What’s on the cards for Ayesha Omar?

CatchingUp! The effervescent young star talks about films, TV, music and getting her broken collar-bone fixed.

Ayesha Omar has a lot to look forward to this year. She’s currently shooting for a film that will most likely be in theatres around the same time as another project will be releasing. There’s a music based reality TV show that’s also in the pipeline but there isn’t much she can say about all of that yet. With so much on the cards, a tete a tete with the star seemed overdue. We caught up with Omar in between shoots and here’s what she had to say.

“I’m in Lahore these days for the second last spell of shooting for my upcoming movie, Rehbra with Ahsan Khan. We have one more spell in Karachi before the movie is turned over to post production and amusingly enough, it’s set to be released nearly side by side with my other film, Yalghaar around October or so.

You can call it a journey of self discovery for my character in the film. Her name is Bubbly and she’s a middle class Punjabi girl who’s very happy go lucky and true to her name until tragedy befalls her and she has to evolve in order to overcome it.

It’s a fun character and a very new look for me. She dresses very differently from what my personal aesthetic is so I’m also quite excited about how the look will be received,” she exclaims.

A photo shoot featuring Ayesha Omar with her Rehbra costar Ahsan Khan. Shoot courtesy: Hello Magazine.

Talking about the team, Omar mentions that the production and direction teams are trying their hand at filmmaking for the first time. “The producers of this film don’t belong to a movie background and this is their first foray into the business so it’s definitely a learning experience. My director, Amin Iqbal has extensive experience with dramas but it’s also his first film. He and his enterprising team of interns are quite creative and innovate a lot which is great and I’ve learnt a lot from them.”

Omar mentions that she also plays the role of a bright, animated girl in Yalghaar but the trajectory of that story takes a very different turn and the plot, with a focus on terrorism, is a lot more serious than Rehbra. Considering that Omar herself is quite animated and ebullient in nature does she identify closely with the girls she’s embodying onscreen?

“Not at all! Especially the girl in Yalghaar, who is very secure and self-assured. I can’t say that about myself because I’m not; I’m constantly second guessing myself and wondering what I’m doing wrong,” she answers with a chuckle.

After her silver screen commitments are done, Omar is looking forward to working on a music based reality TV show where contestants face off in a gruelling competition before being crowned number one. It’s in association with an amazing brand but that’s all she can reveal yet.

There’s another movie that was slated to begin shooting early summer but it might be put on hold because Omar has been procrastinating with regards to a serious medical issue.

“I’ve been walking around with a broken collar bone since my accident over a year ago you see. The doctor wanted to wait six months before operating to see if it would heal on its own but unfortunately that hasn’t been the case with me.

I need an operation to set the bone right and then obviously my movement will be restricted during the time I’m recuperating from the procedure. It’s been quite challenging managing with a broken bone. I was lucky that it wasn’t a weight bearing bone like my leg or my arm but obviously my ability to perform certain tasks is impaired. I can’t even lift a 1.5 litre water bottle with that arm but thank God I’ve managed to complete all my professional commitments,” Omar divulges.

We wish Omar a speedy recovery and the all the success for her upcoming endeavours.

“My character in Rehbra has a very new look. She dresses very differently from what my personal aesthetic is so I’m also quite excited about how the look will
be received.”