As actor Sanam Saeed continues to earn her spurs in the Pakistani entertainment industry, all eyes are set to see when she will pivot towards Bollywood, as many of her contemporaries inevitably did. With her Zindagi Gulzar Hai co-star Fawad Khan awaiting the release of his Btown debut film Khoobsurat, we wonder if Saeed is looking towards jumping on the Bollywood bandwagon.
In an interview, Sanam said that she would be open to the idea of working in a Bollywood film, provided its story interests her. She will consider stepping foot in Bollywood “if a story appeals to me and has content that will help in bridging the gap [between India and Pakistan].”
The actor shared that she is not vying for a spot in Bollywood. “I would like to make space [in Bollywood] without an agent,” she said. “I want my work to speak for my talent and it will be an achievement if producers and directors look at my work and offer me something. I think for an actor, that will always be a great feeling,” added the 29 year old.
The dynamic Saeed, who has been a model, video jockey, theatre artiste, stand-up comedian and singer, apart from being a television and film actor, was born in Britain and shifted to Karachi with her family when she was six. She admits she is drawn towards strong, female-oriented stories. She will soon be seen playing a prominent role in Pakistani film Mah-e-Meer.
Among Saeed’s favourite actors are stars the likes of Shabana Azmi, Tabu and Vidya Balan, whose bodies of work boast bold and high-on-content projects. “I like their style of work. It’s more serious and organic as compared to actors who are more into beauty and glamour,” she said, admitting she is “unromantic” in real life as her character Kashaf was in Zindagi Gulzar Hai.
Saeed along with Khan have managed to garner a huge fan-following with their performances in the show, which is running on Indian television channel Zindagi — Jodey Dilon Ko, a first-of-its-kind initiative showcasing entertainment and content from Pakistan.
With stints in television dramas such as Mera Naseeb (2011) and Kadoorat (2013), Saeed is a remarkable talent. It would be fitting to see if our very own Saeed gets to prove her mettle across the border.
Published in The Express Tribune, August 10th, 2014.
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