Fascination for India borders on love

SINCE her fascination for India knows no bounds, Pakistani actor Veena Malik wishes she had crossed the Line of Control much earlier. Though images of India’s culture and heritage aroused her curiosity during her growing years in Lahore, it was Bollywood that truly fuelled her passion for acting.

But even before Veena could learn the nuances of acting from the Hindi movies she avidly watched back home, an opportunity to be part of an Indian venture came knocking at her door. Before she knew, she was part of the first India-Pakistan film, Pind di Kudi, a comedy that is expected to ease some of the age-old tension between the two neighbours. The production is being handled by Sukhwant Dhadda, the director whose Ek Chadar Maili Si was a sensitive celluloid portrayal of Rajender Singh Bedi’s tale I Take this Woman. It was Sukhwant who brought Hema Malini’s earthiness to life in that film.

Besides Ek Chadar Maili Si, Veena has also watched Dhadda’s other films Antim Nyay and Siyasat. She’s done her homework well to justify her selection in this cross-border collaboration. She admits that being in India is enabling her to perform better.

As this svelte Pakistani dwells on her Bollywood fixation, mention of the Khans inevitably crops up. Shah Rukh tops her list of favourite heroes. "I love Shah Rukh Khan and Kajol. They are the best in Bollywood," she gushes. "Pakistanis are really hooked to Hindi cinema. They are waiting for the day when Indian films will be openly screened in Pakistan. Lollywood (as the Pakistani film industry is popularly called) may then be able to gain from Bollywood’s expertise,"she adds.

"As there are no acting schools in Pakistan, the Indian acting institutes also hold a lot of interest for us," she says. A visit to the National School of Drama (NSD) in New Delhi is thus a must on Veena’s itinerary. On learning that Bollywood stalwarts like Om Puri and Naseeruddin Shah are NSD products, she wonders, "What must the place be like? I would give anything to be there."

Her next stop is indeed Mumbai, the ‘city of dreams’. "I really want to visit film studios in Mumbai. I also want to meet Kajol and other favourite stars," says Veena.

With this comes up the subject of her Hindi name. "Changing my name has little to do with my love for India. My real name is Zaheeda. Soon after I began working in commercials in Pakistan, I was told to change my name to Veena. When I discovered that it is the name of an Indian classical instrument, I felt proud. The Hindi name makes it easier for me to relate to Indians," she elaborates.

But will an Indian name guarantee Veena a place in a film industry where predecessors like Zeba Bakhtiyar and Somy Ali couldn’t last. Veena is undaunted. "I am here by chance, not by choice. Zeba and Somy took a conscious decision to come to Bollywood and had more at stake. I don’t plan to hang on here," she smiles.

The most sought-after female actor in Pakistan, her previous film Yeh Dil Aapka Hua was a big hit. She began her career with television but is glad to have turned to films. "Perhaps, Allah wanted me to find the road to India," she philosophises.

— Aditi Tandon

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