introduction 2 paki tv stars

I think the reason why I have perhaps not reached the status of Vinny or Iraj, for example, is because I'm not as comfortable wearing revealing clothes in shoots and on the runway as they are,' says Sunita Marshall

You can currently see her pretty face alongside other models on a recent 'Fashion TV' billboard campaign. And she often features in the roster of models including Iraj, Vaneeza Ahmed (Vinnie), Nadia Hussain, Iman Ali and Aaminah Haq that corporate clients often ask for, to add 'top model' appeal to their fashion shows. Yet 24-year-old Sunita Marshall has neither the TV phobia of Iraj, the money obsession of Vinny, the balancing act of mother and dentist Nadia Hussain to worry about, nor the otherworldliness and hauteur of her Lahori cohorts Iman and Aaminah.

In fact, Sunita is probably the most down-to-earth of the crop of successful models, save for perhaps Zee Q who goes beyond. Yet in her mind and perhaps in the collective consciousness of fashionistas, Sunita has still not quite not arrived in the sphere of true supermodel-dom.

"I'm happy with who I am today," says the 5'8" ingenue as she sips a cappuccino at a trendy eatery, dressed in a simple soft blue top, cream fitted trousers and low-heeled shoes. "I think the reason why I have perhaps not reached the status of Vinny or Iraj, for example, is because I'm not as comfortable wearing revealing clothes in shoots and on the runway as they are. I think this demureness holds me back," she adds as an afterthought.

This writer recalls doing Sunita's first ever profile for a fashion weekly about six years ago, and the then even more innocent looking 18-year-old had shown burning ambition even then, saying that she wanted to reach the status of Iraj, a model who early on in her career Sunita had been compared to, because of their common dusky complexions. But the two could not be more different. Today, Iraj is volcanic, chameleon-like and a sensual Amazon who challenges the camera and struts the catwalk, whereas Sunita has been perennially pegged as the 'girl next door'.

"Photographers have tried to make me look sexy and pouty," she laughs self-deprecatingly. "But I'm stuck with this innocent girl-next-door face and I'm tired of it," she adds.

Sunita says she owes her early success to her aunt, a beautician of repute, Angie Marshall, who encouraged her to work with stylist Saima Rasheed. "Angie had no problems with me working with another stylist. She actually encouraged me to go to Saima. She was only concerned about my success and well-being. Saima was a great person who guided me in the beginning," she says.

Sunita soon began appearing in popular lawn campaigns, and modelling for the likes of designers Rizwan Beyg and Sana Safinaz, as well as bagging a slew of prestigious ad campaigns. Her favourite photographer who gave her an initial break remains Arshad Tareen, who she says "is the best" although she also rates Ather Shahzad, Deevees, Abid Saleem and Shamyl Khoro as photographers who have understood her appeal and consequently shot great photographs of her. "Saima as a make-up artist also understands and knows my face really well," she says.

"I've learnt a lot by working in the fashion industry," Sunita says. "I've grown up in this field. I think I know what the world is about. This is the best field to grow up in."

She says she has been lucky with her career, which she has managed herself without agency support, meeting the right people early on, and getting the right breaks. She adds that Lady Luck has even shone brightly as far as monetary remunerations go and she has advanced into becoming one of the top paid print and runway models. No doubt this lesson was taught early on within 'the sisterhood'. Sunita says that among her peers she has been close to Iraj, who has guided her and offered invaluable advice. "I don't know why Iraj doesn't get into acting. She's a natural actress," says the model who has herself begun a burgeoning and promising acting career.

Sunita began her acting career in a mystery suspense series for Indus TV where she played a jinn. This, she says, was to gain experience in acting and she says she has really improved a lot since then. Recently, she completed shooting Yasir Nawaz's Malika in which she played the title lead. "It was a normal, stereotypical story. It was quite unnerving because the story revolved around me. So if the play turned out well or badly it was me who was ultimately lauded or blamed," she explains. "The serial was shot well and I looked quite nice because I usually don't look nice on TV," says the poseur who understands the importance of photogenics for both modelling and acting success. Other serials that Sunita recently wrapped up were Javed Fazil's Halaat, Bezubaan and the hit Shiddat with Humayun Saeed, Mahnoor Baloch and Adnan Siddiqui. But the most ambitious, gruelling and challenging role Sunita undertook was the multiple episode (up to 400) soap Aashna that she embarked on in July of this year. Directed by Fahim Burney with a script from India, in it Sunita plays a filmi lead role of a businesswoman who gets betrayed by a man. Sunita's performance received mixed reviews, some claiming she was wooden at times, others saying her looks and her timing suited the aura of soaps perfectly.

Does she still get a high from modelling? "You know if I did it everyday I would get bored and in 10 years I may become bitter. But I enjoy the times when I am modelling sporadically. I love 'the high' of the ramp. I enjoy the good money and the fame. I don't want to leave it. But at times I do get irritated with the waiting and the strange attitudes of some fashion people, the politics involved."

So how does she juggle the fast pace of modelling with the rigours of acting? "Well, with fashion shows the choreographers tell you the dates in advance. While working on the soap, I tell the producers quite clearly that I won't leave any fashion shows, especially the prestigious ones. When I am working with Freiha (Altaf) or Sheroo (Hasan Shehryar) I get very excited and I plan my acting schedule around those shows. I also do the shows in which the big clients require the cadre of 'top girls'. You know how it works. If they can't get Vinny they'll at least try Iraj or vice versa. If they can't get me they'll try ZQ and Aaminah or Iman, etc." Sunita adds that she doesn't understand when actors and models juggle several serials, modelling and a day job ending up working day and night. "I find it ridiculous."

On what she thinks of the spate of short girls allowed on the ramp: "There are very few tall girls in our industry. We need new models. Aaminah Haq is one of the most beautiful girls in the industry but she just doesn't look good on the runway," Sunita avers honestly.

Sunita feels that Lahore is so much more seeped in fashion than Karachi. "I think Lahore is getting better," she muses. "There's lots of work there; there's hardly any in Karachi," she says. Like her peers, Iraj and Vinny, she is mulling about participating at the upcoming Bridal Waves' fashion week where the organizers only want four models from Pakistan: two new and two senior. Reportedly, they are paying the new girls Rs15,000 per show and Rs30,000 to the senior girls, much less that what she charges for such shows ("I'm happy with the amount but the organizers haven't finished negotiating or confirming their choice of models") and much less than Vinny and Iraj's, a fact that 'leader of the pack' Vinny rightfully grumbles about. "The organizers would rather pay a larger amount to Indian and Lebanese models and think we'd model for less as a patriotic favour. Sorry."

Sunita's future ambitions include acting lessons and studying direction in the UK. "I think the standard of ads have really improved in the last two to three years. I want to study to become a really talented ad-maker," says the consummate ad-model who recently 'starred' as the perspiration challenged flight attendant in Saqib Malik's beauty soap TV commercial. "I don't think the ad was in bad taste," she says defending her role. "It was natural and it showed reality. I was an actress and was playing a part so I don't think it adversely affected my glamour image. I think Saqib did a good job and it was a cute ad."

The Commerce graduate from Karachi's St Patrick's College has never felt any bias or prejudice and prefers to be, and be around non-judgmental people. "On Sundays when I have time I will try to go to church," says Sunita. However, she admits to not having many Christian friends. "I've always had many more Muslim friends," she says. "There are hardly any Christian girls in the fashion field so there's little chance of interaction there."

About her marriage plans she says it is too early for that, but she would like to be married within five years.

"I've often been asked if I'll marry a Christian man or a Muslim. I think both religions include humans and humanity comes first," adds Sunita without divulging the name or creed of her intended.

Bushra Ansari


Actress & Compere

Television is a fickle medium often short on substance. Ever since the confluence of private productions, satellite channels, cheap cable options - and now local satellite channels - started converging, setting off a 'media boom,' it seems that the entertainment options of the Pakistanis have increased manifold. But a quick run through of the programming reveals little variety. With a few meritorious exceptions, the same old drivel drives the industry. Bad acting, weak plots and themes sans substance help funnel away the flock towards greener, tempting pastures (read Indian channels). But there are minds at work trying to challenge the notions of the primetime pundits, introducing bold new themes. One of these minds is stalwart comedienne and lady par excellence Bushra Ansari, whose play Raj Hansnee is at present doing the rounds on Indus Vision. • Taking a break from the two kinds of productions that rule primetime nowadays - for example, the soap opera with usually four leading ladies, shot simultaneously in London, Paris and Uganda, and the annoying gaggle of cloned sitcom's - Bushra, who wrote and directed the serial, told a different tale. Based on a true story, it is the experience of one woman, born a Hindu, who fell in love and married a Muslim Pakistani man in the United States. Because of her convictions and feelings for this man, she left the faith of her forefathers and converted to Islam. • But tragedy was around the corner for she soon found out that her Mr. Right wasn't all he was cracked up to be. As the play develops, we find out that he's actually a real scumbag, and has been hiding his past from this poor woman. Caught in the fracas is their newborn daughter, whom he abducts and disappears with to parts unknown. That, and the woman's struggle to reunite with her daughter, forms the gist of the play. • Bushra Ansari explained why she chose such a theme : "This issue is not really that unusual. Its just not been done on TV. The girl on whom the story is based lives in Los Angeles. She was actually married into my in-laws family. She did indeed fly down to Pakistan to seek out her daughter. She even came to me, and I really felt that I should have helped her. But I didn't want to get caught up in any legal problems. I'm in the limelight, so the next thing, would have been a headline screaming 'Bushra Ansari tries to kidnap child,'" Bushra relates. • Only she can tell such a heart-wrenching story with such sidesplitting wit, and still be earnest. • "You know people here are experts in creating bad out of good," she adds. "Since I couldn't help her like that, I wanted to produce this play to tell her story. Obviously I've added some dramatic elements, but the core issue remains. There are a lot of themes one wants to explore. But because of censorship and resistance from various groups, one's efforts are often frustrated," Bushra adds. • Considering the cultural minefield that is Pakistan when the subject of faith is brought up, the question was how Bushra had dealt with the intricacies of incorporating the issue of religion within the framework of art. "We have this concept that because we are born Muslims, we will go straight to paradise and we know it all and that we have authority on Islam. A true convert thoroughly studies the faith. We just skim through, not bothering to understand what is being read. There is a scene in the play where Raj (the woman's husband) talks about maxing out his credit cards and committing some serious fraud. When his wife who has just converted, warns him and points to the immorality of such an act he instantly attacks her faith, implying that she is not a genuine Muslim by saying that she has only been separated from the idols for four days. This is what we want to educate people about." • Due to the controversial nature of the serial, Bushra didn't take it to PTV, as according to her, she already knew what the answer was going to be. But she did know where the story would fit right in. "Indus gave us that privilege and I appreciate Ghazanfar Ali. He takes initiatives. They have developed a parallel industry." • Initial viewer response to the play is also encouraging. Mrs. Fateh, a housewife expressed her views. "This is a good play to watch with the kids. It has a great moral lesson to it. I really like it as it has a very different approach. Bushra Ansari has done a great job tackling such a theme. It shows the intolerance we can be capable of. From our own experience, we know that people who convert to Islam of their own free will are often better Muslims than those born into the faith. They have studied and made a conscious decision, thus we can learn from such people. The only complaint I had was the timings. It clashes with the Maghrib prayers." • Abd Al-Batin, a journalist, has similar views. "Most of today's soap operas and serials really don't attract me. But I watched a little bit of this, and found it engrossing. I was hesitant in the beginning, because I thought that it couldn't do justice to such a delicate theme. But I stand corrected. It is definitely good programming. What really struck me was the scene when Nafisa (the central character) is studying the Holy Quran, and her husband scolds her as he thinks she is being disrespectful by placing it by her bedside. That just shows the rampant ignorance that rules our society. We treat faith and its articles in an entirely ornamental fashion. There should be more plays of substance similar to this." • With the production receiving both critical and popular acclaim, surely ideas must be sprouting inside Bushra's head for a career volt-face from acting into writing. But this funny lady is all seriousness about when and what she will write. • "I don't get inspired unless there is a social issue to be addressed. I want to make a statement in every play. Today it's a free-for-all. You can produce, I can produce, heck, even if my cook produced a play, it would run. I have no interest in writing fake and shallow pieces."

Writer & Compere

• Mr. Anwar Maqsood is a versatile Artist of PTV and has now become a house-hold name. He has tried his hand on a veriety of subjects focusing on important issues, prevalent in our society. STUDIO DHAI and then STUDIO PONEYTEEN along with SHOOSHA and numerious other shows, displayed his talent as a compere with pungent and spicy comments. Almost all the shows conducted by Mr.Anwar Maqsood were appreciated by viewers. • The plays he writes un-fold many sensitive issues and un-veil social weaknesses very powerfully with solid tongue-in-check statements. The best thing about Anwar Maqsood's writing is that it tackles hard subjects in lighter voin, which has prooved an effective tool. He has command equally over all the disciplines of performing arts. He is a painter of national repute and writer-actor of class, known for his satire and humour. • He is a advocate of suphisticated humour, with numerious contributions for Television to his credit. Skilled and dedicated hardwork hasmade qualtiy writing his hallmark. Also, Anwar Maqsood has done programmes of varid nature both in the realm of entertainment and for mass awareness, as well. His typical style of compering and communicative double edge sentences compel the viewers to get glued to mini-box. He does not believe in run-of-the-mill treatement in any field. With a career that spreads over a large span, Anwar Maqsood is some one that PTV could be proud of. He is every one's favourite because of his departure from the conventional style of compering and writing . • Anwar Maqsood is noe consider a stalwort in the field of compering and writing scripts. To acknowledge his excellence in the field of artistic endeavour, Pride of performance is strongly recommended.

Television personality Marina Khan has been named goodwill representative of the Worldwide Fund for Nature (WWF).

Ms Khan met with officials from the organisation here to discuss raising awareness of the conservation programmes being conducted by WWF. Ms Khan, the first goodwill representative of the organisation in Pakistan, was inducted at a ceremony at the Wetland Centre, Karachi.

The star of Marina's Kitchen expressed her "strong desire" to work with the organisation and promote protection of natural resources and the environment. Officials hope the appointment will raise the profile of the sixteen-month old Wetland Centre to public consciousness.

WWF Deputy Director Dr Ejaz Ahmed welcomed the appointment of Ms Khan and said the organisation needed partners to platform its pet causes. The organisation has been working at the grassroots level for 30 years to advance education, resource management,
and conservation.

tfs!!!!

i read only about marina khan n anwar maqsood as they r my favorites.

i read bushra and anwar maqsood coz i like them i dont like sunita marshal

kewl mohsin...thannx 4 the info 👏

yahan paki page per bas aik hee prob hai kai aisa koi system nahi kai aap ko pakistani tv stars kai baarai mai koi info milai... as v all know that paki dramas n actors icc wakt top per hain ... log inhain by face to jaantai hain laikin name nahi jaantai....
mai jab bhi if per aaun ga koshish kerun ga kai ici topic per or bhi introductions feed kerta rahun....