I hate being interviewed, especially when it’s unpaid: Veena Malik

Performer Veena Malik on identifying with the Mona Lisa, a career in espionage and knowing what her time’s worth.

Your idea of perfect happiness?

Being content with who you are and what you have.

What is your greatest fear?

Nothing.

What is the trait you most deplore in yourself?

I cry a lot.

What is the trait you most deplore in others?

Not speaking the truth.

What is your greatest extravagance?

Shoes.

What is your current state of mind?

Hopeful.

What do you consider the most overrated virtue?

Modesty.

On what occasion do you lie?

When I don’t want to be interviewed. (I hate being interviewed, especially when it’s unpaid.)

What do you most dislike about your appearance?

Nothing.

Which living person do you most despise?

No one.

What is the quality you most like in a man?

Looks and intellect.

What is the quality you most like in a woman?

Beauty and brains.

Which words or phrases do you most overuse?

Everything under the sun is possible.

When and where were you happiest?

Whenever I’m home.

Which talent would you most like to have?

The ability to play the piano.

If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be?

Nothing.

What do you consider your greatest achievement?

Love and trust from all those who are close to me.

If you were to die and come back as a person or a thing, what would it be?

Veena Malik.

Where would you most like to live?

Lahore.

What is your most treasured possession?

So many — independence, my body, talent, looks, my brains — you can pick any of them.

What do you regard as the lowest depth of misery?

Humiliation.

If you didn’t do your current job, what would you choose to do?

A spy.

What is your most marked characteristic?

The word ‘impossible’ does not exist for me.

Who is your hero of fiction?

Superman.

Which historical figure do you most identify with?

Mona Lisa.

Who are your heroes in real life?

All the brave and good-looking men out there. There are so many, I can’t name one in particular and they keep on changing. I admire bravery and good looks in men.

What is your greatest regret?

None. I don’t regret anything; everything, good or bad, happens for a reason.

What’s your favourite quote?

“Love is one thing, knowledge is another.”

How many hours of load shedding did you experience yesterday?

Six hours, I guess.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 19^th, 2010.