A star in the making

Neelum Muneer on sailing through her acting career and aspiration to work on stage

KARACHI:

“At the moment, I have absolutely no intention of getting tied-down by marriage,” said the 25-year-old Neelum when asked about her personal life. “My primary focus is my acting skills and how I can enhance them.” A passion for success and an underlying rebellious attitude are apparent in the way this Pashtun beauty speaks about her chosen line of profession.

“When I was younger, girls would only dream of becoming either an air-hostess or an actor,” she said. “I was always more inclined towards acting though.” And as luck would have it, she was spotted by a programme coordinator, who had been looking for a model to appear in a candy commercial. The impulsive Neelum decided to audition and the rest, as they say, is history.

Soon after, she emerged into the limelight with producer Kazim Pasha’s acclaimed  PTV drama serial Thora Sa Asmaan (2009). The experience turned out to be a stepping stone for her, as this is where she truly realised and honed in on her acting chops. “PTV has literally nurtured my talent in every aspect, from my voice to phonics to everything,” shared Neelum.

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For a Pashto-speaking girl like her, it was a dream to learn her craft in Urdu under the guidance of stalwarts from the Pakistani entertainment industry. “If you ask me, PTV actors have a different standing altogether. They’ve been groomed from the start to finish and I’m extremely lucky to be one of them.”

Close to completing almost five years on television, Neelum has already received four Bollywood offers in the last six months. Although she’s yet to confirm her move across the border, she hopes to do so sometime soon. But despite having both local television and Bollywood offers to her credit, she pines for performing live on stage someday. “I want people to see my acting on stage so they can appreciate my skills more,” she explained. “I was contacted by Shah Sharabeel once but the play’s dates coincided with a TV production. So, I couldn’t commit to him and had to forgo the opportunity.”

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But of course, there’s still no stopping this budding performer. Two of her plays, Dil Ishq and Rung Laga, are simultaneously being aired on local TV channels. Plus, Neelum has recently wrapped up work on a project titled Rab Razi, shot amid the panoramic beauty of Murree, in collaboration with Express Entertainment. “I’m very excited to hear what fans have to say about Rab Razi,” she admitted. With her eyes set on the top spot, she hopes for a secure future and to revel in the little joys of life. “I want to travel and basically enjoy life to the fullest,” she said.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 26^th, 2015.

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