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Saturday, May 8, 2010
Tv Drama Writer Fatima Suriya Bajya
Monday, May 3, 2010
Tv Drama Actress Mahnoor Baloch
As a young girl, Mahnoor showed keen interest in human behavior. Perhaps, Mahnoor wore the smile of an innocent, little girl as she said that she wanted to become a psychiatrist. But Mahnoor was destined to be an artist. That smile, those eyes, they are really something, which boldly but complacently blend to make her the center of all eyes and lenses. It is the stuff of which the dreams are made of.
Tv Drama Actress Sonya Jehan
Sonya Jehan
Sonya Jehan is radiant. The world knows her as a half-Pakistani Indian actress and we are quite happy with rights on her being just that. Born as the legendary Madam Noor Jehan’s granddaughter to a Pakistani father (Akbar Rizvi) and French mother (Florence Villier), she is now married to an Indian banker (Vivek Narain) and is shifting homes from Delhi to Mumbai as we speak.
The give-away, if any, is her offhand sense of style, which lends her originality beyond Noor Jehan’s opulence and her mother’s French chic. These are the two women — both of whom have incredible individual identities — who have had the maximum influence on her personality but Sonya has emerged very much her own person.
She has a deep, melodic voice that is trained to sing like Daado (as she fondly calls Noor Jehan) and she has a love for food like her mother (who lives in Karachi and owns the only French restaurant in town). Sonya dabbles in films and dreams of opening her own restaurant in India one day. But she isn’t terribly committed to any one profession. She is someone very comfortable in her own skin, apparent as she walked out to greet us in worn out denims, Kohlapuri chappals and a brown shawl to shield her against the unexpected Karachi chill.
“I was supposed to be here for only a day,†Sonya explained her lack of clothes (for a wedding and unexpected shoot) with a warm smile. She was in Karachi for only a day or two as she waited for a work permit. Despite having a French passport, her Pakistani lineage requires her to have a permit if she is to act in a Bollywood film. She had been cast in the lead role opposite Abhishek Bachchan for an upcoming action thriller, Crooked.
Not that her life was hanging by a thread in anticipation. Sonya was distressed as she realised that she probably wouldn’t get the visa in time for the opening shoot (which was the next day) but she managed to brush it off with nonchalance. She was more concerned about getting back home to her two-year-old daughter, Noor, now the third and perhaps most influential female in Sonya’s life. How is she, I asked. “Aah, she’s perfect,†came the reply with a grin that comes only to a doting mother in love.
While her little one is her pride and joy, her next big budget venture promises to take her professional profile to new heights. She plays a small but significant role in Karan Johar’s My Name is Khan (which released worldwide this Friday), alongside Shah Rukh Khan and Kajol.
Sonya plays Rizwan Khan’s sister-in-law, an American Muslim woman teaching at a university in the USA. A far cry from her last two roles — as the feisty Ratanbala in Khoya Khoya Chand (2007) and the glamorous Mumtaz Mahal in Taj Mahal (2005) — this role has her covered up in a hijab. It appears to play to a stereotype while trying to break the stereotype simultaneously. But despite the de-glossed character, this may be her big Bollywood breakthrough. And then there is the experience of working alongside Shah Rukh and Kajol.
“It was amazing, what more can I say?†she smiled. “Shah Rukh is approachable and incredibly humble. He talks to everyone on the set, from the doorkeeper to the director. My first shot was with him and I was nervous because, well, he’s Shah Rukh Khan. But he has a knack of putting everyone at ease within minutes. He immediately welcomed me and told me that he was a big fan of my grandmother. Shah Rukh is a director at heart and sort of takes things in control. Kajol is such a superb actor and they both have incredible presence and input on the sets. It was quite an experience.â€
How did she land the role? Did she feel being half-Pakistani played its part in chance as it gave her character a third, realistic dimension?
“I don’t think the casting had anything to do with my being Pakistani. I auditioned for the role. Plus, the film is not about terrorism as most people believe,†she clarified, though most people must have watched it by now. “It is primarily a love story that throws some light on the lives of Muslims post-9/11.â€
Sonya was in India during the 26/11 attacks on Mumbai city. Did she feel stigmatised at that time?
“Well, I wasn’t shouting my Pakistani lineage from a rooftop,†she said. “It was traumatising for me personally because people I knew died in those attacks on the Taj. I think that we all look at certain kinds of Muslims all over the world with suspicion now; I know I do when I’m in London. It’s the natural fallout of what’s been happening. But that isn’t the epicentre of the film.â€
She added that more than making it big in films, she would like to play a role in bringing peace in the subcontinent, between India and Pakistan. She would love to be part of the collaborative efforts being made to create creative links between both countries.
So far none of the Pakistani actors who have set foot in Bollywood — Meera, Javed Sheikh and Humayun Saeed — have really made their mark and one wonders whether Sonya will manage to make a difference. Her first two films didn’t do too well but MNIK promises to be a box-office hit, if nothing else.
“I don’t know whether this will be a breakthrough in my career because that’s not what I’m thinking when I sign a film,†she responded. “I sign it for the story, the script and the overall experience it’ll bring me. That said, of course I’m hoping for the film to do well and for people to appreciate my work. I’m just not looking to be the next big star,†she concluded with a laugh.
Sonya carries Noor Jehan’s flair for drama but lacks the salt that Noor Jehan had, and that is perhaps imperative to any successful Bollywood heroine, even today. Sonya Jehan is undeniably beautiful but possibly too westernised in her looks to appeal to a local, mass audience. But then again, Bollywood is at the crossroads of change and this may be the best time for her to cut into it. She has trained in classical Indian dance as well as classical singing. She says she can sound a lot like her grandmother. And she has the one rain dance (from Khoya Khoya Chand) to prove that she has what it takes, if masala is what Bollywood is looking for.
A week after returning to India, Sonya called to confirm that she was unable to get the work permit and had lost her Crooked role to Kangana Ranaut.
“It’s unfortunate that I wasn’t able to do the film but now that I’m in Bombay there will be much more to do. There will be more opportunities and I will be able to juggle them better with motherhood,†she said. “But I’m not thinking of films right now. I’ve just landed in Bombay and I’m in a cab, apartment hunting. I think settling down is going to be the most important thing in my life for a while.
Tv Drama Actress Mona Lisa
Mona Lisa
“Why is There Negative Publicity About My Role?â€
AGHAST IS THE LOOK on Mona Lisa’s face, when you talk to her regarding why her Indian film, Kajra Re is is being considered a real no-no in local film circles! She says when she was cast in the film by Pooja Bhatt, she hardly knew anything about the communal side of this film.
“It’s all blown out of proportion,†the delicate and easy-going girl tells you, when you mention this controversy. “I can’t understand why there is so much negative publicity about my role, regarding Kajra Re. When I was told about the role by Pooja, she basically narrated a story that sympathized with the dancing girls at the bazaar. There was no talk of the religious side, or the communal aspect. Neither is there any need to make an issue out of it,†Mona said tongue-in-cheek.
But, it’s not actually the censors, but Suhail Khan, the famous distributor-film-maker, who says that he won’t release Kajra Re in Pakistan. He says that he doesn’t think it proper that such a subject should be risked in this country, where it will certainly create a bad taste in the mouth of the people, and it would never do well.
But Mona shakes her head on hearing the logic. “I am not sure if this is realistic,†Mona says matter-of-factly. “The story is basically about the tragic fact that the dancing girls are never approached by good family men. Pooja shows that such women are also humans, and they also wait for their Prince Charming. I play just such a girl, who is finally given protection, and then married to a Hindu boy. But, that is at the end, and throughout the film, there’s no such issue discussed. Let’s face it, I am an actress, and if I have a good role, then such itsy bitsy facts have to be ignored.â€
Well, Mona may be right. The fact is that we screened just such a film in Pakistan, in early 2001, called Tere Pyar Mein, which had Zara Sheikh and Shaan. It had a Muslim Pakistani boy, played by Shaan, who loves a Sikh Indian girl, played by Zara. The film was well-made by Hasan Askari, although the Mujahideen segment was not done properly. The censors did not have any strong words for it. So how come Mona’s role in Kajra Re is such a bother?
Tv Drama Actress Shaista Wahidi Dr
Shaista Wahidi Dr
Pakistan’s favourite television anchor Dr. Shaista Wahidi’s story starts off on a similar note as any urban girl in her country. The Shaista of yesteryear, in her own words, was a young woman who felt she had to compromise to please her family. From marriage and kids in her teens to studying for a lost cause, she became a non-practising doctor to keep up with her parent’s wishes. While this brought the reward of a happy family, destiny had other plans for the now famous TV host.
Out of sheer boredom during her time as a housewife Shaista decided to try her luck by entering a VJ contest for a local FM station. The experience was second to none and eventually helped shape her transition to television. Blessed with an abundance of talent, namely the gift of the gab, Shaista has managed to connect with her audiences at an altogether different level not seen on Pakistani television before. From the public to politicians, cricketers to celebrities, Shaista is undoubtedly the preferred choice of a nation, which is fast catching up to her mantra of positivity and hope.
As her flagship show, Good Morning Pakistan (GMP), celebrates its first anniversary. Dr Shaista reveales her innermost thoughts about her journey to stardom and beyond.
Tell us about GMP on ARY, which in one year has become one of their leading programmes. How has the journey been?
GMP is my baby and I am proud of leading it for a year. Yes, it’s challenging hosting and producing as this means looking after the content and participating in the overall planning of the show, but I am ably supported by my production team led by my senior producer Talat Raza. In our team, one thing is very clear that no one is the boss and we all have the right to be heard. It’s a culture I love at ARY and am glad the channel has helped me cultivate a similar environment in the team.
The show is unique because not a single day passes when we don’t receive calls from minister’s wives or affluent families wanting to contribute or help about a certain issue that was discussed on that particular day. It’s very touching because we have a responsibility to society and through GMP we have been able to establish a platform for people to connect and help.
Moreover it is my personal objective to empower the Pakistani woman who desperately needs a voice and practical advice in various facets of her life. We have had fantastic response for introducing new elements like career counselling, medical and skin care advice and summer camps and we intend to keep moving in this direction.
Do you consider yourself an inspiration to women?
I believe in substance. You see it’s not about being a woman or man, it’s about the individual. If you believe in yourself then it becomes a completely different story. The whole world starts to revolve around you once you gain that self confidence. I never wanted to be the usual complaining woman considering that is the most common image of a female in our society. On the contrary, I am a big fan of Rhonda Byrnes’, The Secret, in which the law of attraction states that when you want something you must start believing in it and practice it as if you have it. I have applied this to enhance the power of positivity which people say I resonate but if you ask me I just dislike negative thinking.
Today I can proudly say I am at peace with myself. Besides this discipline is vital, which includes working out and keeping fit to beat stress, being health conscious and eating right. Mind you, all of these don’t come without a strict routine. I was never like this but have evolved with time in order to pursue the goals I have set in my life. I guess it shows and perhaps this is why they look up to me.
Your following is equally popular with male audiences. According to a survey men find you the best looking and most pleasant host. What are your thoughts?
Well it’s a plus point. I am aware of the fact that I am good looking and you are on the money about men watching GMP because of the looks. I see no harm in men liking women on the face of it as long as they are not hypocrites like most men in our society. I am glad they have at least admitted it in that survey but will be happier if they openly talk about their reason for watching others or me on the show whilst sitting next to their wives.
Television is larger than life to those watching at home and hence we do work consciously on the looks and makeovers for all the segments and hosts. For example I work with my designer Ruby Shakeel and stylist Mahjabeen who are responsible for making me look the way I do on the show. At the same time I am known to be choosy as I don’t like wearing loud colours or busy prints.
Your most ardent admirers are politicians, cricketers and celebrities. According to them you are their favourite host because you bring the best out of them. What’s your magic touch?
When someone is invited on my show I make it a point that they are treated as our houseguests including politicians and cricketers who are mostly grilled in interviews. I am fully aware that people want me to take them on and it’s not that I don’t but I just do it in a way which is subtle and humane. One of my memorable interviews was with our current Prime Minister on the eve of his win. My entire focus was on humanising Yousaf Raza the person and not Mr. Gillani the prime minister. To my surprise it took him just one question to start talking about his fondness for Indian films and specially Ashwariya Rai who is an absolute favourite of his, so much so that he used to watch Ash’s movies during his days of imprisonment. Pakistan loved that interview and I got such great feedback even from the critics, which was a pleasant surprise.
The morning routine for the morning host
Firstly, I wish myself good morning before anyone else does. No matter how clichéd it is, my belief is that you must first learn to love yourself in order to love the world.
My husband is usually late home from work in the evenings as he’s a workaholic but we both make it a point to spend the last hours sharing and catching up. Therefore, I go to bed very late despite the fact that I rise by six every morning. Once I’m up, I look forward to my three precious gems Shaafay, Fayz and Eman. Every day is a beginning full of energy and positivity in my life. As soon as I step out of the house I do a 360° from a devoted mother and a wife to an ambitious producer and host with a responsibility to lead a show, which makes a difference in the lives of millions every day.