I can't forget the hospitality of Pakistani people: Ira Dubey

Find out what the 'Dear Zindagi' star feels about Pakistani artists being banned from Bollywood

LAHORE: Ira Dubey did not set out to become a star, yet she conquered the world of theatre and embraced the life of an actor in Indian cinema. Her elegance in pictures and on screen can make her seem haughty but in real life, she is surprisingly chatty and warm. Her latest stint as a film actor was Alia Bhatt’s Dear Zindagi.

Talking to The Express Tribune, Ira spoke about what it was like to go from Yale School Of Drama to the Indian film industry and theatre, where alluring looks and dancing in the rain are almost as important as acting. "Acting ka nasha bachpan say hee hay (My passion for acting has been there since childhood). It was a natural choice for me. Whether it’s film or theatre, I enjoy and challenge myself in every medium," she said. "In theatre, actor is the king and in movies, director is the king so I hand my trust to the director."

This year has been exceptional for Ira, "I always wanted to work with Karan Johar. He gave me the opportunity to act in Dear Zindagi alongside Shahrukh Khan, who I am always charmed by and Alia Bhatt, who is exceptionally talented and of course, Ali Zafar. Alia I believe is the epitome of what it means to be a star in India today."



While films may have been her childhood rage, she has always found herself more inclined towards theatre. "There's something about the adrenaline rush in live performances. Theatre is home to me. Actors like Randeep Hooda, Nimrat Kaur and Nawazuddin Siddiqui are all film actors who emerged from theatre," she stated.

Ira feels artists are not really stereotyped anymore, whether they belong to parallel or commercial cinema. "Look at Alia Bhatt, Vidya Balan and Kalki Koechlin. They are all doing commercial as well as parallel cinema. I believe this is the time to be an actor in Indian film industry." However, what she doesn’t approve of is how some believe that acting is not for the uneducated. "We have to change this notion. What I admire about today’s actors is that they take their craft very seriously."

The Dear Zindagi star feels Indian film-makers are extremely complacent when it comes to writing original scripts. "I believe Bollywood is a very old, respected and established industry. We have advanced technically, directorially and performance wise; writing is our weakest link," she shared. "Salman Khan and Tom Cruise make commercial movies and are successful because an ordinary film-goer will love to watch their movies  but we need original stories such as 3 idiots, Lagaan, Monsoon Wedding and Uraan, which were simple yet powerful ."



Speaking about the ban on Pakistani artists performing in India, Ira said, "Artists should be given the freedom to perform anywhere they want to, without any barriers and restrictions," adding that she feels stars like Fawad Khan should not be restricted from working in India.

Ira visited Pakistan few years back with her mother and performed a play, Wedding Album, at the Rafi Peer Festival. "My roots are from Sindh and when I crossed the line of control, it was such a surreal feeling. I cannot forget the hospitality and warmth of Pakistani people."

Lillete Dubey, Ira’s mother, has always been an inspiring and encouraging factor in her life. "I come from a family of doctors, engineers, civil servants and professors. So, there was no culture of performing arts in the family. But my mother was a rebel; she was the black sheep who started acting in her forties and now runs her own theatre company of her own."

Ira's own theatrical work in India includes  internationally plays such as Womanly Voices, Adhay Adhooray and 30 Days in September.

Have something to add in the story? Share it in the comments below.