“Even during ‘Parosi’, Khalida Riyasat was suffering from cancer,” Jamal Shah talks about NTM classic

In an exclusive interview with Minute Mirror, the actor, painter and social worker talks about his memorable drama serial 'Parosi', which was written by Haseena Moin

Liye jaati hai mausamo’n ki pukaar
Ajnabi ajnabi darakhto’n mein

Composed by Arshad Mehmood and sung by Ali Haider, these lines by Nasir Kazmi find their place in an Urdu language Pakistani drama serial called ‘Parosi’. A 1993 release, ‘Parosi’ may not ring a bell like ‘Tanhaiyaan’, ‘Dhoop Kinare’ or ‘Ankahi’ do, but when one comes across this work of Haseena Moin, one realizes that ‘Parosi’ has almost all what Moin’s other classical works have to offer; a huge star cast, a strong storyline and inspirational dialogues.

It won’t be wrong to say that at certain points, the NTM production even goes one step ahead in enticing the viewers by incorporating the poetry of the likes of Iftikhar Arif and Nasir Kazmi, rendered into songs by Arshad Mehmood and voiced by singers who were at the peak of their careers back then, such as Ali Haider and Mehnaz Begum. When it comes to the plot, ‘Parosi’ differentiates itself from other scripts of Haseena Moin by tackling the subject of motherhood, while the writer is usually known for showing single, career-oriented women.

‘Parosi’, for a change, brings to the fore two characters, one of a single mother, and one of a mother bearing the loss of an expected child, making ‘Parosi’ a tragi-comedy, if one were to label it. Executed spectacularly on screen by the likes of Ali Ejaz, Khalida Riyasat, Saleem Sheikh, Marina Khan, Badar Khalil, Jamal Shah and Shamim Hilali, ‘Parosi’ carved a special niche for itself by being shot in the mist of Islamabad and Murree instead of in the scorching heat of Karachi. Preceding ‘Half Plate’ and ‘Ab Tum Jaa Sakte Ho’, two projects which Khalida Riyasat is known for having done before her demise, ‘Parosi’ may not have a very young Khalida Riyasat in it, but a matured one, also polished into a performer par excellence, thus stealing the show in every single episode.

For recollecting some beautiful memories of the under-appreciated classic, Minute Mirror got in touch with the versatile veteran artist, Jamal Shah, who played the role of a wayward bureaucratic husband opposite Khalida Riyasat in the serial.

For someone who does not make frequent appearances on screen, what made you go for ‘Parosi’?

I do not work until and unless a script really inspires me. However, when it comes to ‘Parosi’, there was a lot to it which made me go for it. Not only it was roping in a huge star cast with the likes of Ali Ejaz and Khalida Riyasat, but the two people who brought the script to me and who were supervising it, Khawaja Najam-ul-Hassan and Raana Sherwani (popularly known as Raana Sheikh) were good acquaintances of mine. Najam, who was a friend, understood that I would never go for a very lengthy character, so he brought for me a character which I was comfortable doing. ‘Parosi’ was offered to me after a few international projects that I did, and also some popular local serials like ‘Tapish’, which was written by Noor-ul-Huda Shah.

What do you remember about your character in the serial?

My track was quite interesting, separate from the rest of the plot yet important for the way it was developed and the selective scenes which were allotted to it. My character was of a somewhat self-centered influential man who likes to live life on his terms, even if it comes at the cost of other people’s misery. I won’t say that ‘Parosi’ has been a milestone in my career, but the over-all experience was unforgettable, especially that of working with an actress like Khalida Riyasat.

How was Khalida Riyasat keeping while doing ‘Parosi’? Was she fine or had her ailment started taking a toll on her health?

No, she wasn’t fine. Even during ‘Parosi’, Khalida Riyasat was suffering from cancer, and died soon after. However, given her valour and energy, one could never deduce that she is a cancer patient. She was a highly talented and a very productive lady.

Although ‘Parosi’ holds a very special place in the hearts of viewers, people do not remember it as vividly as Haseena Moin’s previous works like ‘Tanhaiyaan’ and ‘Dhoop Kinare’. Why is that so?

I think it has to do with the channel. ‘Parosi’ was not aired on PTV. It was a private production that went on air on NTM. Had it been telecasted on PTV, it would have been a blockbuster. Having said that, ‘Parosi’ is not a forgotten project at all. It was a popular hit of its times and people still love it. It carries an importance of its own.

What is it that makes ‘Parosi’ an unforgettable experience for you?

I think it is one of Haseena Moin’s best works, with all the elements involved in it. The story had many tracks which multiple people could relate to. Besides, the environment we worked in was quite conducive. It was a wonderful team that helmed the project; very professional and cooperative with the likes of Rashid Khawaja involved. A lot of hard-work went into the making of ‘Parosi’, even in its style of execution.

Not to forget the wonderful poetry that made it into the serial in the form of its background scores, for example:

Thakay haaray hue khwaabo’n ke saahil par
Kaheen umeed ka chota sa ik ghar
Bante bante reh gaya hai
Who ik ghar bhoolne mein
Abhi kuch din lagein ge
—Iftikhar Arif

Muhammad Ali has an M.Phil in classic and contemporary Pakistani television drama, Partition Novel and Literary Environmental Literature. He has written extensively on these topics for various local newspapers between 2015-2020. His research on Sahira Kazmi's classical drama serial "Zaib un Nisa" has been presented on various platforms such as Olomopolo Media and ICDELL, 2019. He can be reached on Twitter @MuhammadAli_DT, and through email at [email protected]