Resham is counted among those artists of Pakistan who have exhibited their talent on small and big screen alike.
Having entered the Pakistani drama industry through PTV Station, Lahore, Resham grew into a heartthrob when she featured in the 1995 film ‘Jeeva’ and featured in one of Anwar Rafi’s most famous songs, ‘Jaanu Sun Zara’, remembered and enjoyed to date.
Even in films, Resham always took care to go for the best of characters, and it is therefore that Resham does not make it to every cinematic project produced under what once was popularly called Lollywood. All the same, she has received awards for her selective yet quality work, winning a national award for her 1997 film ‘Sangam’ and a Nigar Award for an outclass performance in the 1999 film ‘Jannat Ki Talash’.
Resham has celebrated the silver jubilee of her career, during which she performed in multiple blockbuster dramas as well, such as ‘Man o Salwa’, ‘Aashti’ and ‘Taar-e-Ankaboot’, and also got herself recognized as a fashion icon. Like a true artist, Resham holds a highly sensitive disposition, helping multiple people associated with the film industry during the years of Pakistani cinema’s downfall, and sending a fully loaded truck for the aid of the calamity stricken in 2010 floods. In 2021, Resham was endowed with the most respectable accolade, that of the Pride of Performance award.
Daily Minute Mirror got in touch with the wonderful actress and quiet social activist to have a conversation with her.
You have been in the showbiz industry for over 25 years now. Why the delay in Pride of Performance award then?
I personally believe that I have received it a bit earlier. We also have artists who have witnessed a lot of delay in receiving their due award from the government, and got hold of their Pride of Performance awards after working for more than three decades. Babra Shareef acquired the award quite late although she should have gotten it 20 or 25 years ago, I believe. Considering this record, I think I have received my award at the right time. Many believe that it’s rather late, but at least the government recognized my services. ‘It’s never too late’, as the popular quotation goes.
What was your first reaction when you got to know about your name having been announced for the Pride of Performance award?
It got announced on August 14, 2021, a time period during which COVID-19 was at its peak, wreaking havoc on millions of lives. A lot of my friends were suffering from it, due to which I did not announce it with a lot of enthusiasm. My friend Ali Zafar called me and told me about it, yet was surprised at my dry reaction, and asked me if I was even happy or not. I then told him how we are living in a calamity-stricken, unpredictable period with people feeling frightened all the time. Although my brother, my only brother was quite happy at the announcement of this award, he wasn’t there when I received it. He had left for his heavenly abode, owing to which I couldn’t decide whether to be happy at receiving this award, or to cry. It was a mixture of feelings.
It is said that you are the only heroine after Nisho Begum who holds a liking for art and literature. Is that true?
I am quite sure that there are many other admirers of art and literature out there, and I believe that there should never be a dearth of such people. Talking about me, yes, whenever I am bored, I feel the need to have a very good book to go through. When I read poetry, the verses easily get etched in my mind. I believe that a human being is in an ever-learning process, and books add to that process. A lot of girls start with Parveen Shakir at a young age, then gradually develop a liking towards Muneer Niazi, Gulzar, Faiz and Javed Akhtar with time as they reach a more mature age.
You have a very lovely style of speaking; soft, and rich with elegance. Is it God gifted or have you worked on your articulation?
The credit for this goes to my mentor Ayub Khawar, producer at Pakistan Television. I have learnt a lot from him. I may not be a very educated woman, but now I really wish to be a substantial human being like him.
Pakistani film industry is facing a seemingly perennial downfall and many are of the view that our drama serials will be screened in cinema halls instead of films from now onwards. What is your take on the entire issue?
Well, it’s a long debate. It’s deplorable how our cinema halls have grown empty. I always pray for the industry to revive again despite a bleak future of it. It’s a fact that if only one horse will participate in a race, it won’t be a race in the real sense of the word and that one horse will stand alone as the winner. We need more racers, or more competitors, I must say.
When I watch Netflix, I observe how the world has grown beyond the hero-heroine formula, and age doesn’t matter in narratives. One gets to see a variety of content on such platforms, whereas here in Pakistan, we seem to have reduced ourselves to saas bahu stories. Such stories never defined our dramas, to be honest. It was after a long time that ‘Parizaad’ provided hope to everyone. I myself enjoyed the serial a lot, and Ahmed Ali Akbar gave an outstanding performance.
What is the first thing that you look for when you are offered a project?
I read the script first, then I see who the director is, and ultimately the production team. During the last few weeks, I received a lot of scripts but none of them appealed to me, although it’s quite disappointing to reject a script after seeing that there is no depth to the character I have been offered. My fans want me to do something new, something different, something that leaves an imprint, and I keep searching for such a role. I will definitely make a comeback on television if I am offered such a role.
Is there any specific character which you wish to execute?
There are quite a few characters that I wish to do. My dire wish, however, is to play the role of a transgender. A lot of our male actors have represented this section on screen but it is very rarely that we come across a female actor playing a transgender. I think I need to fill that gap.
Is there any such character which a fellow actor performed but you wished you had been offered it instead? Besides, is there any such fellow actor with whom you did not have a good experience working?
I have played various kinds of characters. As far as the role of a fellow actor is concerned, I don’t pay much heed to it. When on set, I try to focus on my own character and present it in the best possible manner. But yes, I do try to keep the environment friendly and strive hard not to offend anyone. Even if I feel offended by someone else, I do not show it and prefer to mind my own business to avoid any sort of tussle.
You are a fashion icon as well. Lately, our fashion trends have been observed taking a lot of inspiration from Indian style of dressing up in dramas and films. Do you agree? And if you do, what do you have to say about it?
It’s actually required of us to see what is trending in the international market and then represent ourselves accordingly, although we are still lacking in it. As far as copying the styling from Indian dramas and films is concerned, it’s not a one-sided thing. India has made ditto copies of some of our dramas and even films. Currently, we have a dearth of good quality content in all genres. As I said earlier, we need to focus more on our narratives instead of other elements, which come later.
