I like pushing my limits as an actor, says Sonya Hussyn

‘Nazo’ star talks upcoming projects, possibilities of venturing across the border

KARACHI: From the time when she made her TV debut with Don’t Jealous some six years ago, actor Sonya Hussyn has created a distinct roadmap for herself. Her claim-to-fame is her knack for experimenting, as she challenges herself and hones her skills simultaneously.

Talking to The Express Tribune, she divulges details about current projects and the prerequisites for moving one’s acting career forward.

“I made my debut with a project called Don’t Jealous. Director Ali Sade pushed me to partake in it,” she says. “I went to audition for a news reporter’s job for a TV channel, and I don’t know whether it’s unfortunate or fortunate that I didn’t get the job. Ali spotted me at the audition.”

Speaking about her first-ever venture, Hussyn shares she feels lucky to have been roped in for a role that is often not offered to debutantes in the industry. “I played a drug-addicted child, and very rarely do actors get such difficult roles for their first projects. I find myself lucky to have always been part of substantial projects.”

While Hussyn continued to hone her skills on the small screen, she had not tried her hand at films until only last year. On what made her agree to play a supporting role in Jami’s acclaimed film Moor, she adds, “I never wanted to become an actor to begin with. But now, my roots lie in TV and it will always remain very dear to me. When I was offered Moor, I felt the connection and the desire to be a part of that film.”



According to Hussyn, she gave the nod to Imran Malik’s yet-to-be-titled film because it sounded as exciting as Moor. “I sign a project if the director, role and the script click with me and I find them worth it; be it film or television. It’s the quality of the content that matters the most.”

This is exactly what happened with Malik’s film. The project will mark the first time Hussyn will be playing a full-fledged character on the big screen, that too alongside a “stellar cast”. She says, “I’m playing the role of a journalist and really enjoying it. She’s very similar to who I am in real life. It’s basically a love story that also shows bits of action and comedy,” mentions Hussyn.

Unwilling to disclose more information, the actor shares she is in talks for another movie that will go on the floors later this year.



While her career has been moving in leaps and bounds at home, making a move across the border has not really appealed to Hussyn. It is pertinent to mention that she has been offered three Bollywood films so far. “I feel if I work in India, I’ll be representing the whole of Pakistan,” she says, adding, “I prefer doing a project where I have the opportunity to prove myself as a powerful performer.”

If one watches Hussyn’s most popular TV outing, Nazo, it becomes clear that she holds a strong penchant for versatile roles. From a drug addict to a journalist, in her ongoing TV serial she plays a differently-abled girl. “Many believe such content is inappropriate to be telecast on TV, but if a woman can be slapped on screen, why can’t she be empowered? We can’t restrict ourselves; we need to accept all sorts of people that are part of the society,” says Hussyn. “We are not here to win awards, but we are here to create an impact on the audiences.”

Some might argue that her role in Nazo is a bit clichéd. The actor, however, begs to differ. “Yes, my role of a disabled girl has similarities to others [famous roles] but the underlying message is how the world sees such people and the way they respond or react. I like challenging myself and pushing my limits. Nazo gave me the opportunity to do just that.”

Published in The Express Tribune, June 13^th, 2016.

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