Memoona Qudoos (MQ) is currently Pakistan’s most sought after artist who values her work and respects the industry she is a part of. She has built her repertoire with a variety of roles, for a career that is now thriving with every project under her belt.

After completion of her BS Honours in Media Studies from International Islamic University and while interning at a television channel, MQ felt that she must give a chance to the actor hibernating inside her. Thanks to her personality that can be best described as beauty with brains, she wasn’t short of offers, and picked Ejaz Aslam’s Chahiye Thora Pyar to start with, while Javeria Saud’s Mohabbat Zindagi Hai signaled her as a force to reckon with. Later serials like Kyunke Ishq Baraye Farokht Nahi, helped her learn the art of versatility and in GT-Road she eventually proved that she is here to stay.

Off-screen MQ epitomizes the happy-go-lucky girl; so simple that you wouldn’t really believe she could be part of the glamorous world of showbiz. When I met her, she was wearing a simple sea-green kurta shalwar; her pretty face sported no makeup. She speaks little, but her vibrant eyes are emotive; she is ready for any and every question.

With dollops of praise comes sniggering critics and cruel trolls, but MQ has learnt to take it all in her stride.

“I think if we like being applauded for our work then we should also be ready to face criticism, treating it as a guideline for further improvement. Although more than 60 percent of comments are quite pointless, a few will definitely help you overcome your shortcomings,” says MQ.

Staying creative and focused always comes from having a solid support system and in MQ’s case it’s her family. “They are my big motivation,” divulges MQ and continues, “I gather positive energy from them which helps me grow.”

When it comes to demotivating factors, MQ refers to politics in the industry especially at the time when you are a novice.

“Although I’ve been handling it since the time I shifted to Karachi for work, it has always been difficult for me to comprehend as to why these politics exist in the first place? Why can’t people concentrate on work to improve their own craft?.”

More and more women are stepping into direction in television. MQ has worked with a few, and her experience comes with mixed reviews.

“Women directors can become too emotional, but on the technical side they are pretty sound and tend to deliver thought-provoking content and story arcs.”

In any field, appreciation makes you grow, and showbiz is no different. Award ceremonies serve the purpose of endorsing an artist’s talent. “For me awards really don’t matter,” MQ explains. “Frankly, their credibility in our country is not sound enough to want to bring one home. What really gives me a kick is when I come across an ardent fan recognizing me with the title of a role that I have played.

For an actor, it has always been a gift to be able to look back at their work through the characters they perform.”

An actor’s life has always been full of adventures worth remembering and while recalling one such incident MQ transports herself back to Turkey, which she visited while doing a project for PTV during the pandemic. “I was stuck there with absolutely nothing to do,” she recalls smilingly, “so to kill my boredom, I got a violin and went into the streets pretending as if I am playing it. People thought of me as some mad girl and placed money in front of me which irritated me a bit but it was really very funny otherwise.”

With two back-to-back blockbuster serials Jaise Aapki Marzi and Kalank, MQ finds herself inundated with offers. While that sounds like a compliment, it doesn’t encompass the full range of MQ’s talent. In Kalank as Sheena, the fearless, stubborn and most importantly, unapologetic woman, MQ not only exudes confidence and strength but also packs a powerful punch on screen with her performance. “For me it was a pleasant break from stereotypical romcoms to get into the skin of a career-oriented woman, very possessive about her boyfriend who was a big flirt. Whereas in Jaise Apki Marzi as Shehna, ex-wife of Sherry (played by Mikal Zulfiqar), my role was of a sensitive yet emotional girl living abroad who is being deceived and physically tortured by him. Both roles were very different and I worked painstakingly on playing them to perfection, and by the grace of God, they were highly applauded and garnered critical acclaim.”

Although MQ has appeared in a plethora of roles, for her the most challenging was the character of Feroza that she played in GT Road for which she had to learn and fine tune a seraiki accent.

“If you’re scared of challenges, you won’t learn anything,” she says. “All my roles have been very demanding and I have really worked hard to be able to do justice.”

Coordination by Ayla Ahmed