I'm obsessed with Sarmad Khoosat: Alina Abbas

'Noor Jahan' actor discusses projects and privilege in showbiz

Alina Abbas Shah is a recent Pakistani actor, who has been garnering attention for her performance as Safina in the drama serial Noor Jahan. In an interview with Iffat Omar on Say It All, Alina dived into the progression of her life's journey.

"Earlier in life, I worked a few corporate jobs, but nothing really clicked," she shared. "I always wanted to be an actor. But I feel, at that time, I was very gullible. Then, Imran Raza Kazmi and I connected on Instagram, and he asked me to send a few audition tapes. It was a process of two years, during which COVID happened and I got married as well. So, I didn't think much of it."

Unlike most starters in the entertainment scene, Alina pursued acting at the fully bloomed age of 29 through her debut show 22 Qadam after leading a largely mundane life. "A few months in, I get a call that they have a role in mind for me, which was four or five days after my 29th birthday!"

"Imran gave me an ultimatum. That's when my husband stepped up and told me that I should go for it," she said. "If it wasn't for him and his support, I wouldn't have been able to pull this off. Because we shot that drama for half a year, and during that, I lost my maternal grandmother, who I was very close to, so that took a toll on my mental health," she lamented.

"So now I feel as if everything I do in my life is basically an homage to her." The 29-year-old actor then divulged the challenges that her creatives roles pose. "Karyana did not come easy to me. For two and a half years, I was auditioning back-to-back. But one thing about me is, I don't obsess over things. If it is meant to happen, it will happen," she revealed. "I have lucked out, and I'm extremely blessed to have landed roles that have made a mark. Not everyone gets to say that."

"I understand my privilege," Alina confessed. "I had a conversation with some junior artists on set, and they told me they wish to be recognised on-screen. So I said, why not? And they informed me that nobody gives them a chance, and those who do, they exploit junior artists. What do you say to that? They don't lack talent. There's just this disparity in opportunities."

"Background does matter. Of course there are those who have excelled despite the odds. But having a certain level of education or privilege of some kind does give you an edge," she said. Despite Alina being a fortunate one who was granted the chance of a lifetime, she was off to a rocky start.

"The first day was fine. But on the second day of the shoot, I contracted food poisoning. This was 2021 hence in the context of COVID, it wasn't nice. So my best friend and PCB manager Fiza Abid, who was working very closely on this project with me, helmed me through those challenges. She's the reason I didn't give up on Karyana," Alina shared.

"If it wasn't for her, I wouldn't be here. So it is necessary for me to appreciate her. There's a sense of female camaraderie in all of my projects so far. Society tends to isolate women, but we need to stop pitting women against each other," she urged. Later in the interview, she spoke further on her insights into womanhood. "Great things happen when women come together," she concluded.

On a final note, the 29-year-old actor enthusiastically expressed, "I'm confessing this in front of everyone. I'm obsessed with Sarmad Khoosat, and I want to let him know that I am dying to work with him! I love what he does." The prospect of a Sarmad Khoosad project starring Alina Abbas Shah certainly has the potential to be the next big hit that the entertainment industry is waiting for.