“I should be able to enjoy my characters before conveying them to the audience” - Hina Dilpazeer

interview

The phrase ‘She came, she saw, and she conquered’ perfectly describes Hina Dilpazeer. She gained fame with her role as Saeeda in the 2008 telefilm ‘Burns Road Ki Neelofar’ and never looked back. Her performance as Momo in ‘Bulbulay’ made her a household name, and she received international recognition. Her versatility shone through in ‘Quddusi Sahab Ki Bewah,’ where she portrayed about 12 different characters. Recently, she ventured into the world of feature films with her role as a Sindhi woman in ‘Money back Guarantee,’ further showcasing her talent as an actor. Hina has not only earned accolades from her fans but has also received numerous awards for her outstanding work in both television and films. Despite her immense success, she remains a remarkably down-to-earth actor. This week You! gets candid with the versatile Hina Dilapzeer as she talks about her career, roles and hidden talents…

You! How challenging was the role in Money Back Guarantee, which required you to speak in Sindhi?

Hina Dilpazeer: I tried my best to do that role like working on the accent and outlook of the character. In the end, an actor has to get into who and what that role is.

You! You have a distinctive character for the show ‘Bulbulay’, how do you keep that intact while also shooting for other roles?

HD: First of all, I try not to keep my shoots consecutively as it is necessary for me to first unwind myself from one character before getting into another. If it is for fun, then it’s fine but it should not disturb my own personality. I know it is difficult, somehow, I manage to do it.

You! One of your most memorable works is in ‘Quddusi Saheb Ki Bewa’, in which you did multiple roles. How did you manage that?

HD: I was not asked to do all those characters, initially. I started with performing three characters simultaneously, then if the director and writer of the play didn’t find any artist, they asked me to do that role too. The renowned playwright Fasih Bari Khan wrote that wonderful script which was well directed by Mazhar Moin. The duo together was very helpful and made those characters for me to play easily.

You! Before television and film, you worked for radio as well. How was that experience?

HD: Ah! It was a wonderful experience. I loved radio and still do. On radio, I used to write plays, acted in them with other actors too, and after the recording, also sat with the engineer/editor to make things final that include sound effects and music mixing. I loved it all. And I feel if I get the chance to do it again, I will go for it.

You! Any particular role, which you think has not been offered to you yet?

HD: In my experience, actors’ roles are often determined by destiny and luck. I prefer to keep an open mind, believing that an interesting role will come my way when the time is right, even though I don’t know when or what it will be.

You! Before doing a character, do you get an idea how much popularity it will gain?

HD: I feel until and unless I myself enjoy doing something, I will not be able to perform that well for others. When I got the role of Momo, my gut told me I’d enjoy it. Even though it was initially for just one episode, I gave it my all during the shoot and relished every moment. The real pleasure came from performing the role itself, and the positive energy spread to my co-actors. It’s a fact that all three other characters complement Momo; without them, her vibrancy is diminished.

You! Many of your fans and critics are of the view that you should have started television earlier.

HD: I truly believe that if I had the power to script my own life story, it would be absolutely flawless. However, the reality is that we cannot control our destiny. It was decided for me to enter television at a certain time. So, here I am.

You! You have done very few films. Why?

HD: Unfortunately, our film industry is at a very initial stage. At this stage, whenever someone offers me a role in a film, I take the script and if I find it worthy I do it. Sometimes, even for the sake of a fresh experience.

You! From ‘Burns Road Ki Neelofar’ to present, you have performed numerous and different kinds of characters. How do you see this whole journey?

HD: I consider it a successful journey. I am grateful to God that most of my characters are praised by the public. It is a great feeling.