She went on a long break from the ‘Camera World’, fans missed her. She came back, gave an exceptional performance in her super hit feature film Bol, people loved it. And now she is back again; this time too with a highly anticipated film (The Dusk) doing a strong role and we are pretty sure people would praise her performance this time as well.
Busy nowadays on the [soon to be started] promotional campaign of her upcoming film The Dusk, Zaib believes that Pakistan film industry will be on its revival track once the younger lot of filmmakers adopt the local film industry completely.
She recently also represented both her films (The Dusk and Bol) in Florence Indian Film Festival, that is known for its high repute in the film world where Bol was screened and her upcoming film The Dusk was given an introduction with the trailer screening there.
Sharing her thoughts on the festival experience and her upcoming film, Zaib talks to Galaxy Lollywood and also comments on the life when she was absent from the showbiz world.
A long break, and a comeback with BOOM, where were you all these years and how does it feel like doing back to back films specially in an era that is not really known for good times on Pakistan film industry.
I was really busy raising my daughters all this time, but unconsciously I was waiting for a strong, well-written script I would be automatically influenced to read. I am finding it quite challenging to be doing back-to-back films since I did take a very long break indeed and I am also focusing on carrying out a variation of roles and not just sticking to one-act in my performances, but with a lot of new directors coming into the Pakistan film industry and doing amazingly well, I think the film industry is ascending.
The Character ‘Suraiya Khan’ in Bol was largely a positive one, but in The Dusk, as far as our knowledge goes, you are playing a negative character named Aliya Chauhan. What is this character about?
Aliya Chauhan depicts the role media plays in our society. Not that everyone in our media is the same as Aliya Chauhan but her character more or less reflects some of media’s negative side for personal publicity.
If we analyse The Dusk on the basis of its genre, it is quite similar to what Bol was. Despite the fact that The Dusk has more sort of fresh look with a completely different story, what was that ‘different’ factor for you in this movie compared to the last film you did?
The previous movie I performed in was a project of Shoaib Mansoor and other experienced professionals and expertise. The Dusk has been made under a team of new, young and upcoming generation. There was involuntarily a slight feeling of being constraint while doing Bol. On the other hand, performing in The Dusk was extremely refreshing.
You recently represented the films in ‘Florence Indian film Festival’, how was the experience there and more importantly, how people responded to the movies?
It was personally a wonderful experience in terms of people being aware of good films also being made in Pakistan and applauding it, but representing Bol in ‘Florence Indian film Festival’ was quite thought-provoking for me as well, because people were not fully aware of our developing society and they had many unresolved questions in their minds about our society, which I had to answer.
Being an integral part of the movie, knowing it inside out. What does your gut feeling says? Do you believe that The Dusk has the potential to score at box office?
It is pretty early to answer your question at the moment. But I am quite certain that The Dusk will definitely go to the top in international film festivals because of its exceptional subject.
With last two years passed, it seems like Pakistan film industry is finally on its track to revival. You have seen the golden period on the local cinema. What do you believe, how important is it that all these new guys are coming up and investing in films? You believe the golden days are not too much far away from here?
It is profoundly important for new people to step up, contribute as much as they can and change the current face of our film industry for the betterment. If this can be accomplished, then I think the ‘golden days’ of the Pakistan film industry will be back in no time.
Both, The Dusk and Bol are primarily social films, how soon are we going to see you in a full commercial venture? Could it be again with same team The Dusk has?
I do not really sit down and plan if the films I sign up for in future will be social or commercial, so I cannot really give you a straight answer for that. I have not yet decided what I will be doing next. As far as working with the same team The Dusk has is concerned, I would love to do so.
Hope you all liked the interview. Below we attaching the pictures of the actress from the recently done promotional photo-shoot of her upcoming film The Dusk.
Good To see your ambition!
Keep up the good work!