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Mehwish Hayat is riding high these days…higher than anyone else. From being considered one of the most beautiful faces in the region to starring in Pakistan’s most successful film Jawani Phir Nahi Aani, Hayat has seen it all. Throw in the success of the actor-in-law and you have a formidable movie star. Instep caught up with Mehwish Hayat on Sunday to know more about his upcoming projects, comeback on TV and singing career.
Step: Your recent release, Actor in Law, is doing very well these days. How do you feel about his success and your own success as a result?
Mehwish Hayat (MH): I have always believed that if you give your best to a project, good things will come and we gave Actor in Law more than our best performance. It was a brilliant script, brilliantly executed and tackled issues that not many films in recent history have touched. I am happy that I was a part of a film which is not only doing well domestically but also making Pakistani cinema proud outside the country.
Step: You are doing Punjab Nahi Jai Ge with the same team that did Jawani Phir Nahi Aani… Thoughts?
MH: I am very excited about this project because a) it is with the same people who produced and directed one of the biggest blockbusters of Pakistani cinema and b) because it is with the same duo after the success of Dilli. had come The only difference between PNJ and JPNA is the writers. Khalilur Rehman Qamar sahib has written the script of PNJ while Wasay Chaudhry was behind the script of JPNA.
Step: Iman Ali was offered “Punjab Nahi Jaon Gi” but finally it fell into his lap. Has this fact made things weird?
MH: Not at all. On the other hand, I’m getting the same feeling I got when Actor-in-Law was offered. It was my second film with Nabeel (Qureshi) and Fiza (Ali Mirza) which introduced me to movies with uneducated people and working with them again was a dream come true. Similarly, when Humayun (Saeed) and Nadeem (Baig) with whom I was doing Delhi, approached me for PNJ and showed me the script, it was impossible to refuse. This is such a wonderful script. The story revolves around me and I couldn’t have asked for a better presentation.
Step: Don’t you think it was too soon to return to TV with Dilli after starring in the most successful Pakistani film of all time?
MH: Some actors or actresses might not come back to TV so soon but I was sure of the success of the TV serial. The script was well written and handled by Nadeem (Beg). What more could I have wanted than to be back on TV with my successful co-star Humayun Saeed, who was also doing the same thing. Also, the drama was about my character Anmol and the rest had good characterization but I was the main character and that was never before.
Step: Usually, films in Pakistan have male-centric titles like Maula Jat, Budha Gujjar, Main Ek Din Lot Ke Aunga … How does it feel to play the title role in a female-centric film?
MH: I am not going to tell you the details of my character but yes, I play a strong woman in the film around which the entire story is built. My role has a lot of scope to perform and as an actor in law I have tried to do something different. This girl will neither be like Manu Skrivala nor like Anmol but something else. You’ll have to watch the movie to find out!
Step: Of these three roles – Menu from Actor In Law, Anmol from Dilgi and the title role from Punjab Nahin Jaon Gi – who is closest to Mehwish Hayat?
MH: This sounds like a ‘Which song is closest to you’ question. (Laughs) All the characters were written by different people and directed by different directors so I got to learn a lot from each of them. It’s not just about playing strong women, it’s about making people believe that your character is actually strong. Anmol got mileage when he was on TV while the rest were in films, but that doesn’t mean the rest weren’t up to par. they were.
Step: Don’t you agree that filmmakers in this part of the world have started taking characters seriously?
MH: Yes, they have and I am glad that this realization came at a time when I am working in films. Hollywood writers emphasize characterization and that was something we lacked recently. Now we have writers who describe to you the characters, what they eat, what they wear and most of all, how they speak. They give us time to practice as well as observe which is why our acting in our films has improved. Building characters is the key to building a better film industry and I believe we are on the right track now.
Step: Due to the current situation on the border, distributors and cinema owners have stopped the release of Bollywood films in Pakistan. Do you agree with this decision or not?
MH: I was not in the country when the situation at the border deteriorated, but I believe this decision will benefit our film industry. Pakistani movies currently playing in theaters will get more shows and people will easily watch movies now that seats will be available. I am told that some recent films may also be screened and if that happens I will be the happiest person because my first film Na Mazloum and my biggest hit Jawani Phir Nahi Aani actor in law. will be shown with What more could an actor ask for!
Step: How do you juggle movies and television characters?
MH: After JPNA, I was missing TV and my fans were missing me. I enjoy the medium of television because it has given me my identity. I accepted Delhi as a challenge as it was going to be my first drama in three years and it surprised me, the biggest film would be my next film Punjab Nahin Jaaon with the same team.
Step: Your entry into Coke Studio didn’t yield results like your acting projects…
MH: Coke Studio was a new thing for me but with the help of Shiraz (Upal) I was able to try it which was liked by many. Usually people go to Coke Studio for the cover but I was appreciated for going for the original composition and that’s why it got over 3 million hits on the internet. Yes, it came at a time when I had a lot going on but still, it was the most viewed video of the episode. I have learned a lot from this experience and who knows if I will appear again in the next coke studio or sing a song in my next film. Anything can happen in the showbiz world.
– Omair Alvi is a freelance broadcast journalist who can be contacted at omair78@gmail.com.
