because | felt that the role was a minor one. | was riding high after the
success of Sadqay Tumhare and being offered all sorts of interesting roles. |
only wanted to play leading roles and did not feel that the one | was
offered in Cake qualified.
We got our NTN in 2012. So, | guess that is when it became official! | set it
13. You spent a few years studying and living in the United States. Why did you
decide to return to Pakistan?
Pakistani cinema is in a nascent stage. People are getting in to make a quicl
buck, which is fine, but things will improve when the focus shifts tc
content. | want to see finished work that emphasizes social change. | wan
to see films like the ones made by Zoya Akhtar, Amir Khan, and Visha
Bharadwaj as well as those in the style of Asghar Farhadi and Abba
Kiarostami. | guess it will happen once the mainstream takes off. This i
how industries develop, around the world. First moneymaking mainstrean
stuff is made and then superior, connective content is developed for mors
sophisticated audiences.
| feel that | am just beginning to enter this phase of my life. There is great
wisdom in Sufism and | am very drawn to mysticism. These are very early
days for me on that front but | definitely feel a calling. | think there are
