Life & Style

I would love to go to Pakistan on a food journey: Nargis Fakhri

The young actress doesn't mind coming to Pakistan to connect with her roots

Entertainment Desk June 02, 2015

The actress talks about her transition from Bollywood to Hollywood. PHOTO: ACTRESSHDWALLPAPERS

B-Town actress Nargis Fakhri has become one of the most recognized beauties in the media industry. She may have debuted in Hollywood action-comedy Spy, but the young actress doesn't mind coming to Pakistan to connect with her roots.

"I am upset with my father for not teaching me Urdu," joked Nargis in an interview with BBC.

"It is such a beautiful language," added the star. After the death of her father, Nargis never got a chance to connect with her roots. "I have always had difficulty speaking in Urdu and always will because no one in my family or friends circle speaks it. But even though I may not speak it, I can understand it and I am glad to know I have learnt something."

PHOTO: XCITEFUN.NET

The Mein Tera Hero star feels "unfortunate" to never have been able to travel to Pakistan. "I don’t know anybody there after my father's death because of which I never got the opportunity to go there," she said.

Although she is not sure about working in Pakistan's film industry, but if given the chance, this Bollywood beauty would love to come and gorge on the delicious Pakistani treats.

"I heard the food there is amazing and I’m a big foodie. I would definitely want to go there for a food journey maybe that will be a good thing," she said excitedly.

PHOTO: DNAINDIA

For this star - who lived in America and works in India - the feeling of being an 'outsider' is all too familiar. "I don’t really think I’ve belonged anywhere. Since the time that I grew up, I didn’t have a place where I belonged," said Nargis.

From the time she debuted in B-Town, she was labelled the 'Pakistani actress making her debut in Bollywood', after her Hollywood debut in Spy, tabloids labelled her the 'Bollywood actress making her debut in Hollywood'. However, she doesn't see any of this in a negative light.

"I look at it in a positive way," exclaims the actress. "I say, 'oh wow that’s so nice they finally accepted me as their own' and I’m happy to say yes, I’m a Bollywood actress and I’m now doing a Hollywood film, because I got my start there, it was a struggle, it still is, but it feels good that they said that."

PHOTO: BUSINESSOFCINEMA

While she feels good to finally be accepted, the feeling of home came when she worked on the sets of Spy.

"Yes. Even though I say I don’t belong anywhere and I have always felt like an outsider all my life, at the same time when you live for so many years overseas whether it’s India, or Greece, New Zealand, Thailand, etc, being born and raised in New York when you’re with your fellow people, there’s a certain feeling of ‘my people’. But of course, now that feeling of 'people' is the same with India. It is funny, because it just takes time to adjust."

PHOTO: MAGNAMAGS

But this feeling of 'my people' took time, she wasn't familiar with Bollywood, she was new to it and it was a struggle to find a place to fit among stars who had the advantage of the Bollywood legacy. "I have seen that it is tougher for ‘outsiders’. Those who do not have a legacy in Bollywood have to struggle a lot more, which is unfortunate because Bollywood has so much talent which should be recognised. But it’s not impossible, as you can see, I am an example."

While Bollywood is under scrutiny for changing the perception of women through item numbers, Nargis, who has done her share of item numbers, feels people ought to change their way of thinking.

"I think that item numbers are actually fun. I don’t know why they would be reflective of average women, for me, it’s really strange. But if there’s an issue then people need to change their perception," shared the actress.

She was recently spotted in London at the premiere of her film Spy. Dressed in an elegant red gown by Monisha Jaising paired with nude Louboutins, the actress looked like a vision.

PHOTO: REDIFF

PHOTO: FILMIBEAT

She happily tweeted a picture from the event posing next to her co-stars.

London was the place to be today. The #SpyMovie cast rocked the red carpet at the Premiere. #SpyLive pic.twitter.com/qfXhOIwDA4
— 20th Century Studios (@20thcentury) May 27, 2015

Nargis plays the role of a villain in the film, and underwent special training for the knife-fighting sequence. Spy is set to release on June 19th 2015. The film also stars Hollywood actors Melissa McCarthy, Jason Statham, Rose Byrne, Miranda Hart, Bobby Cannavale, Allison Janney, and Jude Law.

Here's the trailer of her film:

COMMENTS (4)

AmINoLongerAPakistani | 9 years ago | Reply Many second generation Pakistanis born and/or raised in the west are culturally and linguistically imbued at home to be Pakistani. A famous example is that of Zaid Ali Taher, who speaks fluent Urdu, and holds on to Pakistani culture and mores. When these progeny of Pakistani Immigrants return for a visit or to shift back to Pakistan, they are treated as Foreigners. This is a handicapping problem for our diaspora, and will cause a schism, further alienating even those that hold on to their roots. In only a further one or two generations, even their names such as Farooq and Faiza will become Freddy and Fay. Nargis's Interview with the Times of India mentions a lack of knowledge of her father's heritage, which her father did not fully pass on to her. Had he felt confident in being both Pakistani and American, we may never know what opportunities his daughters may have had. (Nargis also stated in her interview with TOI her parents wanted to forget about their ancestry) Many Pakistani Immigrants traveled abroad for a better economic future, for themselves and their families, did not intent to sever themselves from their roots. While their children did not grow up in Pakistan, a place needs to be made for them in Pakistani society to feel secure in who they are. The lack of rapprochement, between the diaspora and Pakistani society, opens up the youth for an identity crisis, which can be exploited by countless people. ("Independent" points out the actors who pay the stereotypical villains, and make Pakistan and themselves look bad) I for one would like to see Zayn Malik make films and songs in Pakistan, and not have to go to India to be appreciated, as Nargis Fakhri and countless others have had to do. Are we Desis, South Asian, Foreigners, or can we still be called Pakistanis?

SM | 9 years ago | Reply Well the best Pakistani food in NYC is "Handi"!. I have been there many times while I was living there. It's usually meant for cab drivers & they are open from 11:00 AM to 4:00 AM!!!!. Whenever relatives come to visit us from NY OR NJ, we ask them to pack plenty of food from Handi!. It is better than Indian restaurants in Florida. Guess Nargis wouldn't have been there!. I miss that place!. A South Indian in Florida!.

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Independent | 9 years ago | Reply Unfortunately pakistanis living in the west are too afraid to pass their "identity" to their kids and kids when grow up feels they belong to nowhere. Here in Pakistan we call them foreigners and over there they are known as second generation Pakistanis. It is even worse with half pakistani kids like Nargis Fakhri and Meekal Zulfiqar. They become so desparate to find an identity that even if they are offered a role of terriorist/villian that strengthens the stereotype of an enemy with "midddleastern looks" they accept it.

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