In an explosive interview with Instep, the actor talks about her comeback vehicle Jackpot post-release, why Shaan Shahid should be cast in films by other producers, the Karachi-Lahore divide in cinema and the reason for the unforeseen lull in her career.
Zara Sheikh, model-turnedactor has been in the industry for nearly two decades and during that period has seen serious stardom, which includes starring in high-end endorsements and making a smashing film debut with Tere Pyaar Main (2000) opposite Shaan Shahid. Years after her last mainstream stint, the actor sat down with Instep after the release of her newest film, Jackpot. The latter may have been a forgettable piece of cinema but Zara Sheikh, in a brief appearance, made an impact. “To tell you the truth, I had an accident. There was a major injury on my shoulder, which is why the doctor advised complete bedrest,” Zara revealed the reason for the lull in her career. “I did work during those years but I didn’t work the way I should have. I would’ve been doing a lot more films now had it not happened.” She also cited lack of good work, during those days, for not appearing in too many projects. “There were no films being made that appealed to me. I felt I had to take that break. I’ve always been very selective and I wasn’t getting what I wanted.” Speaking about her hiatus that began after the release of Kabhi Pyaar Na Kerna, which marked the Pakistani debut of Indian actor Neha Dhupia, Zara told Instep: “I want to do a film with a solid story, a strong character. Films like Jackpot are great entertainers; I appreciate how everybody’s trying but they need to learn the craft better. A film needs to be made like a film.” Zara’s statement of the lack of meaningful offerings is rather contradictory with the current state of cinema given the number of quality Urdu-language films being made. Last year marked a decade of revival of local cinema, however, the Salakhain-actor refuses to acknowledge the regeneration of the movie business. “I think the ‘revival’ is only limited to the technical department, not films on a whole. We have the crews, but we don’t know how to utilize them, we have the talent, but we don’t know how to present them. After me, Pakistan hasn’t seen a star,” Zara claimed. “You’re not a Pakistani film star if your only claimto-fame is a Bollywood tag. If you’ve worked for them, you’re helping them, their business and their industry. I don’t think a Pakistani superstar needs international validation to earn respect and a name for themselves,” Zara continues, going off in a completely different tangent. “What I’m trying to say is that I’m waiting for when I’ll get to see a good actor in a good character. Yes, we’re shooting on the best cameras, using latest technology, but we need to understand that this will take a lot more time. Only directors from cinema can make a pure Pakistani entertainer.” Not haunted by lesser popularity, Zara is not worried about the number of fans she has. “I’m only scared of Allah, if He’s happy, everything’s good. Yes, there are changes that come with time and sometimes, they’re important, but even now, if I do something worthwhile, I know I have fans that will come to watch me.” The actor believes TV serials are being showcased on the big screen. Though it is a complaint shared by others, things are beginning to change, albeit slowly. Even as successful franchises like Na Maloom Afraad and Jawani Phir Nahi Ani are headlined by men, recent films like Cake, Verna and Motorcycle Girl are headlined and driven by women. To Zara, such comparisons are unfair to filmmaking. “I don’t believe in any of that, no matter what kind of a character it is, it needs to be portrayed. If at all, I think it depends on the story, if you’ve thought about a story where a man is leading the film and the rest of the characters revolve around him, it’s obvious that the hero’s role will be highlighted,” Zara pointed out. To her, equal gender representation is not a criterion for compelling storytelling. “Now with a story like this, you can’t compel the heroine’s character to somehow be highlighted. It’s unfair.” She continued: “But, if it’s a woman’s story, you cast an actor that can pull it off and then the hero would revolve around her. Most successful films in India have been made like this.” For Zara Sheikh, age is not a factor and she is open to working with the current crop of filmmakers as long as the character, production team, music and budget are in line with what she demands. “I don’t believe age matters to an actor, all films with younger female actors are flopping, we’ve seen that,” she chuckled. She added: “If Amitabh Bachchan and Hema Malini can lead a super hit film like Baghbaan, why can we not do that?” Most of Zara’s contemporaries from old-age Lollywood in Lahore have also called out filmmakers and distributors in Karachi for the lack of inclusion. Shaan Shahid, most prominently, has highlighted the issue. To Zara, the entire debate is falsely being projected as somewhat similar to “Israel-Palestine”. “I’ve worked in Karachi a lot; most of my commercials and major campaigns have been shot there. It is really trying hard to establish itself, stand tall on its own feet and be the face of an industry but I have to say that all veterans of films are from Lahore,” she stated. “The best directors are from here (Lahore) and doing a Syed Noor film is like doing a Sanjay Leela Bhansali film (in India). Pakistan’s biggest actors, male and female, are from Lahore, our greatest singers are from Lahore. I really wanted people from Karachi to get the opportunity that they have so let’s see what they do with it.” According to Zara, industry cliques do exist. “There’s this special lobby in Pakistan that spends money on themselves, making their own movies and promoting themselves, taking people who don’t know jack about acting and those are the films we see taken off of cinemas barely after a week,” she noted. “Cinema owners are helpless; they have to play these films. A few years ago, we had proper filmmakers, introducing new faces, casting proper filmactors.” Furthering her thoughts, Zara shared, “Today, an actor who isn’t from the film world is working in other mediums; he can make a film for himself if he has the money to do so. Humayun Saeed sahab is the hero in all his productions; Ali Zafar is the hero in his own production. If not anyone else, it saddens me that they’re not using an artist like Shaan (Shahid). We have such a huge actor, an answer to India’s entire industry and he’s even educated, what’s your excuse for that?” All set to begin shooting for her next film this year, Zara starred in the Pashtolanguage movie with Arbaaz Khan last year and has shot for Adeel PK’s Jung and another (“international”) film called Honor Killing. One wonders what’s kept her from stepping into mainstream cinema. “I haven’t distanced myself from the current lot of filmmakers; they’ve turned a blind eye maybe,” she laughed it off, on a parting note. “I think it’s a question you have to ask them.”
