Roohi first television appearance was in a quiz show while she was still a student. Then, Farooq Zameer offered her a chance to act in plays which she accepted while continuing her studies for a Master degree in psychology from Government College, Lahore. She married twice and also acted in a few films but television was where she belonged, and it remained her first love.

Given the condition she was in before treatment, her recovery has been likened to her character in one of her famous long plays, Darwaza. In the play produced by Muhammad Nisar Hussian in the 1980s, she plays a TB patient who recovers miraculously.

Television had found a great actress in Roohi Bano and her repeatedly outstanding performances in Qila Kahani, Zard Gulab, Hairatkada, Darwaza, Kiran Kahani, along with several other serials and long plays, set her head and shoulders above her contemporaries. The sensitivity with which she played her roles made her popular across the country to the effect that many of Roohi’s fans still remember her as a charming actress par excellence, who ruled the small screen for nearly two decades.

She is the daughter of famous Indian tabla nawaz Ustd Allah Rakha Khan. She was married twice & had a son, Ali, who was murdered in Lahore in 2005.

Having won three graduate awards, the Nigar Award, President Award and two PTV awards, she has now made a comeback after a long, painful and sad period of absence. Roohi Bano a veteran actress reminisces about her glowing past with the Eyecandy team.

Some Popular Tv Plays & Drama Serials
Qila Kahani
Zard Gulab
Hairatkada
Darwaza
Saraab
Kiran Kahani
Zer Zabar Pesh

Fimography

GOONJ UTTHI SHEHNAI 1976 S. M. YUSUF
KAINAT 1983 ASAD BOKHARI
INSAN AUR FARISHTA 1976 SHABAB KIRANVI
AAJ KA INSAN 1984 GULZAR AHMAD
PAALKI 1975 QAMAR ZAIDI
KIRAN AUR KALLI 1981 ZAHID SHAH
UMANG 1975 KHALID KHURSHID
RASTE KA PATHAR 1976 M. A. RASHEED
TIPU SULTAN
BADA AADMI SHAMS CHAUDHRY

Some Popular Tv Plays & Serials
Thora saath chahiye
Dil Diya Dehleez
Khawahish Benaam
Yeh zindagi Hai
Rani
Pehli Boondh
Kahe Ko Biyahee Bides
Pal Bhar Mein
Bheyriya
Kitni Door Kitnay Paas
Dost
Yeh Bakra Nahi Chaley Ga
Phir Kho Jaye Na
Veena

She has been in showbiz since her childhood, courtesy her parents Syed Iftikhar Ahmed and Rehana Iftikhar, both notable TV personalities. For Madiha, television had always been her first love. It has hardly been a few years in the field and her water-tight schedule is proof of her success. She has been a part of several star studded dramas such as Partition Aik Safar, Sarkar Sahab and Veena, where her performances in both dramas were much appreciated. With an impressive height and a gorgeous figure, Madiha has the looks of a top model and the acting skills of a great actress surely capable of doing all sorts of roles.

Some Popular Tv Plays & Serials
Tapish
Sotayli
Happily Never After
Kitni Door Kitnay Paas
Husna Aur Husan Ara
Kaisi Hain Dooriyan
Kahan Hai Manzil
Tujh Pe Qurban
Andataa
Partition Aik Safar
Sarkar Sahab
Veena

She came, she saw and she conquered stands true for this actress. Her debut plays were Deewan-e-Khaas, and Doosri Aurat but drama serial Mehndi changed her entire career graph. Since then, she was popularly known as Mehndi wali larki. Leaving all the adulation behind, Ayesha went off to finish her education in Canada. During her stay abroad, she realized that acting is what she wants; upon her return, she was showered with offers. Today her portfolio includes hit serials like Maane Na Yeh Dil, Maan-o-Salwa, Mehmaan, Saraab, Chaar Chaand and Mujhay Apna Bana Lo. Ayesha has certainly come a long way, and done roles that are not only challenging but speak volumes of her talent.

List of Popular Plays & Drama Serials
Chaar Chaand
Deewan-e-Khaas
Doosri Aurat
Maan o salwa
Maane Na Yeh Dil
Mehman
Mehndi
Mujhay Apna Bana Lo
Saraab
Bol Meri Machli
Vasl
Tum Yehi Kehna
Khuda Zameen Se Gaya Nahin
Baal Baal Bach Gaye
Masi aur malka
Haroon tou pia
Sheeshay Ka Mahal
Jeena Isi Ka Naam Hai
Socha na tha
Meri Adhoori Mohabbat
Mulaqat

by MAHNOOR

You’re sure to have seen this pretty girl in some television serial or the other as Sadia Hayat is certainly not a newcomer. She had been acting before she gave it all up and and left for Canada to pursue a degree in acting from Vancouver Acting School. She is however, back and is all set to make a stir. So far the girl has featured in quite a few tele ventures — Mafroor, Aadhi Mohabbat Aadha Fasana, Zindagi Aas Paas Hai to name some. Tinka is her most recent attempt which is being aired on the state-owned channel. Besides acting, she has modelled for music videos, done still shoots and has also hosted magazine shows. Sadia has also featured in quite a few international ventures. However, the girl is quite choosy and does not take up assignments without checking out its minutest details.
A multi faceted person in real life, she conveniently plays characters from real life and delivers dialogues with utmost ease and eloquence.
Read on and you’ll know the real Sadia…

What was the turning point that made you choose showbiz as your career?
I believe showbiz chose me. Since I was a young child, the signs were there; so you can say acting is somewhere deep within me.
From watching old Hollywood/Bollywood movies on rainy days complete with popcorn in hand, to singing along to catchy tunes, replicating tantalising dance moves to mouthing dramatic dialogues in front of the mirror — the fascination gripped me before I knew it. It was a matter of time before I landed in the world of camera, lights and action.

Who has been your inspiration and driving force?
I truly believe that a spark of God lies within us all, as He is the greatest creator in the universe. Personally I leave everything on GOD.

What’s your Zodiac sign. Do you believe in the occult?
I’m a leo/virgo cusp. Funny that you asked because I’m a die-hard astrology buff. The personality traits of individuals interest me as there are really 12 kinds of people in a way! The psychology behind it is definitely a source of attraction for me as well.

SadiaWas showbiz ever an issue at home?
Yes, initially my parents weren’t too super keen on my joining showbiz! I belong to a political, business, land-owner background, I guess their protective mechanism found it hard to accept their over protected daughter had chosen the so called big, bad world of the biz. However, luckily they saw that it’s the only thing I choose to do with my life and how important their support is. And now my happiness and success is what they want. I grew up with lots of movie, TV, theatre, art around me as my family exposed us to creativity and culture so that environment definitely helped me a lot.

Who was your first crush, did it ever work out?
My first crush hey? Like most girls it was none other than Tom Cruise. It sure worked out in my day dreams!

When commercial aspects hit the creative artist what affect does it have on the performance?
See, I’m an actor, a canvas — so whether I’m to perform an all out commercially viable role or a serious, arty character — it’s all about the persona, nuances and demands of the script/role/director’s vision.
My performance is derived from what is required, therefore creativity has so far not been hindered, but only multiplied with each new venture.

What’s your favourite way to kill time?
I enjoy meditating, reading, watching movies, trying out different cuisines, listening to music, hanging out with loved ones i.e. family and friends and travelling. I am planning to take sword/fencing lessons and would love to do deep sea diving!

What’s your dressing style?
I’m a fashionista! Well, it depends on my mood really. I like to wear classy, stylish, sexy outfits. Be it a shalwar kameez, jeans and a white polo tee or a formal gown. Sophistication and elegance is the key. It’s how one carries the clothes not the other way round.

What influenced you most as a child?
A sound up bringing, good schooling, an awesome circle of family and friends, my lovely grandmothers,(may their souls rest in peace). Travelling and spiritual leanings also exposed me to some amazing learning experiences. Books! I eat them… being a book worm that I am… music that has the power to always alter my moods… and the Holy Quran.

What are your present concerns and what plans do you have for the future?
My present concerns are global warming, terrorism, lack of proper education and health awareness, discrimination; the list is endless. We grew up in a safe Pakistan. I’m very vocal about giving back to society via volunteering, I personally volunteer for Amnesty Int, UNICEF etc.

What qualities should a person have in order to become a successful celebrity?
Determination, networking, courage, ability to learn, honesty and love for work.
Courtesy: Mag weekly

نئی دہلی : بھارتی حکومت نے اداکارہ سونیا جہان کو بھارت میں کام کرنے کا اجازت نامہ (ورک پرمٹ) دینے سے انکار کر دیا۔ سونیا جہانں جنہوں نے فلم ”مائی نیم از خان“ میں شاہ رخ کی بہن کا کردار ادا کیا ہے اب ابھینے ڈیو کی فلم ”کروکڈ“ میں شاید کام نہ کرسکے کیونکہ بھارتی حکومت نے ان کو ورک پرمٹ جاری کرنے سے صاف انکار کر دیا ہے۔

ملکہ نور جہان کی پوتی سونیا جہان فرانس کی شہرت رکھتی ہیں اور گزشتہ سات سال سے اپنے شوہر ویکو نرائن کے ہمراہ نئی دہلی میں مقیم ہیں۔ بھارتی فلم پروڈیوسر رتیش سدھوانی جو کہ سونیا جہان کو ابھیشک بچن کے ہمراہ لے کر فلم کروکڈ بنانے چلے تھے نے بھی اس امرکی تصدیق کی ہے کہ سونیا کو ورک پرمٹ نہیں ملا اس لئے اب وہ ان کی فلم پراجیکٹ کا حصہ نہیں ہے بلکہ ان کی جگہ کنگنا رانواٹ کو لے لیا گیا ہے۔ ادھر سونیا جہان نے کاسٹ سے نکالے جانے پر حیرت اور لاعلمی اظہار کیا ہے اور کہا ہے کہ وہ اپنے شوہر کے ویزے پر یہاں کام کر رہی ہیں تاہم بھارت میں غیر ملکیوں کو ورک پرمٹ جاری کرنے کے قوانین میں سختی لائی گئی ہے یہی وجہ ہے کہ ان کو مشکلات درپیش ہیں۔ انہوں نے کہا کہ یہ مسئلہ وقتی ہے جو حل ہو جائے گا اور اس کے لئے بھارتی انتظامیہ کو ذمہ دار نہیں سمجھتی۔

And of all the traits she carries in her genes — fame, France, a penchant for performance, a love for food and simple elegance — the Pakistani gene is the most dormant. She speaks Urdu, but often chooses not to and when English and French roll off her tongue much more easily, you could never guess that she was anything but French.

The give-away, if any, is her offhand sense of style, which lends her originality beyond Noor Jehan’s opulence and her mother’s French chic. These are the two women — both of whom have incredible individual identities — who have had the maximum influence on her personality but Sonya has emerged very much her own person.

She has a deep, melodic voice that is trained to sing like Daado (as she fondly calls Noor Jehan) and she has a love for food like her mother (who lives in Karachi and owns the only French restaurant in town). Sonya dabbles in films and dreams of opening her own restaurant in India one day. But she isn’t terribly committed to any one profession. She is someone very comfortable in her own skin, apparent as she walked out to greet us in worn out denims, Kohlapuri chappals and a brown shawl to shield her against the unexpected Karachi chill.

“I was supposed to be here for only a day,” Sonya explained her lack of clothes (for a wedding and unexpected shoot) with a warm smile. She was in Karachi for only a day or two as she waited for a work permit. Despite having a French passport, her Pakistani lineage requires her to have a permit if she is to act in a Bollywood film. She had been cast in the lead role opposite Abhishek Bachchan for an upcoming action thriller, Crooked.

Not that her life was hanging by a thread in anticipation. Sonya was distressed as she realised that she probably wouldn’t get the visa in time for the opening shoot (which was the next day) but she managed to brush it off with nonchalance. She was more concerned about getting back home to her two-year-old daughter, Noor, now the third and perhaps most influential female in Sonya’s life. How is she, I asked. “Aah, she’s perfect,” came the reply with a grin that comes only to a doting mother in love.

While her little one is her pride and joy, her next big budget venture promises to take her professional profile to new heights. She plays a small but significant role in Karan Johar’s My Name is Khan (which released worldwide this Friday), alongside Shah Rukh Khan and Kajol.

Sonya plays Rizwan Khan’s sister-in-law, an American Muslim woman teaching at a university in the USA. A far cry from her last two roles — as the feisty Ratanbala in Khoya Khoya Chand (2007) and the glamorous Mumtaz Mahal in Taj Mahal (2005) — this role has her covered up in a hijab. It appears to play to a stereotype while trying to break the stereotype simultaneously. But despite the de-glossed character, this may be her big Bollywood breakthrough. And then there is the experience of working alongside Shah Rukh and Kajol.

“It was amazing, what more can I say?” she smiled. “Shah Rukh is approachable and incredibly humble. He talks to everyone on the set, from the doorkeeper to the director. My first shot was with him and I was nervous because, well, he’s Shah Rukh Khan. But he has a knack of putting everyone at ease within minutes. He immediately welcomed me and told me that he was a big fan of my grandmother. Shah Rukh is a director at heart and sort of takes things in control. Kajol is such a superb actor and they both have incredible presence and input on the sets. It was quite an experience.”

How did she land the role? Did she feel being half-Pakistani played its part in chance as it gave her character a third, realistic dimension?

“I don’t think the casting had anything to do with my being Pakistani. I auditioned for the role. Plus, the film is not about terrorism as most people believe,” she clarified, though most people must have watched it by now. “It is primarily a love story that throws some light on the lives of Muslims post-9/11.”

Sonya was in India during the 26/11 attacks on Mumbai city. Did she feel stigmatised at that time?

“Well, I wasn’t shouting my Pakistani lineage from a rooftop,” she said. “It was traumatising for me personally because people I knew died in those attacks on the Taj. I think that we all look at certain kinds of Muslims all over the world with suspicion now; I know I do when I’m in London. It’s the natural fallout of what’s been happening. But that isn’t the epicentre of the film.”

She added that more than making it big in films, she would like to play a role in bringing peace in the subcontinent, between India and Pakistan. She would love to be part of the collaborative efforts being made to create creative links between both countries.

So far none of the Pakistani actors who have set foot in Bollywood — Meera, Javed Sheikh and Humayun Saeed — have really made their mark and one wonders whether Sonya will manage to make a difference. Her first two films didn’t do too well but MNIK promises to be a box-office hit, if nothing else.

“I don’t know whether this will be a breakthrough in my career because that’s not what I’m thinking when I sign a film,” she responded. “I sign it for the story, the script and the overall experience it’ll bring me. That said, of course I’m hoping for the film to do well and for people to appreciate my work. I’m just not looking to be the next big star,” she concluded with a laugh.

Sonya carries Noor Jehan’s flair for drama but lacks the salt that Noor Jehan had, and that is perhaps imperative to any successful Bollywood heroine, even today. Sonya Jehan is undeniably beautiful but possibly too westernised in her looks to appeal to a local, mass audience. But then again, Bollywood is at the crossroads of change and this may be the best time for her to cut into it. She has trained in classical Indian dance as well as classical singing. She says she can sound a lot like her grandmother. And she has the one rain dance (from Khoya Khoya Chand) to prove that she has what it takes, if masala is what Bollywood is looking for.

A week after returning to India, Sonya called to confirm that she was unable to get the work permit and had lost her Crooked role to Kangana Ranaut.

“It’s unfortunate that I wasn’t able to do the film but now that I’m in Bombay there will be much more to do. There will be more opportunities and I will be able to juggle them better with motherhood,” she said. “But I’m not thinking of films right now. I’ve just landed in Bombay and I’m in a cab, apartment hunting. I think settling down is going to be the most important thing in my life for a while.”

Courtesy: Dawn Images