Zeba Bakhtiar

Still as lovely as ever, I was just randomly browsing and found some old interviews and just felt compelled to share some quotes;

”With all due respect, I believe our dramas and movies reflect our country & culture. When I was in India, I was representing Pakistan; therefore, one has to be careful. If one tries to act like or be dressed like some one from the other end of the world, you’ll just end up insulting your own culture.”

On Pakistan’s movie industry: ”We are still using cameras that were used in 50s and 60s because we just cannot afford to purchase the latest cameras.”

”I like all kinds of music, classical, modern, rock, all kinds. I think Abrar-ul- Haq is good, in fact very different and innovative. But then at the same time I like Mehdi Hassan and Noor Jehan.” She’s so desi!

On TV play’s today: ”I don’t know how much of it is actually there you see glamour is a big attraction. They want to be famous. If you go 30 or 40 years back when people like Talat Hussein, Uzma Gillani, Khalida Riasat, Shoaib Hashmi and Salima Hashmi came in, those were people who just wanted to act with a passion. They were spiritually involved in their work. Their work had a certain quality. Now the work doesn’t have a soul! Now the work is very pretty: all the girls and even guys have perfect Depilex makeup on and most of them look plastic and larger than life all the time. This is why the normal person can not identify with them and even people who are making it are making it because for them its fast money. They produce trash, pick up the money and produce more trash! It’s just like the difference between and food made with heart, by a mother at home and the burger you get at a fast food restaurant.”

On Indian films: ”We don’t realize that we’re completely different from them on the one basic point that is religion. We’re not religiously musicians or dancers. For them dance is a form of worship only place where dance is taught is for the purpose of mujras. So the creativity being churned out by such differing mentalities can not be compared. When people say that Pakistani actresses sadly enough our talent is going to waste. Most of our producers make films to fulfill their own lurid fantasies not realizing the impact it has on the public.
Why can’t you look at Iran or Egypt or Turkey for that matter, who make world class movies pertaining to their own cultures? Its like India is doing what India does best, so why can’t we create our own niche by doing what we are best at? We don’t want to work on our folk culture, our qawwals, and our own rich heritage!”

On son and ex-husband Adnan Sami: ”The five years that Azaan has been with me, I myself have put him on the phone with his father whenever he feels like talking to Adnan. On the other hand, Adnan has never called him on his birthday or on other occasions like Eid. The last time he called was two weeks back because there was a case hearing and the time before that was a year and a half ago! I’ve told him that he can come and meet him whenever he wants but the truth is that Azaan is not one of his priorities! And that’s very obvious because he hasn’t ever done anything for him, never provided for him or sent him birthday presents!” Aaaaww.. someone bring out the violins!