From a VJ to the most wanted host on TV, talented, beautiful and hish-spirited Anoushey Ashraf shows no signs of slowing down

As a successful and intelligent woman who has been a shining person in the entertainment industry for many years, Anoushey Ashraf continues to be an inspirational personality with solid values, great work ethics and not to mention a whole lot of style. Anoushey has come a long way from when audiences were first introduced to her on MTV Pakistan (Indus Music) where she lit up the screen with her contagious energy as a VJ. Her connection with music has continued and this exclusive interview unveils the intricacies of her amazing journey, how she has kept up with the evolving entertainment industry and its changing demands.

BOLD: From VJ, to actress, to RJ to model, you’ve dabbled in it all! How do you wear so many hats? Is this line of work something you always knew you wanted to step into?

AA: Thank you for the compliments. I take it as it comes. I try to mix it up. I model on occasion, RJ sometimes, host at times and act too, although the latter I do less of the time. This line of work was my calling. I didn’t know that it was something I wanted to step into and I didn’t make a very conscious effort to get here. I landed up at the Indus TV Network by chance but once I got there I immediately sort of realised that being in the entertainment industry, being an artist, or just using my creative side was the only way to navigate through life in terms of work. That’s how it all began and I’m glad I’m here today.

BOLD: Do you get nervous when on radio doing a show, or hosting an event or acting on screen? If yes, how do you control your nerves?

AA: I don’t get nervous doing shows anymore. I used to have an anxiety issue. For years I would go on stage feeling sick, or with a bad stomach because I needed to perform in front of people. But I kept at it, I never made eye contact with anybody (laughs) when I was up on stage. I literally mentally just overcame my fears. I decided to just take it in my stride and realised that so many people come up and say so many things and I’m not half bad. I learnt how to respect myself. Once that happened I gained a little more confidence about who I was and how I was up on stage. Perhaps, in acting I initially got a little nervous as there are a lot of lines to remember, but not even so much anymore (smiles).

BOLD: You are also the Brand Ambassador for WWF – tell us about your thoughts on animal rights in Pakistan and what needs to be done to protect animals?

AA: There’s a lot to be done with animal rights. We still see a lot of animal abuse which is rampant across the board, from donkeys, to stray dogs, to cats. Things may have become an inch better in the big cities, but that’s where the influence begins because we now see smaller cities which have started their own little shelters which is great. However, we have a very long way to go. According to Pakistan’s law animals do have rights. If you are caught harming an animal there is some sort of fine and jail time. We never really look into these things because it’s so far down the chain of importance and priority. The Government needs to take active action and come out and openly say that animals should be banned at political rallies, they should be banned as pets if they are exotic and wild animals, they should be treated for free medically by the Government, especially working animals. A humane way needs to be adopted to control the stray dog and cat population instead of poisoning and shooting them which when done, brings us down to the lowest level of humanity.

BOLD: In the good old days when you started out and were one of the best known and loved VJs on TV, social media hardly existed. How do you compare those simpler times with present times where things now go viral (like your dance!) and everything online is so fast-paced?

AA: I do miss the good old days because everything was so much easier and simpler. But I have to admit that I’m adaptable and I like the idea of being able to keep up with change because things will keep changing. Today if it’s TikTok or Snapchat or Instagram, I’m glad that I’ve been able to evolve to a point where I do have my presence on social media. VJs on TV don’t exist anymore but our voices on social media do exist and people who subscribe to our platforms genuinely want to listen to us. They’re not just ‘tuned in’, they follow us. Simpler times were simpler in the sense of how much work you were doing, what you had to churn out and how much work you had to do to stay relevant. There is a lot more stress now, however, there is a lot more reach and a lot of things happening. You can dance, you can be an activist, you can plant a tree, and you can do everything well in this world and put it up. The influence goes way beyond what it used to back in the day. So, it’s got its pros and cons.

BOLD: Is it hard to keep up with the demands of social media or do you enjoy it? How do you balance the time you spend online in a day with your other offline activities?

AA: Sometimes it’s hard to keep a balance and then I do take a break. I take a hiatus but it hasn’t happened in a while because I have been doing well in terms of how I am feeling about being on social media. There was a time it wasn’t best for my mental health and I had taken a little bit of a break. So, I take it as it comes and I know when I have to slow down. I do put my phone away at 10pm. I log out of all my social media platforms and I don’t log back in till the next morning. I do make one or two videos here and there but I upload later if I have to. So I can keep away from online activities. I also take the weekends to move at my pace and I like these days.

BOLD: What is your opinion of platforms such as TikTok? Are they harmful or affecting our youth in the wrong way?

AA: To be honest I don’t think TikTok is harming or affecting our youth in a wrong way per say. I don’t like this ‘ban’ culture. If there are kids hanging around at parks and making TikTok videos, dancing and singing, then why not? So those who are on a certain extreme, like burning Margalla Hills and setting it on fire for more views on TikTok, absolutely not acceptable. These people should be given a warning or removed from TikTok. However, if the app is encouraging a few dance challenges, some funny videos and so on, it doesn’t cause any real harm. Honestly, I’m not anti-TikTok.

BOLD: How do you personally deal with internet trolls and what is your advice to other celebrities who regularly have to deal with a lot of negativity from people online?

AA: I used to let trolls get to me to a great extent. They used to really hamper my mental health because I used to get into arguments with them, defend my friends and defend myself. As I grew older and got drawn into this whole world of social media, I realized most of these accounts are of people whose profiles are hidden, their faces are hidden and the names are anonymous. If you have the time and energy and you make the effort to just run somebody else down all the time through a fake account. I mean how can you take such a person seriously? All you need to do is just feel like their lives must be much sadder and more difficult than yours and that’s why they harbor the hate. It makes it easier to then let go of the negative comments. But sometimes I still put people in their place (laughs).

BOLD: How have you managed to stay consistent and relevant in the industry through the many years that you have been working?

AA: Thank you first of all for acknowledging that I have stayed consistent and relevant. I have. I don’t know what happened to be honest. I just kept doing what I love doing. When you enjoy doing whatever it is that you do, feel inspired by it, when you feel excited by it, I guess it comes through. It worked for me. I had no for how to stay relevant, how to keep on working, especially with television just taking a bit of a downturn. Social media really helped and I guess the art of communication aided me in staying relevant as well. I just kept communication, which I still do and I love it.

BOLD: You’re known for your professional attitude. How do you deal with co-workers who may not have the same work ethics as you do?

AA: I’m glad that I’m known for my professional attitude because I do make it a point to be as professional as I can. If you’ve locked me for work for ten rupees or ten lakh rupees, if I have committed, I’m on time and I give it my 100%. There are co-workers who do not have the same work ethics and I dealt with it recently. I almost signed up for a play and I was excited about an acting project after awhile but the main lead had a changing of dates done at his will. He had committed to the project already and then something else came up and they changed the dates for him. I just realized that I can not work under such circumstances and in such an environment. So yeah, my work is sacred, I compartmentalize it and I give it full time and respect, but I can not keep working around everyone else’s schedule. I do keep that very clear. I keep it very respectful and professional which has turned out to be good for me.

BOLD: Would you consider yourself outspoken and how do you personally ensure boundaries are not crossed by people you interact with for work or otherwise?

AA: Yes I most certainly do because I have opinions on mostly everything (laughs) whether it’s politics, animal rights, or even travel. However, when it comes to ensuring boundaries, you literally get the respect that you give. I always do salaam dua and I always make everybody feel like we are one big family, but we all have respect, we all have our space and our place in the relationship, which we should maintain. One way I maintain it is just by sheer confidence and by experience over the years. People automatically greet me with and speak to me with respect. This is how I like it and this is how I intend on keeping it.

BOLD: How important are your friendships to you and how have your genuine long lasting friendships supported you through the years?

AA: My friendships are very important to me. They keep me creative. They keep me happy. My friendship with Dino Ali and Faizan Haqqee has kept me solid through the years, as have friendships with a lot of my girlfriends from school. They keep me humble, grounded and they keep me in touch with reality. Long lasting friendships are very special. However if relationships turn toxic it’s also important to let those friendships go. Do not fear losing close people because once you create that space in your life, you’ll find other people who may be closer than the last ones were, if only you allow them that place.

BOLD: Please tell us a bit about the ‘National Song Competition’ which you will be hosting. Why did you want to be a part of this project?

AA: I wanted to be a part of this contest because Rohail Hyatt is on board. He is one of my favorite producers and musicians. We are looking for a celebratory song and we haven’t had a good National song in so long. We have such amazing talent which is making music so when this came up to was my calling. For me, even though I am not a singer, my association with music has bene forever long. I think it is about time that Pakistan had a nice, new National song. I jumped to the occasion and I can’t wait to see what it brings forth in terms of talent and music.

BOLD: What was it like working on Pakistan Idol and what is the criteria for Anoushey to accept being a part of any given project?

AA: Pakistan Idol was a lot of fun. It happened a long time ago and since we were all beginners in terms of such a big franchise coming into Pakistan, it did take a toll on us emotionally and physically. We worked long hours, we needed to ensure that the quality was right, the lines were delivered and the directors took their time with lighting etc. One of the reasons I accepted that project was because it was such a big franchise and one would like to be associated with it. Again there was a direct connection with music. For me the criteria to accept being part of any given project is how it would impact the people of Pakistan. I have said no to a lot of shows that may have gotten me a big fan base or lots of recognition because they didn’t sit well with my values. Sports events, concerts, creative shows, fashion projects and the like sit well with me. That’s how I pick up my projects. It matters how they make me feel more than how much popularity they will get me.

BOLD: What is your opinion about the current Pakistani cinema and music industries? Have we evolved?

AA: Yes we have certainly evolved. All these youngsters in music are coming up with new sounds, thanks in part to Coke Studio and the companies who have taken it upon themselves to sponsor music and to keep it going. Online platforms have also helped immensely. I like social media because you put your work out there and you find your own following. People give you that love and respect that you would yearn for otherwise, begging TV channels for instance to air your music. So it has evolved for the better. We have new stars like Shae Gill, Hasan Raheem, Abdullah Siddiqui, Shamoon Ismail, Asim Azhar, Aima Baig … these are really talented musicians. As for Pakistani cinema, yes lots of movies are releasing. I have seen some of the stuff Saba Qamar has done and I am so proud to call her Pakistani and proud that the films she is in, are creations coming out of Pakistan. So many of our feature films are showing outside of Pakistan as well. I hope that one day we find the ability to tolerate and accept our talent, where we can play our films in our own cinemas as well. I’m referring to movies like Joyland and Javed Iqbal that have not been given the green light. May our public get access to all our films so they have an array of films to watch. That’s how the industry is going to grow.

BOLD: What is on your personal music play list these days?

AA: It is quite diverse because I play music for a living at the moment. So I listen to practically everything, but I do tend to shove in Justin Bieber and Dua Lipa just a little more (laughs) than anybody else … I show favoritism there. I love Coldplay and they have always been a part of my list. They are a prime example of how to stay relevant. They have collaborated with BTS and are doing new stuff with Selena Gomez. I have no qualms admitting that I do like commercial music. Pop music is something that I do enjoy also. I’ve go it ALL on my playlist.

BOLD: You do online book reviews as well on occasion. Which book would you currently recommend for reading and why?

AA: Yes something new I started was online book reviews because I used to take pictures of what I was reading and share it online and people started inquiring about the books, asking if I recommend them and where they can be found etc. So I thought maybe I should just review a book whenever I finish it. Why not? I mean I have an opinion about them. So right now I am reading something called The Human Psychology Is Terrible (laughs). I wouldn’t recommend it but I would always forever recommend reading The Road Less Traveled by M. Scott Peck. It’s just a book on life lessons but it has helped me find myself, ground myself and center myself on many occasions.

BOLD: What is your stance on feminism and in your opinion how can the plight of women improve in Pakistan?

AA: My stance on feminism is now pretty solid and clear. I did have trouble with the concept initially when I first heard of the word. I was of the opinion that all humans are equal and of course they are, but women’s rights and feminism just speak up for a particular segment of society sometimes targeted, disregarded or sometimes just cornered for the fact that they are of a different gender … they are not a man. That really hit home with me. I’m glad women are at the forefront in terms of their rights such as equal pay, especially in big cities, after people like us created a ruckus. I really hope and pray that eventually it will have a trickle down effect. Once again social media comes into play here. The Government has no choice but to listen to the people if we demand that women are given more rights. Hence the Aurat March, as controversial as it is, goes on every year as it should and as I hope it will continue to do so.

BOLD: You initiated a clothing brand with your sister called Block Seven. Is that still around?

AA: The clothing brand kind of died a sad death because my career steered me towards bigger things. My sister Natasha started her food blog so unfortunately the clothing brand is on a bit of a hold. I wouldn’t call it completely dead (I take my words back!) … we will revive it perhaps when we have the time and when the time is right. I feel like it will happen sooner than later.

BOLD: What does family mean to you?

AA: Family means everything to me. I am nothing without my sisters, my father and mother. Now that everybody is away in the US, I literally have evenings where I cry and eat by myself because I miss them so much. Family has been my backbone and without them I would be nowhere in my life. I want to emphasize on the importance of family and how lucky and grateful I am for the family that I do have, including my cousins. I love them all dearly.

BOLD: What’s next on the plate for Anoushey Ashraf?

AA: some exciting projects that I am working on. A coffee tale book, perhaps some travels. Whatever seems fun is what I jump on. I don’t plan really far ahead. I am hoping and praying whatever is next, I’m able to help people through my work and bring a smile on their face. Meanwhile if I get a call right now to host a concert, I’ll be on my way there. So no planning too much but I know there is always good stuff coming up!