bengali, Punjabi and English. Then my son convinced me to
pursue my real passion and sent me packing back to Pakistan. Eights months
before coming here I decided to check out the media scene in Pakistan. I
randomly called up TV stations as I wanted to make a comeback through PTV. The
Lahore station got me in touch with Tariq Mairaj who came highly recommended. I
called him up and he offered me his serial Sitarey and the role of a lifetime.
Before saying yes, I requested him to send me the script. While going through
the script I suddenly realised that I was going to Pakistan to do the play.

What is your role in Sitarey?

Sitarey is a 13-episode serial which will run on PTV towards the end of
October. Mine is the lead role of an authoritative woman who runs a business
empire. There are shades of grey in my character. The role is so good that I
promise all my pervious work in TV, films and theatre will surpass it. The rest
obviously lies with the viewers and the media feedback.

During your recent interview in the Nadia Khan
Show some felt that the questions about your personal life put forth by the host
were in somewhat bad taste. What do you think?

People have the right to say whatever they deem right, but I think Nadia has
her own style and it takes a lot of guts and confidence to host a live show.
Before the show, I had told her to go ahead and ask anything she wanted to.
People assume that she is arrogant but I would say she is bold enough to ask
personal or controversial questions, and I am bold enough to answer them.

My first husband was a pilot and no, he was not from Iran but from Jordan.
For a while we stayed in touch through a common acquaintance then we simply lost
touch. I kept getting news about him. One day I heard that he was killed in a
plane crash and I bid goodbye to his memory. Suddenly, after 16 years I started
getting letters from him and then one day he arrived at my doorstep with his new
wife and kids whereas I had waited for him and never remarried. Seeing him with
his new family left me totally speechless.

Then in the US, my son got me married to someone as he felt that that person
would make me happy. But we parted ways after one-and-half years. If we cannot
get along with each other doesn’t mean that we are bad people. He did not like
me taking care of my son even though he has a daughter from his first marriage.
It is not that we do not respect each other. As of now who knows, I may get
married again if I find Mr Right.

Are you surprised that people still remember you
after so many years?

I always thought ‘out of sight, out of mind’ as I left the field on my own
terms and came back on my own. By God’s grace, I consider myself very lucky. I
can see that people still love me. I guess as an actor I did do some good work.

Is Bindiya the person really that controversial,
bold and bindaas and does this image effect her as a person?

I am honest, open-minded and I do not pigeon hole myself in my gender. I see
myself as a person who is a multi-tasker and has many facets to her personality.
Yes, I am bold but not in the way that I don’t care what people say. I don’t
know when the image of being bindaas stuck to me.

My family was very conservative but my parents were open-minded to a certain
extent. But not enough to allow me to be in showbiz. I was alone and rumours
constantly kept popping up… it was very painful. Whatever I am today is because
of my mother who supported me and my hard work. I have lived my life as a caring
mother. I don’t care about gossip anymore. It’s like running water that just
keeps on flowing.

After so many years what has changed in media in
Pakistan?

I see an obvious change in the scenario but the fact is that I was called to
work, I just did not land up like that. I am thankful to the whole team of
Sitarey as it was a pleasure working with them. As for changes, there is no
rehearsal or footwork. I call the productions of today bhagum daur productions
as they are quick and fast. I have tried to gel in and just go with the flow.

What does the future hold for the long-missed
and talented Bindiya?

I am waiting to see the feedback once the serial goes on air. Also after a
good role, I am looking for more good stuff to come my way. As of now, I would
love to work in television or films, even if the industry has gone to the dogs
and there is one film made in 10 years. I also want to do my own productions and
direct, but that will take time. I am on the road to launching myself again, but
working as an actor for the time being. I am here to stay as long as people give
me work and their love.

Watch This Episode

Ayesha Sana

Amorous Ayesha

by
SUMEHA KHALID


This week MAG manages to get an exclusive peek into the world of the beautiful
Ayesha Sana, who lights up our screens every morning with her morning show on
the state owned channel. An actor first and then an anchor, these days we see
her mostly as a host on various TV channels. Despite the myriad morning show
hosts trying to impress all and sundry, it’s Ayesha who invariably steals the
limelight.

Her manner and grace with which she conducts her morning show is a pleasure to
watch. She has to her credit having interviewed legendary personalities such as
the late Gulgee, Imran Khan, Abida Hussain, Nayyar Ali Dadda and Asma Jehangir
to name just a few. Not only that, she also hosts events internationally and
locally for dignitaries, heads of state and royalty.

Here, MAG shares an intimate one-on-one with the phenomenon we know as Ayesha.

MAG: Where have you been for the last few years?
What’s been keeping you busy?

AS: Well my personal life did take up a lot of my time but I had been hosting
events and was busy with my morning show which previously aired from Karachi and
now is being televised from Lahore.

MAG: Why are you not acting on a full time
basis? Why do we see you hosting mostly?

AS: With an erratic career and personal life taking its toll I could never fully
concentrate on my work. Also, it is my belief, that hosting is my forte; but
should an interesting offer for acting present itself, I’ll gladly take on the
project.

MAG: Tell us something about your current
projects?

AS: My current project, something very close to my heart is Meena Bazar with
Ayesha Sana. And that is also what has been keeping me busy as of late.

MAG: What is the difference in the Ayesha of
today and the Ayesha we knew five years back?

AS: Today’s Ayesha is older and wiser and generally more focused in life.

MAG: You are considered to be one of the best
dressed women in the industry. How do you manage that?

AS: I think one evolves with the passage of time but the credit must go to all
those designers who have dressed me up, and of course one’s own sense of style
matters a lot.

MAG: What’s happening on the personal side?

AS: Absolutely nothing!

MAG: Please share with us some memorable
incident during your working life?

AS: There have been a lot of incidents, not one in particular. You know the
hazards of a daily live show!

MAG: You seem to be biased when it comes to
Zulfiqar and Tasmina Sheikh as we see you in their productions always. Why the
bias?

AS: There is no bias, it’s the comfort level and also they have the knack of
bringing out the best in me. I have only done two or three projects with them
though.

MAG: Who is Ayesha Sana when not in the
limelight?

AS: Ayesha Sana is the same; limelight or no limelight.

MAG: What is your greatest desire?

AS: I desire that my son gets the best in life.

MAG: If not in showbiz then what was it you’d be
doing today?

AS: I have no idea; I had never even planned to get into showbiz.

MAG: What’s your mode of relaxation?

AS: I don’t relax much… am on my toes most of the time.

MAG:What kind of music do you like?

AS: I’m not a music person, but it does not mean that I don’t listen to music at
all.

MAG: A few words on love now… Is there someone
special in your life these days?

AS: No way, there’s no one. I only believe in the love between a mother and
child.

Watch This Episode

Arjumand Rahim

Hard
work and dedication are what define the multi-talented
actress-turned-producer, Arjumand Rahim. During the past two years, Arjumand
had performed in few TV plays.

The news was that she was in and out of the
country, exploring opportunities in Mumbai, India. Since her return,
Arjumand’s prime focus remains her commitments with Art Republik, a
production house that she has launched.

Meeting the stylish actor has always been a pleasure. Our rendezvous took
place in her office while she was enjoying a plate of spicy nihari. My first
question to her was about her Mumbai experience.

“I went to India because I wasn’t very excited about my work here or the
kind of roles that were being offered to me. In fact, it’s not about the
roles but more about the treatment of the character by the director that
makes a world of a difference.

The truth is that very few directors’ work in Pakistan meets
international standards. The quality of script has also deteriorated over
the years and the influx of channels has led to a compromise on quality
programming.

Finding the right wavelength with your co-actors and crew has also become
extremely hard. In such a scenario, Mumbai presented an exciting option to
rejuvenate my soul as well as to explore different avenues. Luckily, the
experience turned out to be rewarding,” she says.

Once there, Arjumand went back to her roots, doing theatre which,
according to her, made her feel alive. However, television was a big no-no.
“I got a lot of television offers, none of which seemed exciting enough to
pursue.

I don’t rate Indian TV serials and soaps very highly, and I certainly
wouldn’t give preference to them over the Pakistani ones. But what I do
appreciate in the Indian entertainment industry are the films, and
preferably those that fall in the alternative/crossover category.”

Arjumand says she received offers for several commercial films in India,
all of which she turned down. The reason being her reluctance to be launched
as a sex symbol. “It just did not feel right to accept those offers.
Naturally, I’d prefer to be noticed as an actor rather than for attributes
that don’t necessarily require any efforts at my end.

After watching films like Mr & Mrs Iyer, Monsoon Wedding, etc, I was very
open to offers from the parallel cinema, which provides a wider creative
margin. Unfortunately, I couldn’t complete either of the two films I signed
there. The first was an English film that kept getting delayed due to
financial problems.

Then the cast changed that initially comprised Tabu, Rahul Bose and
myself in the lead roles. My character was very powerful and part of a love
triangle, but when Tabu backed out and uncertainty continued to hang over
the project, my confidence was shaken.

Koel Puri was taken as a replacement for Tabu and when we converged for a
script-reading, I discovered that the script had also undergone major
changes with the result that my character was now more like a sexy vamp. I
just felt like not taking such a risk in the first film of my career and
without having complete faith in the director and character,” she says.

However, she continued with theatre and did a project for Channel [V] as
a dancer. Then she was offered a Hindi movie called Khajoor with Amir Bashir
as a hero (second lead in Armaan). It was a light-hearted romantic film set
around a non-stereotypical, educated Muslim family in Lucknow.

Supriya Pathak was cast as her mother, Raghuveer Yadav as grandfather and
Daya Shankar Pandey as a faithful house servant. Though the film had a fine
cast and script, Arjumand could not complete the project as her visa limit
expired.

Once back on home turf, Arjumand started working for television and felt
that now is the right time to invest and devote her full time to her
profession. Hence Art Republik came into being.

‘I went to India because I wasn’t very excited about my work here or the
kind of roles that were being offered to me. Mumbai presented an exciting
option to rejuvenate my soul as well as to explore different avenues,’ says
Arjumand Rahim

“With the boom in media and demand for better quality software it just
made sense to jump into the fray instead of sitting on the fence and being
at the mercy of people one complains about. Currently, what is giving me
hope is that channels are rejecting B-grade, shoddy software despite their
need for projects to air and fill the time slots.

A sense of quality consciousness has crept in which suits people like me
just fine who choose to be in this field so that we can express ourselves
through our creative talent. Like I keep saying, there’ll always be a market
for truth,” she says.

So what is the philosophy behind Art Republik? “Being a secular person, I
am keen to see my generation living out Jinnah’s dream of Pakistan being a
tolerant secular country where there are opportunities and rights for
everybody as long as they are committed and sincere. Religion and diverse
socio-economic and cultural backgrounds shouldn’t hamper development as a
thinking and contributing member of society.

I also feel that diversity adds freshness and brings value to the
creative process. The idea with regard to Art Republik is that if you are a
thinking person and have the talent to express yourself, you are sincere.
And if you are willing to work hard there will always be an opportunity for
you here. Art Republik is geared towards creative and interesting work,
anything that’s evocative and original.”

True to its motto, Art Republik is working on interesting and varied
programmes from a music show titled Taxi and a 52-episode drama serial, Dil
Ki Madham Boliyan, as well as a series of telefilms called Paristar. As a
matter of fact, the first film in this series, Shah Rukh Khan Ki Maut, was
screened at the recent Kara Film Festival and is based on a boy’s (Murad)
innocent dream and how his soul is hurt when his dream is shattered.

“The main theme was a child’s adulation for his idol, Shah Rukh Khan in
this case was a very relevant choice as he has come to represent all that is
synonymous with success. Let’s face the reality that Bollywood stars do have
this kind of impact on Pakistani audience. But the film is not about
Bollywood but about Murad and his dreams. I was pleased that many viewers
from the intelligent audience at Kara picked up the underlying theme of
child labour in the film as well,” says Rahim.

Still, with a novel storyline, good production values and huge acclaim,
the film didn’t win any award at the festival. “We never started out by
knowing or thinking that the film could ever be in the running for any kind
of award. We didn’t even know what to do with it — sell it to a channel or
make it a teleplay or a single film. We just had a sensitive storyline which
the director, Ehtesham, came up with.

He wrote a powerful script and that propelled the entire creative team to
work harder and support him to the best of their abilities. Once complete,
we thought why not send it to Kara. The Kara Film jury and the selection
committee responded very warmly and I am very flattered by the comments
received so far.

SRK Ki Maut eventually competed with international films shot on 35mm and
made with budgets that we can’t even afford to imagine. To compete in the
foreign film category is enough for me, and to be considered worthy of best
film award is an acknowledgement in itself,” she says.

Another project Arjumand is excited about is Dil Ki Madham Boliyan, based
on a true story written by Mohammad Ahmed and directed by Saife Hasan,
creative director at Art Republik.

“I wanted to do something which is long running but not necessarily along
the lines of a soap. Today, we are adopting the readily available formula of
Indian soaps where there is high gloss, glamour, beautiful women and
unrealistic portrayals of characters. Pakistani TV viewers enjoy Indian
soaps because we are not giving them the quality in dramas that was once our
hallmark. Dil Ki Madham Boliyan is the true story of a girl who lives in
Karachi and is distinctly related to the writer.

In short, the characters are very original, the dialogue powerful and the
acting style is natural. An average Pakistani viewer can easily relate to
the story and that will be our strength in attracting Urdu/Hindi-speaking
audiences from around the world. It has its share of glamour where the
situation demands it but simultaneously we’ve made a conscious effort to
enact what we see and experience in daily lives,” she says.

Arjumand’s aspirations run high for Art Republik and she sees the company
venturing out into the medium of films. “I am fascinated by films and want
to translate my ideas on to a wider canvas. Art Republik will branch out or
at least a section of it will become film-oriented. I not only want to make
and distribute films, but also wish to undertake joint productions with
other countries interested in working in Pakistan. Film is a powerful tool
for getting one’s point of view across in a poetic way.”

It seems that Arjumand has changed gear. I ask her whether she is still
open to acting. “Acting is there and I am very much open to new projects. As
an actor one is just part of a larger process but as a producer the scale of
the responsibility is much higher. Despite the stress, I must admit I am
thoroughly enjoying the new avatar. It has brought stability to my life.

Being a hyper person I need to work or I begin to get depressed. My work
as a producer has also given me the option of not doing the kind of work
that I don’t want to do as an actor.

Last year I hardly acted in any play. I have just done three serials and
a theatre play with Sania Saeed and Shahid Shafaat, which are more than
enough to quench the thirst of the actor in me.”

Productions:

1. ‘The Death of Shahrukh Khan’. Digital Format. 54 mins. 2005.

Screened at Kara film Festival 2005, 3rd Eye South Asian Film Festival in
Mumbai 2006, Dubai International Film Festival 2006. Aired on Tv One in
2006.

2. ‘The World is a Goal’. Digital Format. 75 mins. 2006.

Screened at Kara film Festival 2006. Aired on ARY Digital in 2007.

3. ‘Dil Ki Madham Boliyan’. 52 episode serial.

Aired on Tv One in 2006. Won Best Actress and Best Director awards.

4. ‘Hotel’. 26 episode serial. Pakistan’s first to be shot in Nepal.

Aired on Tv One in 2007.

Arjumand Rahim’s Specialties:

Branding and Identity, Conceptualizing, and ensuring production values
from start to finish.

Interviewed in July 2007

Founder & CEO

Art Republik

(Broadcast Media industry)

May 2005 — April 2007 (2 years)

Educatuion

Karachi University

BA , Psychology, English Literature, Education , 1992 — 1996

Watch This Episode

Aamina Sheikh

Glamazon: Absolutely Aamina
by Fouzia Mapara



Her performances have undertones of Khalida Riyasat. The same defiant eyes,
slender frame, the oomph, the spunk, energy and vigour emanating out of her
petite person; whether she plays a rescued Bengali woman living with two mobile
phone snatchers in Pachees Qadam Pe Maut or drives a rickshaw all over Karachi
as the determined young woman in Aasman Chu Lay. Twirling her shiny tresses in a
shampoo commercial, she exudes sex appeal that matches that of Zeenat Aman. In a
short span of her modelling and acting career, this twenty-something has carved
out a niche for herself as a glamorous model and a versatile actor. So who does
she want to be known as, a model or an actor? “A performer, or a hybrid of some
sort?” she laughed in response.

Dressed in a casual tee and black harem pants, the doe-eyed Aamina Sheikh
looked like Pocahontas, with her cappuccino skin, smile out of a Cosmopolitan
cover and a smart head that carries no attitude but loads of long, straight
hair. Sitting across from me, she enthusiastically spoke about her adventures as
a rickshaw driver for a telefilm Aasman Chu Lay, a special Women’s Day
initiative.

“It was a rocking project directed by Syed Ali Reza. Usman Mustafa wrote the
script. I played a girl who is determined to become the breadwinner after her
father’s death and saves her family from the ensuing hardships,” she related.
Since the girl’s father was a rickshaw driver, Aamina had to drive a rickshaw
with a huge camera attached to it on busy roads such as the M.A. Jinnah Road and
Garden area and attract real passengers. “Before the final shoot I wanted to
drive a couple rounds in the rickshaw but it was not at all possible. So Mohib
came to my rescue and drew the controls and everything for me, where the gears
and brakes were and told me that it is very similar to a Vespa.”

Just before the shoot, she grabbed the opportunity to take a couple of rounds
with a real ricksha wallah in a narrow lane or two. But the road experience was
for real. “My hair was tied up, I wore a uniform and threw a scarf over it and
so it was not very obvious that a woman was driving a rickshaw, but once someone
noticed, that was it. At one point, I had some people running after me with a
broken tube light! It was a revolutionary play, a wonderful and alternate
experience which made me feel totally empowered. Jaise waqai kuch seekha hai.
Afterwards we were joking that it would contribute towards my retirement plan!”

In another telefilm, Pachees Qadam Pe Maut directed by Shahid Jawaad, Aamina
played a Bengali woman at par with veteran Sheema Kirmani’s performance in Chand
Girhan. “I was so keen to get the right accent. Unfortunately, that kind of time
was not available, so I told the director that any minute you think that the
accent is not good enough, just stop. But he asked me not to be so overwhelmed
with the dialogue delivery and that I would be able to do it. A couple of
hiccups here and there would not matter.”

Demonstrating versatility, Aamina played the role of a mathematics genius,
isolated from society in teleplay called Wapsi. “It was an inspiration from A
Beautiful Mind, written by Ali Moeen and directed by Naeem Khan. I loved that
role. Ali Moeen is fantastic, he doesn’t do much work but is among the people
that I love to work with.”

An election telefilm Baarish Mein Deewar that she did with Mohib was a hit.
“It was very youth-oriented, politically-charged and a very different play about
concepts of Pakistani politics and how the youth is affected.” After doing some
memorable telefilms where she got challenging, character roles, producers start
taking notice of Aamina and serials followed. “I am doing more serials now than
teleplays. I started with difficult roles. Now slowly I seem to be getting those
female lead roles where you are mostly a decoration piece with little potential
to act.”

Maryam was a serial where Aamina played a bratty, young vamp. “I played a
vamp even though I don’t want to be stereotyped into that role. There is such a
dearth of talent, and if you want to keep working, you end up accepting roles
that you may not choose otherwise. It was an impactful role and although I did
it a long time back, it was aired much later.”

One of her major serials where she was present from the beginning to the end
was Aane Wala Pal. “It was a compact play, shot in Bahawalpur and I was very
much involved in it. When you take out a couple of weeks and go on location, you
literally become a part of the story.” Then came mega serial Dil-e-Nadaan,
directed by Anjum Shahzad and Mustafa Afridi. “Character wise, I loved it.”

Aamina’s commitment to her dramatic endeavours leaves one a little surprised
that she detoured the fashion industry and advertising before she made it to
acting. “One day I ran into Tanya Shafi and she suggested that I give her my
headshots which she would pass around to agencies for modeling. I took that
extremely seriously and began searching for references, commercials and what is
out there and what is the mould that I have to set for an appealing portfolio. I
hired a photographer, made a storyboard, executed a photo shoot and handed to
Tanya and a couple of other people I knew.”

After two or three commercials, she landed a telefilm with Khalid Ahmed about
Partition but continued to model. “I started learning the body language. Things
that I would normally look at from a cinematic or film point of view, I started
applying to modeling and fashion because the lingo is very much the same in
terms of lights on negatives and positives. I started work with some
photographers in Lahore and constantly made the effort of being proactive. In
Karachi, I started working with Amean J. I did the ARY Fashion TV calendar which
led to more fashion shoots. I also worked with Rizwan-ul-Haq who is the king of
black and white and very high-fashion oriented. He demands a lot from you as a
model when it comes to postures, body language and attitude. He really makes you
work which I really like about him. Amean J and Shamyl Khuro do very little
fashion work but when they do, it is very artistically inclined. In Lahore I
have enjoyed working with Maram Abroo, Guddo Shani, there is Deevees/Jimmy. I
haven’t worked with Ather Shahzad and I look forward to that. I worked with
Khawar some time back.”

Fashion work started rolling because a new face had not appeared for ages. “I
consciously tried my best to work both in Karachi and Lahore by making myself
available. I was trying to get hold of some serials because telefilms do have
impact but serials get noticed more.”

In the fashion industry, it can be difficult to get across all the ‘camps’,
meet the right people and get good work. “The way to get through all that is to
show your potential and once you have talent, doors open themselves for you. It
would be wrong to say that the cliques are so strong that it is impossible for a
newcomer to make a mark. Fashion in Pakistan has really done well and I received
a lot of encouragement and support from senior models. I also feel that some of
our commercial directors should take up films. There are so much talk going on
but someone should step forward. I recently worked with Asif Reza for a
commercial and I admire the professionalism of people in advertising. If people
of Saqib Malik’s caliber take up films, it would make a difference. We have to
get started at some point and right now is a good time.”

TV plays, commercials, fashion shoots… has overexposure crossed her mind?
“Work that we do never comes out in chronological order. We could have done it
months ago but it might show much later with something else that you did
recently, so it may seem that suddenly you are everywhere and that may create a
feeling of being over exposed.”

Aamina majored in film video production in Boston and after graduation; she
worked as an assistant for a production company in Manhattan called Curious
Pictures. “I used to intern there every summer and production wise it was good
exposure but it did not click with me.” It was when she met some family friends
that she found out about the media boom in Pakistan. “I was thinking in terms of
a media career but had not figured out exactly what it was going to be. I
realised that I would probably be taken more seriously in Pakistan than the
States and as my parents were already here, I decided to come back.”

Since Aamina had already made up her mind to work, she soon landed a job at a
private channel along with some volunteering at the Karafilm Festival. “Channel
mein to ragra laga kaafi! I was handling a couple of shows and assisting a
director; one of those odd jobs where they hire you and make you do everything.
Nevertheless it was an important time in my life because I learnt so much about
how things are done in Pakistan. In addition, I was also doing short films and
documentaries and was part of a theatre group. My contract finished and I
started doing odd freelance jobs. In my mind somewhere was the thought acting is
an option for me and if I take it seriously there is a chance for me to do well
but I need to explore it.” With time, Aamina has become selective about her work
and image. “I want to reflect a progressive, modern woman who speaks her mind
and is not stuck in victimization or suppression, nor is a feminist. You can
definitely control how you want to project yourself. In drama, I want to portray
extremes so I can explore my potential and versatility as a performer.”

Somewhere in her mind is this dream role. “A role that crosses boundaries,
has international appeal, is progressive. I want to play a South Asian
representative living somewhere else, not a hijabi or an extremist of any kind.
It should not be the usual ‘desi girl meets white boy, and wants to marry amidst
religious and cultural issues theme.’ A genuine story must come out of it.”

Talking about PTV plays of the golden era, Aamina says “Today we are dealing
with a different ball game altogether. Our biggest drawback is that there is so
much going on now that a lot of good work is lost in all the stuff that is going
on air. Earlier, even if a person came in the scene to dust the table, he got
noticed. Now people have a remote control! Agreed that they had better scripts
and spent more time on everything but there was no other option. If the same
people were working now, would they be able to establish themselves in the same
way now as they did in those years?”

Watch This Episode

Tauseeq Haider

Watch This Episode

Talat Hussain

Talat Hussain in insan aur admi

Talat Hussain (also spelled as Tallat Hussein), is a Pakistani
Film/Television/Stage actor. He was born in Delhi, India, His complete name
is Talat Hussain Warsi. He is the son of Altaf Hussain Warsi and Shaista
Begum. His family migrated to Pakistan in 1947.

It’s said that age is not important unless you are cheese…or an actor. It
is the excellence of an actor, and the audience, which keeps you going. And
the countdown is still going high for Talath Hussain — an actor par
excellence.

Talat Hussain at the pinnacle of his career as we see him today,
governing the single room production company ‘Studio 9′, began as a child
artist from Radio Pakistan and since then there was no looking back.

Though, never an outstanding student, he traversed the road to success to
acquire instant fame. After years of hard work, he finally decided to try
this hand in directing and stepped into the realm of production. “I was
forced to direct a play by a friend and after that I started my own
production company,” goes Talat.

Talat Hussain in parchaiyaan

Adding another feather in his cap, this actor turned producer aimed at
improving the standard of production which has deteriorated and is certainly
not what it had been in 50’s and 60’s. Providing a reason for such an
outcome he said, “when you talk about quality of production, you refer to
technical facilities, content of a play, the role of a director and other
professionals like engineers, editors, lighting people and set designers. If
you expect quality from these things then you would have to analyse the
personalities of people involved which are determined by social, cultural
and intellectual environment. These very people have mediocre minds which
leads to weak conceptualisation. In this case, the execution of a particular
concept into reality would obviously be of low standard.”

Drama projects reality and is based on various aspects of life. It
enhances the insight into various problems and relationships. Illuminating
the very fact he said, “during our times, the ruling elite represented the
middle class and despite being very conservative in approach, they had a
very tolerant attitude and that came into play when the policies were made.
The whole scenario was changed when General Zia came into power in 70’s and
80’s. The policies became very orthodox during the Martial Law and though
now that orthodoxy is receding, people governing various crucial matters are
not very liberal. This very attitude restricted the creative artist and his
choices due to which everything is sliced and divided into pigeon holes. It
is very difficult to revert back to the era of 60’s where the quality of
production is concerned and to some extent the censor policies also have a
role to play.”

Talat Hussain in aansoo

Talat believes that people themselves are responsible for such harsh
censor policies. He says that the younger generation handling production is
not aware of their own cultural norms and traditions. They try to imitate
what they see on foreign channels which is not in total conformity with our
society and so obviously the censor becomes active. Stating his own example
he said, “I have directed and produced two serials of 13 and 11 episodes
respectively. Out of these only two shots have been censored. I always say
that give me a boy and girl. I’ll make them sit 10 feet apart and shoot that
scene in such a way that it will be censored. Then I’ll make them sit next
to each other and the censor will not touch the scene.” He believes that the
way a certain relationship is projected decides whether it should be
censored or not. The people exercising power find normal behaviour
offensive. “They belong to the rural set up and their social environment is
completely opposite to the urban culture,” he said, “we make plays based on
urban lines which they might find indecent and so people sitting in the
parliament raise hue and cry.”

Apart from the policies, rampant commercialism and lack of workaholic
professionals is also responsible for deteriorating quality of production.
Earning quick bucks is the ulterior motive of the fresh blood coming in this
field

“Our whole society has become commercial now,” he confided, “the set
designers are more concerned about money, actors about glamour and directors
about making a hit play and when you have to sell everything, the norms and
values take a back seat.” Though, he thinks that his generation worked with
passion and the priorities of the young budding actors are different. He
feels that Yasir Akhtar, Nabeel and Shabbir Jan have what it takes to be
good actors placing Shabbir slightly above the rest. “Shabbir has achieved
that point where he can be recognised as a mature actor where as the others
are still in the making.”

Talat Hussain has worked in five western productions and found them well
organised technically competent and very committed to their work. He
thoroughly enjoyed working in them. “It was wonderful working with
professional actors,” he expressed, reminiscing his experience in the movie
Jinnah “despite being so well known, they were very down to earth. Unlike
our directors, they respect the actors working for them and do not take them
for granted.”

Talat Hussain in hawaian

He admits that there aren’t any training grounds for aspiring directors,
actors and behind the scene technicians, but still he considers our dramas
much better than those of India. Denouncing those who compare both, he
vehemently expressed his views, “there are people who say that Indian drama
is better than ours. There isn’t any comparison between the two. Their
genius is in music. If you look at drama as a genre, the way it exists, it
originated from Greece. If Indian drama had energy, vigour and force, it
would have over shadowed Greek drama. Indian drama does exist but it is not
their genius.”

Being one of the few well read performers, his priorities are to produce the
best possible serials. “I am not interested in any kind of competition,” he
said while adding, “I don’t want to surpass anyone. I have always tried to
produce a product with a 100 per cent attention to make it the best.” He
refused to reveal any immediate future plans but is thinking of making a
film.

An internationally acclaimed outstanding performer, he aspires to prove his
mettle in production as well and give something outstanding and different to
the viewers.

Talat Hussain started his career from PTV in 1967. His first television play
was Arjumand. In 1972, he moved to England, and joined the London Academy of
Music and Dramatic Art (LAMDA). Talat Hussain’s early roles was in Jimmy
Perry and David Croft’s It Ain’t Half Hot Mum. His roles in It Ain’t Half
Hot Mum was The Club Proprietor (bartender) in Cabaret Time, The Bar
Proprietor in Don’t Take the Mickey, The RAF Control Tower Officer in Fight
to Jawani along side Jeffrey Holland and Robin Parkinson. He was also worked
for BBC Radio in play Crown Coat.

Talat has worked in several foreign films and television drama serials
and long plays. He worked in some episodes of Channel Four’s television
serial Traffik. In 2006, Talat Hussain won the Amanda Award for the Best
Supporting Roll category in the Norwegian film Import-eksport. He also
starred in Jinnah witch starred Christopher Lee who played Jinnah but
Hussain played a refugee.

Talat married to Rakhshanda in 1972 a professor of University of Karachi.
They have three children (two daughters and one son). He is currently
working for National Academy of Performing Arts (NAPA) in Karachi.

Talat Hussain in Mohabbat kon rokay

Famous Plays (Dramas)

* Aansoo, PTV

* Arjumand, PTV

* Des Perdes, PTV

* Hawaaian, PTV

* Kashkol, NTM

* Perchaiyan, PTV

* Tariq Bin Ziyad, PTV

* Traffik, Channel Four

* Typist, PTV

* Joseph Nahi Manta, Geo Tv

* Chand Parosa, Geo Tv

* Maa aur Maamta, Indus Tv

* Mohabbat Kon Rokay, ARY Tv

* Tanveer Fatima BA, Geo Tv

* Riyasat, Ary Tv

* Khaali Aankhain, Ptv

* Nadan Nadia, Ptv

* Ana, Geo Tv

* Woh Rishtey Woh Natey, Geo Tv

* Kaun Jaanay Kia Hona Hai, Geo Tv

* Thori Khushi - Thora Ghum, Ptv

* Maa, Ptv

* The Castle Aik Umeed, Ptv

* Operation Dwarka 1965, Ptv

Talat Hussain in Import-eksport (Norwegian
film)

Famous Films

* Chiragh Jalta Raha

* Gumnaam

* Import-eksport (Norwegian film)

* Insan aur Aadmi

* Ishara

* Jinnah - The Movie

* Laaj

* Qurbani

* Sautan Ki Beti (Indian film)

Awards

* Pride of Performance Award (1982)

* Amanda Award (2006) Best

Watch This Episode

Shakeel

Shakeel: For the love of acting
By Anis Shakur

Shakeel as Uncle Urfi

Yusuf Kamal was born on 29th May 1938, in Bhopal, India, to a highly
enlightened family. He shared the big world with his two younger brothers and a
sister. Yusuf received his primary education in an English medium school, in the
pre-partitioned India. Additionally, he also acquired education in a French
missionary school in India.

Yusuf migrated to Karachi, Pakistan, along with his family in 1952. Young
Yusuf had a flair for acting since his childhood. During his school days in
Karachi, Yusuf regularly participated in the extra curricular activities. Soon
after graduation, Yusuf made his presence felt in stage plays as well.

Yusuf Kamal changed his name to Shakeel and debuted in the 1966 film, ‘Honehar.’
Cast included Shakeel- Waheed Murad- Rukhsana- Tarannum- Kamal Irani. For
Shakeel, the film ‘Honehar,’ was a challenge he met with ferocious gusto.

Shakeel’s first television play was ‘Naya Raasta,’ which was penned by Hasina
Moin and telecast from Karachi television in 1971.

Essentially, Shakeel is a natural actor, who applies himself earnestly as a
professional duty. Karachi television presented special Eid-ul-fitr play ‘Happy
Eid,’ in the 1970s. Shakeel and Neelofar Abbasi, formerly known as Neelofar
Aleem, came up with resplendent artistry and made ‘Happy Eid,’ a memorable play.
In the final moments of the play, Shakeel wishes ‘Happy Eid,’ to Neelofar and
she greets him with ‘Eid Mubarak.’ They looked right at each other and smiled.
It was quite a smile.

The will to succeed is part of the Pakistani culture. Shakeel and Neelofar
Abbasi teamed up again in Haseena Moin’s highly successful Karachi television
drama serial, ‘Shehzori.’

You can do a world of good for yourself if you keep a steady course.

The above statement rings too true to Shakeel. Dwelling on Shakeel’s immense
artistic prowess, ‘Uncle urfi,’ could be ranked among the three greatest drama
serials in Shakeel’s forty-year eventful career. Cast included Shakeel in the
title role of ‘Uncle urfi,’ Shehla Ahmed as Beena, Qurban Jeelani as Shaheed
bhai, Azra Sherwani as Ghazi, Jamshed Ansari as Hasnat bhai.

As the story goes, Shakeel, who is super-smartly dubbed as ‘Uncle urfi,’
takes interest in Beena. In reality, uncle urfi was desirous to make Beena
happy. Logically, urfi should have taken Beena into confidence before doing her
a favor. Instead, he kept her in the dark. The final moments of the last episode
are fraught with pain and pathos.

Urfi tells Beena with certitude, ‘hamari shadi hogi to sara zamana deikhey ga.’
to which poor Beena replies, ‘kuchh shadiyaan dil kay weerano mein bhi to ho
jaati hain, sirif khuda gawah hota hai.’

The emotionally charged conclusion of ‘Uncle urfi,’ was so unexpected that
literally nobody was prepared for it. Indeed, Haseena Moin had instilled so much
despair in its dialogues that thirty-two years later, it still stands as a
classic in its bittersweet illustration of the unbreakable bond of family.

Further, Shakeel achieved enduring fame in Haseena Moin’s mega hit drama
serial, ‘Un kahi.’ Cast included Shakeel as Taimur, Shehnaz Sheikh as Sana Murad,
Javed Sheikh as Faraz, Saleem Nasir as Sheheryar, Jamshed Ansari as Timmi.

Initially, Taimur did not tolerated Sana Murad’s demeanor. But Taimur’s
father-in-law, played by Qazi Wajid, suggests, ‘Taimur, logoan kay chehray parha
karo, ye duniya ki sub say dil chasp kitaab hotay hain.’ That changed Taimur’s
perception of Sana Murad and he managed to see the sincere girl behind the
confused Sana Murad.

Most importantly, Shakeel’s numerous roles always heighten the sweetness of
living. ‘Uroosa,’ is another popular television drama serial of Shakeel. Cast
includes Shakeel- Ghazala Kaifi- Adnan Siddiqui- Mishi Khan.

As the story unfolds, Shakeel divorced his first wife, Ghazala Kaifi. Mishi
Khan, who plays the title role of ‘Uroosa,’ happens to be the daughter of
Shakeel from his first wife, Ghazala Kaifi. ‘Uroosa,’ wins everyone’s heart
through her etiquettes. She weds Adnan Siddiqui, who lives next door.

All the Pakistani television drama serials deal very well with Shakeel, who
plays them splendidly. Shakeel is also famous for his social services. He was
proactive during the recent earthquake in Pakistan. Likewise, he takes active
participation in anti smoking campaign. Furthermore, Shakeel conferred awards to
the winners in the most recent Pakistani television award ceremony held in
Karachi.

In recognition of his enormous contribution to the show business, Shakeel won
the pride of performance award in 1992. Shakeel’s is a long, healthy, prosperous
life, and a life really well lived.

The other day, Shakeel attended a function. Tens of hundreds of devoted
admirers gathered around Shakeel and said, ‘hum Aap ka yaad gaar tareen kirdaar,
‘uncle urfi,’ kabhi na bhool payein gey.’

Shakeel replied, ‘Thank you and good cheer to all.’ Then slowly he walked
away and soon vanished into the crowd.

The End

Shakeel’s movies are listed below:

1. The 1968 film ‘Josh-e-intiqaam,’ cast,
Shakeel, Deeba Adeeb

2. The 1968 film ‘Nakhuda,’ cast, Shakeel- Rukhsana-
Ibrahim Nafees.

3. The 1968 film ‘Papi,’ cast, Shakeel- Bano-
Sitara.

4. The 1968 film ‘Zindigi,’ cast, Shakeel- Ghazala-
Ejaz- Tariq Aziz

5. The 1969 film ‘Dastaan,’ cast, Shakeel- Ghazala-
Rattan Kumar-

6. The film ‘Gharonda.’

7. The 1973 film ‘Insaan aur gadha, cast, Shakeel,
Nisho, Kamal,

8. The 1973 film ‘Badal aur bijli,’ cast, Shakeel-
Nadeem- Shabnam-

9. The 1974 film ‘Chahat,’ cast, Shakeel- Shabnam-
Rehman-

10. The English film ‘Butterflies are free.’

Some of Shakeel’s popular
television drama serials and plays are listed below:

1. Television play,’ Honeymoon.’

2. Television drama serial ‘Zer, zabar, pesh.’

3. Television detective series, ‘Naam Daar.’ Shakeel- Khalida Riyasat played
the lead roles and solved the murder mysteries.

4. The Children’s television space fiction series, ‘Tick Tick Company.’

5. Television play series ‘Mantorama,’ which were written by Sa’adat Hasan
Manto.

6. Drama serial ‘Perchhaiyaan.’

7. Drama serial ‘Ana.’

8. Drama serial ‘Chand Grahan.’

9. Drama serial, ‘Uraan.’ Cast, Shakeel- Faryal Gauhar- Resham- Abid Ali

10. Drama serial ‘Tapish.’

11. Drama serial ‘Afshan,’ cast, Shakeel- Tahira Wasti- Zaini Umair- Ayesha
Khan.

12. Drama serial ‘Aangan Terrha,’ cast, Shakeel- Bushra Ansari- Saleem Nasir.

13. Drama serial ‘She jee,’ cast, Shakeel- Rubina Ashraf- Babar Ali.

14. Drama serial ‘Zameen,’ cast, Shakeel- Sakina Sammo- Khalid Zafar.

15. Drama serial ‘Doosri Aurat,’ cast, Shakeel- Humayun Saeed- Aisha Khan-

16. Drama serial ‘Aandhi,’ cast, Shakeel- Sakina Sammo- Khalid Zafar.

17. Drama serial ‘Tum say mil kar.’ Cast, Shakeel - Vaneeza- Jia Ali- Ayaz Khan.

18. Drama serial ‘Saaye,’ cast, Shakeel - Marina Khan.

19. Drama serial ‘Ankahi,’ cast, Shakeel - Shahnaz Shaikh, Jawaid Shaikh,
Jamshed Ansari,

20. Drama serial ‘Aroosa,’ cast, Shakeel - Mishi Khan, Adnan Siddiqui, Ghazala
Kaifi,

21. Drama serial ‘Jab Jab Dil Miley,’ cast, Sadia Imam, Jia Ali, Humayun Saeed,
Shakeel, Sameena Peerzada,

22. Drama serial ‘Shehzori,’ cast, Shakeel - Neelofer Abbasi

23. Drama serial ‘Uncle Urfi,’ cast, Shakeel - Jamshed Ansari, Qurban Jilani,
Shehla Ahmed,

24. Drama serial ‘Chaudhwee ka Chand,’ cast, Shakeel - Neelofer Abbasi

25. Drama serial ‘Colony 52,’ cast, Sanam Baloch, Danish Taimur, Shakeel, Qavi
Khan,

26. Drama serial ‘Dhoop Mein Sawan,’ cast, Shakeel - Nadia Jamil , Humayun Saeed
, Samina Ahmed

27. Drama serial ‘Kothi No 156,’ cast, Shakeel - Seemi Raheel, Irfan Khoosat,
Adeel Hashmi

28. Drama serial ‘Qutubuddins,’ cast, Shakeel - Danish Nawaz, Badar Khalil,
Lubna Islam, Saman Agha

Watch This Episode

Shafi Mohammed Shah

Shafi Mohammed Shah - 2nd Anniversary observed

Tribute to Shafi Muhammad Shah show on
aired on aaj tv

Shafi Muhammad Shah
Shafi
Muhammad Shah or Shafi Mohammad, PP, was a Pakistani film and television
actor. Famously known Shahjee was born in Kandiaro, in Naushahro Feroze
District, Sindh in 1949.

Shafi began his career as a Radio presenter from
Hyderabad Radio Station, he honed his acting skills by taking part in plays
broadcast by the radio. Meanwhile, he obtained a postgraduate degree from
the University of Sindh, Jamshoro. He later moved to Karachi and began his
career as an actor.

PTV’s play Urta Asman, directed by Shahzad Khalil, had his debut
performance. Teesra Kinara was his first popular television play, that Shafi
became a household name. He earned accolades for his acting skills in many
plays, especially Chand Girahan, Dairey, Aanch, Bund Gulab and Mohabbat
Khawab Ki Surat. Shafi Muhammad was acted in all mediums of entertainment,
from radio, theatre to films and television. During his 30-year career, He
performed in over 50 drama serials and over 100 television plays in the Urdu
and Sindhi languages from different television channels.

Shafi Muhammad Shah was died peacefully in his sleep at his Clifton home
on November 17, 2007. His funeral prayers was held at Imambargah Yasreb in
Defence. He was buried in the Defence graveyard. Shafi Muhammad, who leaves
behind his widow, four daughters and a son, suffered from a liver condition.
His death is being attributed to liver failure. His wife Batool Mohammed is
a teacher at the Beacon House school system, Jubilee Campus. His children
are Alina, Arsalna, Zainab, Ali and Sheherbano. His son Ali goes by the name
Ali Asghar is a graduate of Karachi Grammar School and works for the highly
reputable Pakistani publication, The Herald.

Mr. Shafi Mohammad Shah was one of the most versatile performers, who has
the knack of carving out the intricacy and delicacy of character-portrayal
in Television plays.

He has performed some of the most challenging roles which earned him
laurels both from the viewers and the press. Started his career with Radio
as casual voice in 1970.

Shafi Muhammad Shah was also an active member of the Pakistan Peoples
Party and also contested the general elections in October 2002 from NA-210,
Karachi but lost. He was also in his party’s cultural committee and worked
to promote arts and culture.

Some
famous Tv Plays & Serials

* Aanch

* Bund Gulab

* Chand Girahan

* Dairey

* Deewarain

* Jungle

* Kali Dhoop

* Marvi

* Mohabbat Khawab Ki Surat

* Tapish

* Teesra Kinara

* Urta Asman

* Nasal

* Laila Majnoon

* Kali Dhoop

* Aik Haqeeqat Sau Afsaane

* Motio Jo Mann

* Afshaan

* Emergency Ward

* Kala Daira

* Burzukh

* Awaazein

* Officer on Special Duty

* Aik Tasveer Aur

* Dohri

* Saans

* Chahatein

* Maa aur Maamta

* Jannat

* Wujood e Laraib

* Jeena Isi Ka Naam Hai

* Meri Adhoori Mohabbat

* Bund Gulab

* Chand Girahan

* Dairey

* Deewarain

Films

1. Biwi Ho To Aisi, (1982)

2. Aisa Bhi Hota Hai, (1984)

3. Naseebon Wali, (1984)

4. Talash, (1986)

5. Muhib Sheedi, (1992) A Sindhi language film.

6. Ilzam, (1993)

7. Muskarahat (1995)

8. Salakhain (2004)

9. Rubi (1986)

10. Mohib Sheedi (1992)

Awards

* Best Actor Award from Pakistan Television in 1985

* Pride of Performance Award from President of Pakistan.

Shafi Muhammed's last recorded seen in Meri
adhoori mohabbat

Actor Shafi Mohammad passes away

KARACHI, Nov 17: Veteran television actor Shafi Mohammad Shah died
peacefully in his sleep at his Clifton home on Saturday evening. He was 58.

Mr Shah, who leaves behind his widow, four daughters and a son, suffered
from a liver condition. His death is being attributed to liver failure.

Born in Kandiaro, he had his early education in Hyderabad.

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