My age bracket has the most stories to tell: Sania Saeed talks lack of dramas centring older women

Actor divulged reasons for appearing in fewer projects now

Renowned Pakistani actor Sania Saeed recently shed light on the challenges faced by women in her age bracket within the Pakistani television industry during an insightful conversation on actor and host Mohib Mirza's chat show. The veteran actor opened up about the lack of substantial storylines for women in her age group and the societal perception that seems to diminish their relevance.

"Serials take up a lot of time," shared Sania, addressing the demanding nature of television projects and why she is committing to fewer projects now. As per The Ghost star, the crux of her concern lies in the narratives and characters written for women in her age bracket. She expressed disappointment in the industry's focus on young character roles, neglecting the wealth of stories that women in her age group have to offer.

"It’s now that I have begun to understand work, and now they say, your story is not important," Sania lamented, highlighting the dismissal of the experiences and narratives that come with age. She passionately argued that this age bracket holds a treasure trove of stories, shaped by a substantial chunk of life experiences, which are often disregarded. “But I really want to say that my age bracket has the most stories to tell.”

"Playing young characters has an altogether different dynamics, it’s very important I agree," she acknowledged. “I mean, I have spent all my life telling stories of young people, I’ve told stories of old people in my own youth too.” 

Having spent her career narrating the tales of both young and old characters, Sania emphasised the unique dynamics that playing mature roles brings. However, she bemoaned the fact that these roles are often relegated to the shadows. “Now they say this age group isn’t even important to the extent that they often aren’t even given names in the story,” the Numm actor pointed out.

The actor also remarked on the disparity in opportunities for male actors from her generation, noting that only a few manage to secure roles suitable for their age bracket. "This also impacts a lot of men from my generation save a few, from so many plays, how many have [actors playing their own age bracket]," Sania questioned the industry's tendency to perpetuate ageism.

When Mohib insisted on how men in showbiz such as Humayun Saeed, Faisal Quraishi, Ahsan Khan and even himself continue to get work regardless of their age, Sania expressed her amusement and questioned the recurring mention of Humayun in front of her. “I don’t know why everyone gives me an example of Humayun Saeed, is it because I am also a Saeed?" she pondered with a laugh.

On a serious note, the actor linked the industry's treatment of women in her age group to broader societal perceptions. “This is reflective of how your society views women generally in life as well,” Sania declared. “After 40, they say these women are irrelevant, what’s there to say about them.”

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