Saba Qamar has given more than 15 years to the industry and throughout her trajectory, she has proven that she is an actress par excellence. Known for taking up unconventional roles that challenge the stereotypes around women, her range has no comparison and the characters she’s played will always hold a very special place in our hearts. She has always been a critics-favourite for her bravura acting skills and a fan-favourite for being her unapologetic self.

Devil-may-care, beautiful and ace, Saba Qamar talks about her upcoming projects, her take on unspoken rivalries, and being the best version of herself with BOLD.

Life came to a standstill as the pandemic hit and it made us value the smallest of things in life, simultaneously giving us a chance to probe into our interests and hobbies amidst lockdowns. Qamar too was affected by the pandemic as it put her upcoming projects on hold but she did not let her spirit deter. “I cannot thank God enough for things coming back to normal – the pandemic was very hard on all of us but I also believe that it was a great chance for all of us to explore ourselves and work on our weaknesses. I guess we all have learned the value of thanking God for every little blessing in our life, be it to physically see someone or to step out for a mere cup of coffee, or perhaps even a hug from our loved ones that we used to take for granted.”

Now that things are finally falling back into place, the starlet has been busy shooting for multiple projects as she excitedly tells us about her upcoming web-series Naina Ki Sharafat on Urduflix, a Pakistani streaming platform: “I believe in working for all kinds of platforms as they all hold their own importance and audience, hence it was not difficult for me to choose a streaming service for Naina Ki Sharafat over the traditional and more established television channels.” She then continued on to say that such streaming platforms are the future of entertainment. “I believe that there are quite a lot of chances for this to become the biggest medium.”

The actress had just finished shooting for Kamli when a country-wide lockdown was imposed which halted the scheduled release of the film. With cinemas being shut, the Eid-ul-Fitr 2020 premiere was postponed. Qamar’s eyes had a spark to them after she shared that the movie is expected to release in the first half of 2022 and with the release of her telefilm Hangor, this powerhouse of talent is just as excited as her fans to watch her work. “There’s a lot in the pipeline that I want my fans to watch, their feedback means a lot to me. It makes the artist feel content when their work is loved and appreciated by the masses. Feedback is everything that we need in the end after working so hard, it’s a rewarding experience and the best thing about my upcoming projects is that they’re all different from one another. My characters are completely different, the script is different, and so I am very excited!”

Qamar has always been in the news and that too for good reasons. Even when life stopped during the pandemic, she managed to entertain her fans through social media and brought forward her vision to life with her YouTube channel where she produces content that reflects on existential crises, satire, music, poetry and prose – basically everything. “My workload is very hectic these days, doing projects back to back hasn’t given me enough time to work on content for my YouTube channel. And as you all know that my YouTube channel is my own personal space that I use to reach my fans, therefore I need to have time to breathe life into what I have in mind.”

But with the work-schedule keeping her occupied, her YouTube schedule’s been falling behind, however, she has promised something exciting to her fans through this interview “I promise I will be back soon with another amazing episode!”

After proving her mettle with a hit movie like Hindi Medium and establishing herself as a bankable star in Bollywood, we asked the actress of the projects that resonated with her the most: “All the projects I did are equally important to me and I lived through all of my characters but Baaghi and Cheekh had a huge impact on my life. Not to forget Hindi Medium, it was one of my best experiences. But after doing Naina Ki Sharafat, I think this project has become very close to my heart and I have thoroughly enjoyed every bit of it.”

Qamar also spoke about her experience working with the late Bollywood actor Irfan Khan in Hindi Medium, and whilst comparing the two industries, she openly discussed that how the Indian cinema is well-established and huge whereas Pakistani cinema is still in its growing phase. However, she remains quite optimistic and hopeful that it will get there very soon.

Looking at the variety of challenging roles Saba Qamar has under her belt, there’s a lot that goes into the thought process of signing a script. “I am very picky about choosing my projects. I want to do something that catches my attention in seconds and the script should be strong yet meaningful at the same time. It has to tick all the right boxes for me. I am obsessed with giving my audience something new every time they get to see me on-screen.”

From acting to modelling to writing and even directing her own YouTube content, Qamar is a maestro and a true artist. She has never been afraid to take on a challenge as an artist, “I guess that’s the beauty of being an artist- an artist is an all-rounder and I enjoy being one. You get to learn a lot from every new thing that you try and I would love to remain an all-rounder for the rest of my career too.”

People in the industry often compare actresses with one another, bringing about an unsaid rivalry, and then there are fans to take these rivalries a step ahead and attack other fans. It is a vicious circle and Qamar too has her reservations. “I personally hate this thing because I believe every person is special in their own way, and we should not do such things to bring anyone down. We’re all here to work and you cannot pick yourself up by bringing another actress down, so I don’t really pay attention to these comparisons.”

Saba Qamar has often picked roles that always strive to empower women, be it Fauzia Batool in Baaghi or Mannat in Cheekh, she has never shied away from supporting her gender and deems herself a feminist; “Being a feminist myself, I really believe that all of us need to educate ourselves on the true meaning of feminism. Once we have understood the basics, only then can we help pick others up, support them and educate them on what feminism is, whether it’s in our circle, our family or in the industry as a whole.”

In regard to the industry and the changes needed within it, Qamar would like to see one change in the current Pakistan media landscape. “If it were in my hands, I’d want every person to respect our artists, for this is the kind of positivity we need in our lives to thrive.” The actress also shared her stance on the power that social media holds today that can make or break the day, one mean comment or message can really bring one down. Similarly, one heartfelt message can make your day. “Everything has its pros and cons, so does social media, and if we use it the way it was meant to be used then nothing becomes scary. What matters is your peace, if you’re at peace then you don’t have to worry about the negativity around you. So focus on finding your peace of mind and the rest will be fine!”

Having spent more than a decade ruling the hearts, Qamar wants the newcomers to follow their instincts, keep their head high and steer clear of all things negative around them, just the way she does. “I have always believed in being straightforward and honest when it comes to anything and everything. I do need to learn the art of being politically correct, but I guess that’s a little too tough for me so I’m just enjoying being who I am,” and that is Saba Qamar’s mantra to success, a little something that all of us can adopt and learn from.

Saba Qamar dramas you shouldn’t miss

Baaghi

Inspired by the story of Qandeel Baloch, the drama mirrors the hypocrisies of the society and highlights the grave issue of honour killings.

Cheekh

The drama revolves around the trials and tribulations of a woman, Mannat who seeks justice for the murder of her friend, Nayab.

Besharam

The drama explores the stereotypes towards certain professions, and the different criteria we use to judge men and women in our society.

Digest Writer

The story of a poverty-struck girl who loves writing but faces the constant pressure to get married. And even when she scores a drama script, she’s conned by the producers.

Bunty, I Love You

A compelling story of love and desire in a very odd, possessive, twisted way where a recently widowed woman, tries to woo Bunty, a young man, by spending lavishly on him.

Maat

An adaptation of Umera Ahmad’s novel that has two sisters on completely opposite ends of the spectrum.

Dastaan

The drama is set during partition of India and Pakistan, and how it tears a beautiful little family apart, like it did thousands of fami-lies.

Sangat

Happily married to her college sweetheart, a girl is assaulted by her long-time admirer and life is never the same for her.

Mein Sitara

Set in Lollywood’s golden era, the plot follows the fortunes of characters from the mid-sixties and their tremulous journey till the turn of this century.

Thakan

The narrative follows the plight, struggles, sacrifices and miseries of a girl who works tirelessly to make ends meet for her family.

Also Read

Saba Qamar, Mikaal Zulfiqar &Ahsan Khan sharing screen in new project

What could be more exciting for the enthusiastic fans watching leading favourite...