When it comes to film releases, actors today go all out to promote their hard work not just within Pakistan but also internationally. Just recently, Mawra Hocane too was in London to promote her latest release Jawani Phir Nahi Aani 2 where she spoke with BBC and revealed some interesting bits about herself.
Mawra, who has had a busy 12 months juggling between shooting for her upcoming drama Aangan, JPNA2 and studying for her LLB finals, was asked how important it was for her to finish her law degree given she has a successful acting career. “Education is a constant process. Going back to it made me feel normal and grounded and gave me a break from the madness that we operate in,” she replied.
There was not an iota of insecurity Mawra displayed when asked about missing out on projects given her decision to study. “I believe in fate and destiny and what’s mine will come to me anyway,” she said.
Having a supportive family background makes a great deal of difference when it comes to women and their dreams and Mawra says she is lucky to have such a support system that pushes her to strive for excellence. “My mother always told us to pursue our dreams. She’d say that to me, to my brother and to my sister. That is why we are where we are,” Mawra revealed.
When asked if Pakistani writers are showing Pakistan in a progressive light, Mawra had a strong stance on that. “Our drama industry is much bigger than our film industry, still. We have an option and freedom to do scripts we like and same goes for the writers and filmmakers who have the liberty to make what they want to. Like I had the opportunity to choose Sammi after a few months of contemplating which project to do. So I think it’s because of the way our drama industry is flourishing that we have the liberty to make such choices.”
When asked about the difference between amenities provided to actors in India compared to Pakistan, she said, “I did not do the biggest film [in India] but compared to the one I’m doing now [JPNA2] which is the biggest film, there is a huge difference. But then Bollywood is a really old and established industry. They have come a long way after working really hard for a very long period of time so it’s really not fair to compare the two. I had a crew of 150 people on Sanam but when I came back and did Sammi, there were a total of 30 people. It took a bit of time but I absorbed it and got in the flow. I don’t think it’s a big deal anyway. The luxuries we do get, it’s not like we have done anything to deserve it yet. It’s a privilege.”
There’s no denying that having a strong online presence has played an important role in getting Mawra associated with big brands like LUX and Sunsilk but Mawra says she started using social media because she enjoyed it not because she consciously wanted to increase her number of followers. “It was never important for me. I never planned it. I tell my co-stars and friends too that you should use it if you enjoy it otherwise don’t. There is a pressure now, some days I don’t post people think I am unwell,” she said with a chuckle.
Mawra also revealed that since she would get characters who are always crying on screen, she never thought she’d get to play a Xoe on screen. To know more about that and her comments on working with Fahad Mustafa, here check out her complete interview:
