Anoushey Ashraf, the youth icon

A familiar face on the screen, she has been there for a while and has certainly acquired a potential for giving out the very best, be it in terms of hosting a music programme or appearing in a music video, she does it all effortlessly. Meet Anoushey Ashraf.

Speaking to The Express Tribune, Anoushey defines herself as, “Friendly, loud, hyper, impatient and a very loving person.” Anoushey entered into the world of media by chance. She says, “I was doing my A levels privately and had a lot of free time. My friend (who was working at Indus TV) suggested I take up news casting because I always wanted to be a correspondent. I went for an audition with him and (lo and behold) landed myself up with a job at Indus Music (IM). The channel was looking for a bunch of fresh faces. I started on the very day and like they say, the rest is history.”

Anoushey maintains a balance between her personal life and career and says, “I don’t let my work get the best of me. While I agree that work is terribly important and one should give it his all, I am a staunch believer in the fact that if one doesn’t enjoy life everyday, no amount of money or fame is worth it. I work quite less as compared to most people around me. I am choosy about my projects and only do one thing at a time. Rest of the time I spent travelling, loving life and experimenting new things.”

“Some of my best friends are my fellow VJs: Faizan Haque, Ayesha Omar and Dino. I am even close to Mahirah and Mani.” The reason behind this is because “We all started our careers simultaneously and grew up together, literally. We've all spent a lot of time with each other. It was only natural to become good friends.” Despite her seven years of association with IM which earned her a lot of fame, she decided to switch to ARY music because, “It was time to grow up and move out of my parent's home. It was time, in all honesty. I had to move on,” she says.

Recently Anoushey has stepped into designing clothes for women. The inspiration behind it according to her was, “I just wanted some ready to wear, affordable clothes for myself one day. Ayesha Omar and I went searching all over. Designer clothes were way too expensive (rightly so) and other clothes didn’t really catch my eye. Zahir Rahimtoola from Labels came up with the idea of us starting a line and viola! There it was.”

She plans to launch a new store by the name of Block Seven in February 2011 which she believes as, “Being the ultimate dream for her. The store has ready to wear, affordable and funky clothes.” Currently Anoushey is working on a travelogue, and she says, “I want to take life as it comes.”

Love or money?

Love love love love. Money.

If you could change one facial feature, what would it be?

My nose. Now stop staring at my pictures wondering why.

My earliest childhood memory is..

I had a pet crow and I insisted it slept with me. Plain weird.

My biggest achievement (so far) is...

To be a youth icon in the entertainment and music field and that too in the Islamic Republic of Pakistan.

My most prized possession is...

Living: my dog. I love love love her. Non- living: A watch my dad gave me for my 25th birthday.

My biggest fear is…

To not be able to see the world in time. I want to see and enjoy it all. So help me God...

My craziest fan moment/encounter was…

I had a stalker once. I walked in to my living room and found this guy sitting there with a bouquet of flowers in his hand. When I asked him who he was, he stared blank at me and said "your biggest fan" *shudder* my mom let him in thinking he was a friend. We had to chuck him out, (not so nicely) and he made an attempt to do the same four times over.

What message would you like to give to the women of Pakistan?

You should educate yourself the best you can and work in this country. Give back to your system and country. If all the women worked, we'd be one progressive place. You also know that women are the ones who'll ultimately save this country, right? Start now!

Published in The Express Tribune, December 26^th, 2010.