Dadi to drama queen

Age is but a number. That is what all actors must tell themselves when they are offered a role for a much older character. It is also something screen queen Bushra Ansari has taken in her stride across a career where her corresponding characters are nowhere close to her true age.

During a recent appearance on fellow actor Faysal Quraishi's podcast, Bushra fondly recalled the days when she had played the mothers of adult actors despite being in her twenties herself.

"It's so much fun playing a role like that," reflected the Tere Bin star. "Back in '86, I played the role of Tauqeer Nasir's mother. He was a bit younger than me and unlike other heroines at the time – whom I won't name – I didn't mind at all!"

The showbiz industry has had a history of casting younger actors in older roles, such as Hina Dilpazeer's Momo in the hit sitcom Bulbulay and Hareem Farooq's Arjumand in Diyar e Dil. With the conversation flowing freely between host and guest, Faysal commented that he, too, had been cast as the father of an actor his own age on television.

"You know who else is a victim just like you?" cut in Bushra in her typical sardonic tone. "Naumaan Ijaz. Just look at his performance in Sang a Mar Mar – he played Omair [Rana's] father even though Omair is not that much younger."

Bushra noted that she felt a sense of joy when accepting such parts and embraced the challenge wholeheartedly. "These things are just part of the job," she pointed out. "It's the excitement that comes with the character! I've even played the role of Rahat Kazmi's dadi! It was such a funny play, and I even blackened two of my teeth! It was so much fun!"

Most recently, Bushra starred as Shagufta, the embittered mother of three adult children in Kabhi Main Kabhi Tum. "I think what stood out was the realistic approach of the script," remarked Bushra. 'The language, behaviours and mannerisms depicted in the script were all very relatable. It was a very natural performance from everyone, and after a long time, I could feel the soul of the director in the project."

Whilst Bushra is not averse to playing an elderly mother, she did note that she could not abide her on-screen persona in Kabhi Main Kabhi Tum. "I know I was just a filler character here, but I've already said I want to play a nice mother next time!" she stressed.