shaan, meera& resham intervieuw

SHAAN

Do you think joint film production between India and Pakistan would help?
A. Joint release is what I am more concerned about. Joint production for me is secondary. I should be able to
release my film in India and they should in ours. I am sure Muslims there would promote our films a lot.

Q. Your views on Meera signing up with Mahesh Bhatt?
A. I think it is a very good sign. He’s a great director. It is a step towards cultural interaction and I hope this first step proves fruitful.

Q. Have you ever received an offer to work in an Indian film? If yes, why didn’t you accept it?
A. If the offer was good enough, it would have prospered. If it hasn’t, then it means something was wrong about it. I would like to do a film after careful selection.I will read the script, see the intensity and significance of my character, the money etc. But I would first like the government to officially announce that we can work in their
films and then I will see what I have to do. But, then they must also stop making films like LoC. The need of the
time is to make beautiful films that promote peace and harmony rather than reminding people time and again about our wartimes and enmities through the years. They do it more than us and they have to stop doing that. If they are nationalists, so are we, and we must respect each other’s nationalism.

Resham

Q. You have recently done a video with Indian star Urmila Matondkar. How was the experience?

A. It was indeed a pleasant one. It was the first step to promote cultural ties between India and Pakistan and I am proud to be a part of it. She was a very

nice-natured girl with no hang-ups.

Q. Did you feel that the team was neglecting you at any time and promoting her more than you?

A. All her shots were with me and so there is no chance of her being promoted more. The team of the video was promoting togetherness, and so why would they

show her in isolation. The team was very professional and they would never indulge in any unprofessional acts like these.

Q. What difference of personality do you feel between Urmila and Pakistani film heroines?

A. She is very groomed, educated and smart. Also, she wasn’t passing any sort of comments about her co-stars. She was trying her best to put in a good

impression of her country and industry. She knew where to draw lines and how to behave where. She was also very professional. It wasn’t as if I was working

with a big star. She was very down to earth, someone who is open to suggestions.

Q. You had a whole lobby working against you all through this. How did you cope with it?

A. I feel when you are successful, many people also start hating you. Naturally, this was such a big project that everyone wanted to be a part of it. Those who

couldn’t, obviously started spitting fire. I don’t care. Let them say what they want to say. God gave me the honour. Why should I be bothered?

Q. How did you get the chance to do the video?

A. Masarrat Misbah of Depilex helped me achieve this prestigious project. Since she was doing the make-up of the whole project, so it was she and the video’s

producer Huma who decided to cast me in it.

Q. Meera has signed a film with Mahesh Bhatt. Are you jealous?

A. Why should I be jealous? I am, in fact, very happy. She is my colleague and representing our films. I hope she does well. But my project was the first step in this context so I am very content

MEERA

Q: YOU HAVE RECENTLY SIGNED A FILM WITH MAHESH BHATT. TELL ME WHAT IS THE PROJECT ABOUT IT?

A: ITS A FEMALE-ORIENTED FILM, FEATURING ME IN THE LEAD WID JOHN ABRAHAM AND SALMAN KHAN AS GUEST APPEARENCE.

Q: WHEN DOES THE SHOOTING BEGIN?

A:I WILL GO IN APRIL TO INDIA FOR THE SHOOTING.

Q: BUT ISN'T A PAKISTANI HEROINE PROHIBITED TO WORK IN AN INDIAN FILM?

A: I ALSO HAVE A FOREIGN NATIONALITY, SO I CAN WORK WHEREVER I WANT.

Q: HOW CAN U RUN DOWN THE IMAGE OF A PAKISTANI FILM INDUSTRY IN A PRESS CONFERENCE WITH MAHESH BHATT, SAYING THEY ARE THRASHY?

A: I NEVER SAID THAT. ALL I SAID THAT IF WE NEED TO COMPETE WITH THE INTERNATIONAL MARKET, WE CANNOT DO SO WITH PUNJABI FILMS. WE NEED TO MAKE BETTER URDU FILM, AND PERHAPS MAKE THIS FILM IN KARACHI, DUE TO EDUCATED PRODUCERS, TO ENTER THE INTERNATIONAL ARENA. WHAT EVER I AM TODAY IS BECAUSE OF THIS INDUSTRY.I LOVE MY COUNTRY AND MY FILM INDUSTRY AND WOULD NEVER DO ANYTHING TO TAMISH THEIR IMAGE. EVEN IN INDIA I WILL WORK AS A PAKISTANI ACTRESS.

Q: SO ARE YOU ALL EXCITED AND GEARED UP?

A: YOU BET I AM. NOW IS THE TIME TO PROVE MY REAL METTLE. NOW THAT I AM THANKFULLY OUT OF THIS LOCAL COMPETITION, YOU WILL SEE WHAT MEERA IS CAPABLE OF. I WILL TELL EVERYBODY THROUGH MY STRONG PERFORMANCE WHAT ACTING IS.MARK MY WORDS, MEERA WILL BE SOMETHING AFTER THIS PROJECT. THE KIND OF ROLE I AM DOING, THE DIRECTOR AND THE PRODUCTION, EVERYBODY WILL BE SURPRISED IN INDIA AND PAKISTAN. MY DIRECT COMPETITION NOW IS WITH THE INDIAN GIRLS ESPECIALLY WITH BIPASHA WITH WHOM MAHESH AND POOJA BHATT HAVE WORKED A LOT. I WILL TELL ALL THOSE INDIAN GIRLS TOO WHAT PERFORMANCE IS.I DONT COMPARE MYSELF WITH AISHWARY RAI, AS SHE IS ONE OF A KIND, BUT THE REST I AM CAPABLE OF HANDLING. SO YOU BETTER WATCH OUT!


WOW! I APPRECIATE MEERA'S NEVER-MESS-WID-ME AND PROUD-PAKISTANI ATTITUDE, BUT SHE MUST NOT UNDERESTIMATE INDIAN GIRLS AS THEY ARE GOOD AS WELL AND EVEN THEN IF HER FIRST INDIAN MOVIE BECOMES A HIT, SHE STILL HAVE TO STRUGGLE TO STAY ON TOP!