T-Diaries: Sarwat Gillani

A glimpse into the world of Pakistani powerhouses

You had a steady modeling career before you came into acting. What sparked your interest in the drama industry?

I started doing commercials while at the Indus Valley School (IVS) and commercials involve acting. Owing to the nature of my work, I was never a print or ramp model. I started acting and got my first serial during university.

Did you struggle to get your first break?

While I was an undergraduate at IVS, I studied film-making as a minor. We would often have guest lecturers coming from the industry, including renowned directors, producers and actors. It was at one such lecture that Sultana Siddiqui spotted me and offered a role in her play.

What is the most important thing you keep in mind before signing for a project?

The script and the director! The script needs to be fantastic and the director has to be good enough to execute the story well. If the story is good but the director isn’t, I simply decline.

How has the Pakistani TV industry changed over the past years?

Five years ago, the rise of different TV channels competing to be the best saw some good and bad work in the industry. However, over time, the work has been filtered and intellectually — provoking things have been put down. Our industry suffered a little because of Turkish dramas that were being aired here and a lot of our work was put on halt. But now, that trend has died out and our work is being noticed again, even on international grounds. In fact, thanks to the great dramas we have been producing, our film industry has been uplifted as well. Nowadays, we see drama actors in films, delivering quality work.

You have already worked with an impressive roster of artists from the industry. Who would you like to work with next?

I would love to work with Noman Ijaz as he is widely-respected, a great actor and a mentor.

What is the hardest part about being an actor?

Your personal life doesn’t stay personal when you enter the showbiz industry. You become a ‘public’ figure and lose all privacy.

Do you think that the public and critics expect too much from an artist?

If the artist is good, they set a standard for themselves that the public expects them to fulfill each time. It is nice to have fans expect the best out of you, which then results in a positive outcome.

If awards were for sale, how much would you pay for one?

Nothing! I would want someone else to buy it for me because they think I am worth it. It is better to receive an award on someone else’s judgment than on your own. I am not the kind of person who would say ‘I am a fantastic actor’ because that would just be ridiculous.

What does love and marriage mean to you?

Marriage is a lifelong relationship between two people. It is a commitment to grow, together and individually, compromise, set priorities and regard the other person to be just as important as oneself. Love is about respecting the other person and marriage is about accepting them.

Tell us something about the project you are currently working on?

I am currently working on a film that is being shot in Pakistan and Bangkok.

Any advice for young women aspiring to work in the industry?

Young girls wanting to enter the industry should be open to learning and criticism. You can only improve if you accept critics and learn from what they say. Most importantly, youngsters should respect their seniors as they are a great source of learning and one day, they will be seniors themselves.

Sarwat Gillani

Actor/Model

Published in The Express Tribune, Ms T, December 7^th, 2014.