The Hindu : New Delhi News : A woman of many parts

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Monday, Jan 14, 2008
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A woman of many parts

Photo: Anu Pushkarna

Multifaceted: Samina Peerzada in New Delhi.

Pakistani actor and director, the versatile Samina Peerzada, shares with Parul Sharma her trip to the world of films, television and theatre.

Once the “Lux” face of Pakistan and a respected member of its film fraternity, seasoned actor Samina Peerzada is now coordinating with others to set up a filmmaking institute in her country.

“After helping us set up the National Academy of Performing Arts, President Pervez Musharraf’s latest initiative is to start a film institute. The proposal is still being worked out and I am trying to finish all my work so that we can coor dinate better and execute the project,” Samina says.

A woman of many parts, Samina made her debut in the 1970s and did films like “Nazdikiyan”, “Mukhra” “Bazaar-e Husn” and “Khawahish”. She is now busy wrapping up her television shows so that she can focus on theatre and her next film.

Married to Usmaan Peerzada, son of theatre luminary late Rafi Peer, Samina has dabbled in everything from modelling to cinema to television and theatre to satisfy her creative urge.

She has put films -- acting as well as directing -- on the backburner for the past four years and taken a “break” from the silver screen. “Usmaan wants me to do theatre. He has a play in mind that has been written by Rafi Peer Saheb and wants me to act in it. I have been doing a lot of work for television. Once I am done with that, I will begin work on my issue-based film.”

All through her career, Samina has been shifting gears. After turning into a successful actor, she surprised everyone by producing and directing a television play “Karb”. When everyone thought she would make more plays for television in the wake of its success, she went on to make a film.

Samina, whose “Inteha” became quite a success and “Shararat” received a lukewarm response, says it is “inspirational work” that she seeks. “I am a sensitive person and things happening around impact my mind. I like to do issue-based work that is close to my heart.”

Samina showed great courage when she chose a highly controversial subject like marital rape as the theme of her directorial debut. Battling all odds, she managed to get it released across Pakistan. The efforts paid off when the film was nominated for 22 national awards and earned her widespread acclaim. “The film was banned twice. Then a cinema hall was burnt. We got it passed from an appellate board. It fetched nine national awards,” she recalls.

Samina insists that there are lots of women like her in the Pakistan film and television industry “One of our television channels has a woman president. A lot of women are now entering television and films. Yes, some people may not have taken kindly to it, but we will not give in.”

Talking about her stint in television, Samina says she did some interesting “issue-based” serials on human relationships. “Our television audiences are very smart. There was a time when they got inspired by trends in Indian television and took to producing soaps operas and sitcoms. But the people were quick to reject them and it reflected in the ratings. I also acted in a serial just for kicks, but it did not do well.”

Samina is all praises for the new generation of script writers in Pakistan. “The new generation is really good, especially writers from Quetta and Sialkot. They have brilliant scripts and I really want to be a part of them all. The young generation has been trained well, which is why they are producing better works.”

“During our times, there was no theatre academy and we learnt the tricks of the trade on the job. Of course, I had my theatre workshops to bank on. Our seniors did their training with radio. Till the 1980s and early 1990s, we produced some brilliant films. Then there was a downslide. Now the talented youngsters are showing us the way again. I believe that socially relevant cinema is the answer to the tide of this mindless cinema,” she says.

Samina -- who along with Usmaan is now in India to watch productions being staged at “Theatre Utsav 2008” organised by the National School of Drama, was particularly impressed with Tripurari Sharma’s “Azizun”. “I would love to be directed by him. Another Indian theatre director I would love to work with is Amal Allana.”

Before leaving for Pakistan on January 19, she wants to take some time out from her busy schedule to watch Aamir Khan’s directorial debut -- “Taare Zameen Par”.

“Everyone’s has been telling me that it’s good. But then coming from Aamir, it is no surprise. He is such a brilliant actor,” she raves, mentioning in the same breath Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan’s performance in “Chak De India”.

Some of the recent Indian films that she admires are “Hazaaron Khwaishen Aisi” “Iqbaal” and “Rang De Basanti”. “It is my dream to work with people like Nasseruddin Shah and Shaban Azmi. Their body of work is just amazing,” she concludes.

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