The scripts being offered these days break my heart: Urwa Hocane

Nonetheless, while the pandemic changed the global film and television industry for good, it is unfortunate that the local realms of television and cinema continue to tell the same stories repeatedly with minor differences in the cast and crew. When asked about how she filters scripts in offers saturated by stories of extra-marital affairs and domestic violence, Urwa had a strong take backed by her successful years in the industry.

"I am going to be very honest, acting is something which I enjoy, but I am not satisfied with the content. Now the circumstances have led to scripts that are slightly better out of many, a team preference or whatever is saving a drowning project. I don't know what the writers are writing or what the content teams are making them write. It breaks my heart," she gravely said.

However, the actor has not let the absence of good scripts hinder her from flourishing in the industry. On the contrary, Urwa began the process of her first production back in 2019, an upcoming romantic comedy film Tich Button. The film, starring Iman Ali, Farhan Saeed, Sonya Hussyn, and Feroze Khan, is scheduled to be released towards the end of this year. Describing her motivation behind her new-found transition into story-telling through film production, the Punjab Nahi Jaungi actor explained, "What I feel is that I learned throughout the process. As it is my first production, I have given ample time to the script so that we are 100% sure of what we will be doing on set. I have always been passionate about telling stories behind and in front of the camera. I never limit myself as far as story-telling is concerned. I'd love to direct someday as well."

Urwa is known for remaining candid when voicing her concerns, not only about the worsening conditions of the industry but also about what it means to be a notable female figure at its forefront. Therefore, the actor, entrepreneur, and now-producer has collected many pointers up her sleeve for handling criticism and unfounded critique for women newly starting in the industry. "Firstly, many people have deeply rooted beliefs when it comes to gender discrimination, that a woman shouldn't have an opinion and shouldn't communicate much. They come up with a notion that is creating a toxic work environment, and we need to strongly condemn these mindsets. Women need to break out of the box that the patriarchy has put them into," she expressed.

"I am here to co-exist. I have my thought process, opinions, and creative ideas that shall be heard for a discussion on the table. I have grown into a person who is not looking for validation. I do bounce back, which is something I practice, and it's also inbuilt, for which I am very grateful. I am not afraid of failures, as they are rather lessons," she added, describing her experiences as a well-known actor working on sets dominated by men.

Urwa leaves us with a concluding message for the public, describing the mindset that keeps her going. She said, “‘Jisko Allah rakhay, usko kaun chakhay (Nobody can do anything if God wants to keep you safe).’ These are the words I go by. Never lose hope. There will be hardships, and then there will be their rewards to reap. So have your faith firm and have a positive outlook in life.

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