Moon, of Na Maloom Afraad (NMA), was perhaps not the only one smitten by her beauty and posh British accent when she stepped in between his plans of robbing the bank she worked at. In fact, her qualities seem to have transcended borders, particularly the line of control, to land her into the rash and boisterous world of Bollywood. Rabia Khan, better known as Kubra Khan, is another one of the many talented stars who are filling Bollywood’s voracious appetite for young, Pakistani blood.

Luckily for Kubra, her new project couldn’t be more relatable for the Pakistani audience as she stars in the much-anticipated depiction of the world’s most dangerous yet adventurous city, in a film titled Welcome to Karachi.

"Welcome to Karachi was very sudden," she spoke in an exclusive interview with Instep. "I was approached by a casting director in India, went through the auditions and in a matter of just two to three days pretty much everything changed for me."

Sudden as it may be, stepping into acting seems like natural progression for the young Pakistani-Briton who started modelling about two years ago while she was still studying.

"I started off as a model based in London during my A-levels and didn’t really know much about acting then," shared Kubra. "Ahmed Ali Butt and Faatima Khan Butt saw it in me while I was working with them in the TV show Fashionista Faatima and they pushed me to pursue this career."

Kubra too made a smart decision by choosing NMA for her debut. The film has turned out to be an overwhelming success in the country and has recently been nominated for a screening at the closing ceremony of the South Asian International Film Festival in New York.

"I could really relate to the character, although its screen time wasn’t as much in comparison to others," asserted Kubra, when asked for the reason behind her choice. "I felt the movie itself was very character-driven and regardless of the size of role, each character was extremely strong. I couldn’t have asked for a better role to begin with."

The movie has indeed opened doors to innumerable opportunities for its cast but Kubra’s character as Hina Merchant didn’t come without some criticism. Not only did audiences express disgruntlement over the abrupt climax where Kubra steals the money for the three stooges but also the fact that Kubra struggled with her Urdu, speaking in a rather Anglicized accent. Kubra remains unfazed.

"I am very open to criticism," she said. "If we’re not criticized we wouldn’t know our weaknesses. I always knew my Urdu wasn’t the best. I’ve practically lived my entire life in London so I guess it’s a given. I am however working on my ‘talaffuz’ and hope that by the next project the twang will go down."

That would be Welcome to Karachi in which Kubra plays the role of a "strict government official". The film is a comedy also starring Arshad Warsi and Jackky Bhagnani who find themselves stuck in Karachi amidst political turmoil. While director Rohit Shetty has time and again said that the movie is aimed at changing perceptions about the city, a doubt still exists whether the film will be propaganda-driven or true to the city’s essence.

"It’s a comedy based on Karachi. I understand that many would have assumptions about the portrayal simply because it’s a film from across the border. However, from the writer to the actor everyone has made sure to keep the same level of respect. The best part is that nothing is fabricated," assured Kubra. While Kubra seems to have found a place in the crew’s heart, her casting wasn’t without its share of controversy. Rumour has it that actor Irrfan Khan, who was earlier meant to do the role that Jackky is now playing, walked out of the film because the producers decided to cast Kubra instead of Nargis Fakhri.

"I have heard the same thing," she revealed. "I’ve not met Irrfan personally and have tremendous amount of respect for him. I think everyone has the right to make their own choices and if this is really one of them, then I respect that."

For once, it is a relief to see a Pakistani actress trying to stay away from any unnecessary controversy, for her predecessors have a plethora of news to define them; not to forget a bunch of racy roles that have raised more eyebrows than hands for applause. But will Kubra be able to make a difference and break away from the stereotypical portrayal of Pakistani actresses?

"I hope I do," asserted Kubra. "There is no comparison here, they’re all much senior to me in terms of experience and I have a lot of respect for the work they’ve done. At the end of the day, it all comes down to the choices we make. I have no desire to run before I can walk so I will try to tread carefully and steadily."