Her face has thousands of stories to tell: Saqib Malik reflects on collab with Meera in ‘Baaji’

Filmmaker said veteran actor is easily swayed by people

Renowned Pakistani filmmaker Saqib Malik recently shared insights into his experience working with the iconic actress Meera on the 2019 feature film Baaji. Known for his impressive portfolio, which includes directing popular music videos like Khamaj, Na Re Na and Love Mein Ghum, Saqib has solidified his reputation in the entertainment industry.

Baaji, produced and directed by Saqib through his company Page 33 Films, featured a stellar cast and garnered critical acclaim. During a recent television appearance, the filmmaker opened up about the challenges and triumphs of working with Meera on the project.

"It was a great experience working with Meera," Saqib stated. "A lot of stories were made, rumours were being spread, people talked a lot about Meera, but let’s just say that the film was successfully completed, it grabbed the screens and it became successful. It was a labour of love."

He praised Meera's talent and expressiveness, highlighting her ability to convey deep emotions through her facial expressions. "She’s extremely talented. Her face talks a lot. You don’t have to do much with her face. You put her there and her face has thousands of stories to tell," he noted.

However, Saqib also pointed out some of the challenges of working with Meera, mentioning her susceptibility to manipulation and superstition. "When she’s on camera, she’s great but there are many people ready to sway her judgment," he divulged. "Then she gets caught up in what people are saying. She’s also very superstitious." 

Despite these drawbacks, he acknowledged her hard work and dedication, which contributed significantly to the film's success. "The amount of appreciation Meera got through Baaji is amazing. It is because of her hard work," he said.

The director expressed his gratitude towards Meera for her performance and reflected on his own contributions to the film. "I would thank Meera for her brilliant acting and I would thank me for my hard work as well," he concluded.

Saqib, the son of Parveen Malik and elder brother to model and actor Adnan Malik, continues to be a prominent figure in Pakistani cinema, with Baaji standing out as a testament to his directorial prowess and dedication to the craft.

In a 2019 interview with The Express Tribune, Meera reflected on Baaji saying, “I have always wanted to work with Saqib Malik on a film…In fact, I agreed to make a formal comeback to mainstream cinema only because the film was being directed by Saqib Malik.”

The veteran actor expressed how she is not only fond of the filmmaker’s work ethic but believes that Saqib is one of the few people who understand the magic of the big screen. The character that he wrote for Meera in Baaji is a diva – a film star who goes by the name of Shameera. The similarity between the names and personalities forces one to draw parallels between the real and the reel, even if they don’t exist.

“I think Shameera is not similar to me as such,” said Meera, “But there are moments in her life that I can relate to. I can basically understand where Shameera is coming from.”

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