New kids on the block

Napa graduates share their personal stories with The Express Tribune explaining their passion and love for theatre.

KARACHI: Recent trends have shown  gradual progression that takes theatrical performances to television productions. Such is the state of many of the graduates from the National Academy of Performing Arts (Napa).

While theater remains a passion to most of them; financial constraints, a limited audience and scarce scripts have become a motivating factor for artistes to lean towards television productions and serials.

A few of the former graduates from the academy share their personal stories with The Express Tribune explaining their passion and love for theatre.

Sana Askari

Sana Askari, a fresh graduate from Napa unravels her post graduate experiences. In terms of preference, Askari reveals that she would always opt for theatre but simultaneously maintained that, “Since theatre is time consuming and takes at least three months of solid rehearsal, TV serials will remain a viable option as well.” However, Askari also adds that theatre has a lot of growth in Pakistan as the audience has become more accepting of performing arts in general.

Uroosa Siddiqui

Uroosa Siddiqui is another alumni student that graduated from Napa in 2006. Siddiqui maintained an optimistic stance towards local  theatre but in terms of personal growth Siddiqui believes that, “I will only transgress towards theatre if I am offered good roles in a substantially viable play.” The artiste also reminisces about her two best performances; Guldam in Safid Khoon and Shehla in Jungle main Mangle Bazar.

Ali Rizvi

Recent graduate, Ali Rizvi is a busy artiste who performs in theatre and television simultaneously. “Many a time there are clashes when good serials clash with the occurrence of Napa plays and most of the time both productions conduct rehearsals at the same time which leaves me in the loop but  I still manage it somehow, “says the artiste.  Rizvi’s ultimate passion is to become a film director and wants the audiences to remember him for his role in Khawaboan Kay Musafir.

Mohsin Ali

Mohsin Ali is one of the most famous Napa graduates that took television by storm with his enthralling scripts. Ali maintains that theatre will always be his first passion, “But since I do need to run my kitchen, I work for television as well.” Ali left an indelible mark in audiences mind with his performance as Puck in Midsummer Night’s Dream that he performed for Napa and eventually wants to direct his own film.

Paras Masroor

Napa graduate, Paras Masroor who graduated in 2007 is a staunch believer in theatrical performances and claims that, “I have often let go of a TV serial for the sake of a theatre play. I prefer theater over everything else.” Masroor also considers Napa a revival of the arts.

Raw Talent: Moomal Shunaid, Head of Scripts at HUM TV

Compared to untrained actors, where do Napa graduates stand?

The team that recently graduated from Napa is very good. Theater and TV are two different genres to perform in but the young lot is trained.

What is your requirement that still remains unfulfilled?

We definitely need more actors. There are good character actors and supporting actors but what we still look out for is a classic guy or a fantasy heroine to take the stage by storm.

Is there any advice you would like to share with the young talent?

Well, I think there is a hurdle as far as accessibility to the channel is concerned. I think there should be a way to encourage young talent to come forward and be encouraged to perform. We are desperately in need of good writers as well.

Stars who made a name in the industry

• Hasan Sheheryar Yasin


• Kamiar Rokni


• Aaminah Haq


• Ali Hamza


• Ali Zafar


• Fawad Khan


• Mani


• Mohib Mirza


• Ahmed Ali Butt


• Vasay Choudhry


• Nadia Jamil

Published in The Express Tribune, December 29^th, 2010.