Tatmain Ul Qulb and the road less travelled

Actor talks upcoming film ‘Maalik’, working alongside directors like Jami and Ashir Azeem

KARACHI:

While many believe that it an artist’s body of work speaks for itself, others believe that, “If you stay true to yourself, God will eventually create a way.” Actor Tatmain Ul Qulb would fall in the second category, if one takes a closer look at her approach towards work and choice of films. Having been part of the fraternity for nearly a decade, the model-turned-actor is gripped with films such as Kandahar Break, Operation 021 and the soon-to-release Maalik.

Speaking to The Express Tribune, Tatmain sheds light on her upcoming film and experience of working with directors Jami and Ashir Azeem, respectively. She reiterated that unlike her contemporaries, she did not want to put herself out there just for the sake of being recognised. “It wasn’t just that I was selective about my work, but the roles that mainly appeal to me are from independent cinema and I was not willing to register myself in the minds of audiences by doing an item number or run-of-the-mill character,” asserted Tatmain.





Even though this approach may have resulted in a stunted career development, it eventually won her appreciation from directors like Jami (Operation 021) and Ashir Azeem (Maalik). Recalling her first interaction with the former, Tatmain revealed she was taken aback by him gushing over how he was a fan of her performance in Kandahar Break.

Where Jami seemed to have been aware of her acting background before casting her in Operation 021, Tatmain joked that it may have been her workout regime that won Ashir over. “We go to the same gym. I’m guessing he just saw me working out and came up to tell me about Maalik which was then a serial, recalled Tatmain. “He told me how he was looking to cast a girl who could run a mile in real life and I fit the bill for that part. Before this, he had had no idea of my showbiz background.” narrated Tatmain. Dubbing herself as “fortunate” to have worked with directors of such stature of, the talented actor shared it was the film-makers who approached her in both instances, instead of the other way round.



Essaying the role of a field agent in the Maalik, Tatmain feels her background in trained martial arts ensured that the role fit her like a glove. While Azeem’s prior work, Dhuwan, played an integral role in Tatmain signing onto the project, her primary reason for committing to the film was her preference to work with like-minded people. “For me, the most important thing is working with intellectuals who have a clear vision and are not willing to sacrifice their ambitions at any cost,” she stated. “The benefit of working with Jami and Ashir is that they let you be and do not try to influence your style. I was lucky in the sense that the roles they offered were perfect for me and I was able to do justice to them.”

As the release of Maalik draws closer, Tatmain is already looking into other film projects. Not looking to make her foray into television serials yet, the actor states the silver screen remains her sole priority. She hinted that she will be starring in upcoming feature film, The Whistle, which is slated to release in the next few months.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 22^nd,  2016.

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