Lights, camera, action!

MsT raises the curtain on the lives of Pakistan’s female theatre directors

The 31-year-old Salma Mir often has a difficult time convincing people of the legitimacy of her career. When she tells them that she works in theatre, most of them don’t take her seriously.

‘No, what do you really do?’ is the most common reaction she receives. In spite of this, Salma continues to work tirelessly in a field that most Pakistanis discredit. She is a member of an exclusive group of local artists who conduct theatre productions at a commercial level.

A scene from Salma’s play Chicago.

Currently, the head of the theatre wing at Lush, an Islamabad-based event and talent management company, Salma began her career back in 2006 — a time when performing arts were a taboo for men, let alone women. “Pakistanis assume girls working in arts are corrupt and that theatre will ruin their character,” claims Salma. “Hence, when I started off, there were a handful of female directors in Islamabad.” But as luck would have it, Salma’s true calling always lay behind the curtains. “I had never thought of joining theatre and had a rather unconventional introduction to it,” she shares. “A friend of mine was an assistant producer, desperate for an actress to feature in one of his plays. He asked me to audition in exchange for a can of Red Bull!” And so, one audition and a phone call later, Salma’s life changed completely.

Sonia’s performance from the play Evam Indrajit.

But not all local directors stumble upon their big breaks easily; many like 44-year-old Fizza Hasan had to go through years of hard work before breaking through. As an avid member of the dramatics society at Kinnaird College in Islamabad, she participated in numerous plays before taking up the responsibility of directorship during her studies. Since then, the talented Fizza has not only conducted several plays but also founded Theatre Waalay, a non-commercial theatre entity working from Islamabad to entertain theatre enthusiasts and eradicate the stigma attached to the profession. “It is understandable why parents misconstrue theatre,” says Fizza, adding that song and dance is the main reason behind it. “Fortunately, the quality of our plays has improved immensely over the past few years and spurred the number of female actors available.”

A scene from Dagh Dagh Ujala by Fizza. PHOTOS: FILE

Salma and Fizza might have had different journeys into the field but they are united by an innate passion for what they do. Neither of them received any formal training nor studied theatre before venturing forth — they started out as actors who progressed to directorship. Salma relied heavily on information from the internet and a few workshops but her real training was her experience of studying psychology for her masters degree. “Psychology helps me explain my characters to the actors better,” she explains. Fizza, on the other hand, draws on her time as a principal at a private school in Islamabad to help manage large groups of people with ease.



But not all is dark and desolate in Pakistani theatre today. With our flourishing media and society’s growing acceptance and interest in plays, movies and drama serials, many talented Pakistani women are entering the entertainment industry. For instance, 24-year-old Sonia Ashraf became inspired by direction after watching the Jurassic Park movies as a child. “Initially, I wanted a career in films but my parents wanted me to study theatre if I wanted to continue with directing,” shares Sonia. “When I began doing theatre, though, it consumed me completely, so much so that I decided to shift domains.” Sonia currently directs plays and teaches diction at the National Academy of Performing Arts in Karachi.

Keeping Sonia under consideration, one might assume that younger generations are at liberty to pursue a career in theatre. But is that really the case? Has society’s perception of performing arts evolved within the gap of a generation? “We still possess the doctor-or-engineer mentality when it comes to careers, but it is slowly getting better,” says Sonia. “In fact, it has now become the doctor-or-engineer-or-lawyer mentality,” she adds, grinning. Much like Salma and Fizza, she too has to assert her career choice. “People seem to think most artists are homeless,” says Sonia. “Thankfully, my parents are very supportive but external pressures do take their toll. For instance, people often ask how my parents could have allowed me to do what I do.” But Salma too had to face some backlash from her family. “Many times, my neighbours asked my father how he lets me stay out at rehearsals and recordings till two o’clock in the morning.”

Sonia attributes this attitude towards theatre to stage plays, suggesting that people tend to confuse the two. “Stage play humour is a bit vulgar and therefore carries a negative stigma that has infected theatre as a whole.”  There is also a lack of comprehension when it comes to the role of a director, be it for theatre, films or music. Fizza explains, “The director is like a painter and the project is his painting. What the audience sees is the final product of his or her vision.”

The issue of gender and sexism is also prevalent in the theatre industry. “Many of my clients and colleagues thought I wouldn’t be able to commit enough time to my work, because I am a woman,” says Salma. “They said my work hours would be restricted or I would get busy with familial commitments, but I have never compromised my professional life for work. When the lights are on, only your skill matters.” Sonia highlights another aspect of gender bias. “Men don’t like taking orders from a female.” For Fizza, sexism was less of an issue compared to the general apathy of some of her actors. “Most people coming into theatre are youngsters looking for a good time, rather than producing good art,” she laments. “Many actors are too passive and hardly commit to their roles.”



Salma, Fizza and Sonia all believe that Pakistan still has a long way to go before it can open its heart to art completely. “It is still perceived as a waste of time or just another form of entertainment,” says Fizza, adding that art is an expression of who we are, how we live and where we are headed. Salma believes Pakistanis fail to own their artists like other nations do which ultimately hinders the growth of the industry. “Actors represent Pakistan too,” she urges. Additonally, the lack of financial support from government and corporate sponsors makes matters worse. Many institutions remain vary of associating themselves with an industry which, according to Fizza, “Doesn’t attract the audience that the sponsors want.” As a result, many directors, including Salma, have had to cut down their fees in order to pay for the expenses of actors and the sets.

Nonetheless, things are definitely looking up, albeit slowly. “We have to be mindful of the censorship board, but, overall theatre is blossoming,” says Sonia. “Political satires are now common. People are gradually warming up to it.” Salma offers her roster of actors as an indication of the growth in the industry. “When I started, only about a 100 people or so would show up for auditions. Now, I have over 4,500 aspiring actors in my database!”

Looking to become a director?

A passion for theatre can only get you so far! To tap into the field of direction, you should ideally have some relevant professional training and directorial experience. If you would like to try your hand at it, how about enrolling yourself at the following schools and moving one step closer to your dreams?

• National Academy of Performing Arts in Karachi

• National College of Arts in Lahore

• Indus Valley School in Karachi

• Beaconhouse National University in Lahore

Published in The Express Tribune, Ms T, May 3^rd, 2015.