All people dream, but not equally. Those who dream by night in the dusty recesses of their mind, wake in the morning to find that it was vanity. But the dreamers of the day are dangerous people, for the dream their dreams with open eyes, and make them come true. The protagonist in my story Sarah Abbas Wasti. A talented woman who finally made her dream comes true by taking acting as her line of work. Though she says it’s a little late but we say it’s never too late… there is always a right time for the right thing to happen in your life.
Let’s she the ball rolling with some basic questions about you; like what have you studied and all?
I was born in Lahore but we shifted to Karachi when I was about a year old. Initially I went to Grammar School but later on I joined DHA School because I couldn’t do O’ Levels. Then I did my bachelors from St. Josephs. As a professional woman. I’ve done property brokerage; have worked at the Aga Khan University and also at Paktel. I also used to teach swimming at the DHA School. So I’ve done it all.
How did you get into acting?
I got the offer when I was running a catering service.
Catering service?
Yes! I did catering for Bank of America for two years then six months at Standard Chartered. And then I started catering for plays. Ayesha Alam’s ‘Dhoop ki Diwaar’ was the first play I was hired to do catering. One day they were looking for a woman who could play phapa kutani type role. Ayesha Alam and I get along really well so she approached me and asked me to rescue her. ‘Tumhare paas saari to hai na yae role kardo? … And I just nodded my head. It was just a minuscule role but so much I enjoyed it that I decided to persist acting. Then I worked in Javed Fazil’s Mehndi.
Oh, then you must feel proud being a part of it as the drama made a clean sweep in LSA and won all three awards; best actor (Humayun Saeed, best actress (Aaminah Haq) and best drama serial?
That I am! But honestly speaking I don’t agree with adjudging award for the best actress to Aaminah haq… it was a joke. The award should have been either adjudged in Sania or Savera. Aaminah’s been there longer than I have and she does have potential but I don’t think her acting in Mehndi was up to the mark. Even I think Faisal Qureshi should have got it instead of Humayun. Faisal was nominated for two dramas and his votes got divided and he lost it. Other wise I think he is a far better actor than Humayun.
So what came next after Mehndi?
Nothing came as such. I got cancer three years ago, and they removed my right kidney and left adrenal gland. It was malignant. For that I have to have an MRI after every three months. So those weren’t good days… illness and financial problems… I went through hell. After I recovered. I met Iqbal Ansari and he introduced me to this director called Ismail Gilani who has to his credit a famous comedy play ‘Aag Aur Pani.’ Ismail offered me ‘Take Away’.
And you accepted the offer?
Yeah! First thing first it was a pivotal role. Second thing it was a comedy and had a good margin to perform. I feel comedy is not a piece of cake because when you are not in a good mood, you don’t want to laugh and make other people laugh so you need a lot more energy and a lot more vigor. It was something where I could have proved myself… And I did so. Yes, I’ve made many blunders but I learnt a lot from them.
So this was like your proper debut.
Absolutely.
With acting I believe you have carved a niche for yourself. Hope you won’t switch over other profession like you always do?
I love acting. I enjoy it to the nth degree and I want to do it for a lifetime. I mean I have never has so much fun in my life. I always wanted to be an actress. My father used to call me a drama queen. Even in Grammar School I used to always swap the leading roles and that too of a man because I was the tallest, the heaviest and I had short hair.
Did you have any problem when you faced the camera?
I’ve never had that problem. I’ve never been nervous in front of the camera. The camera adores me.
What is your definition of a good actor?
A good actor is somebody who can do any role and be able to carry it out. You it to people. A good actor is a person who does not put down any kind of role. Who is ready to take out anything in any way and is ready to give himself/herself completely to it. It’s a commitment and a responsibility.
But don’t you agree with what the old master said once, ‘Good actors are born and not made’?
Truly and utterly! If you have initial camera fright, it is very difficult to overcome that stage. But yes, it is inborn, and it just has.
