enticing , we circle back to how far the onus for pushing social boundaries and bringing taboo topics to light falls on the actor and director of a drama series . Khan claims that in our current industry actors and directors , every now and then , push the envelope a little further than before but these stories are hard to come by because of a lack of strong plotlines . Khan views the situation as a failure on the part of scriptwriters , who refuse to pen layered characters . “ Our scriptwriters need to understand that even an evil character won ’ t be evil in entirety ; there has to be some human element to them , something redeeming and relatable . The scripted character is so one dimensional that there is no room to maneuver . I feel like our strongest suit is romances but the second you add an extra element to the romance even some of our most acclaimed writers balk at creating a more rounded characterization . We have to learn to explore the shades of grey and only then will we be able to engage the audience better . And beyond that we need young , modern writers who understand the trials and tribulations of contemporary times ,” she states . Beyond the writers though , there is a certain lens through which the audience always views their favourite actors . Each actor amasses a loyal following based not only on their onscreen persona but also on their real life avatar , which in itself can be restrictive because toeing the line means that you ’ re possibility affecting your fan base . Does Khan , who generally has a very conservative image and chooses to dress modestly , ever feel restricted because she can ’ t explore alternate options that might lead to a backlash or drop in popularity ? “ It ’ s very diffi cult to have to do the same thing repeatedly because you know that ’ s how the audience wants to see you . It takes a very courageous actor to refuse to succumb to the pressure and take a stand for roles you believe in . As an actor you have to eventually push the boundaries for the sake of your own growth as an artist . For nearly 14 years I ’ ve played characters that I know people have wanted to see but it ’ s time now that I portray women that speak to me . I ’ m now at the point where I want roles I am passionate about , whether they go with my sweetheart persona or not ,” Khan reveals . However , the pigeonholing isn ’ t just restricted to the characters you portray onscreen . In Pakistan there ’ s backlash even for photos shared on social media or editorial shoots published in magazines . Female actors , more so than males , are subjected to harsh and sometimes even violent responses online .“ I feel sorry for people who lash out at me because they ’ re unhappy with who I am playing on screen . As far as being careful about my personal image is concerned , I can afford to play it safe because we do belong to a conservative society and people don ’ t really have a progressive mindset . But I fi nd that too less restrictive than having to play it safe on screen ,” she opines . The conversation eventually turns to our fi lm industry and its current revival . Is the direction our fi lms are taking ex-
COVER STORY
citing for Khan ?“ I ’ m very excited ,” she says . “ There ’ s a lot of passion and energy being invested into fi lms right now which is only natural because we ’ re working to rebuild the industry . But you see with fi lms there comes a great responsibility . When people criticize a drama I ’ m in I don ’ t mind ; they can simply fl ip the channel and fi nd a program they fi nd more palatable . But when it comes to fi lms , we owe it to the audience that they walk out of the theatre feeling like their time and money was well spent . So I take my fi lm roles very seriously because people are investing resources to view it ,” is Khan ’ s stance on the matter . Lastly , before she has to return back on set and continue shooting , we briefl y talk about the rise of a new breed of fashion police facilitated by social media and technology . “ First of all , for a lot of these bloggers and self-proclaimed style critics , they don ’ t know me or my story . Just because I wear jeans and speak in English doesn ’ t take away from the fact that I am a conservative person coming from a conservative background and I ’ m not comfortable exposing myself on camera or in real life . If someone doesn ’ t think I do justice on the red carpet , I really don ’ t care for their opinion . These are my values and I will not compromise on them just to make it to a best dressed list . I ’ ve been happy with all my red carpet looks so far and I also understand that my style puts certain constraints on designers themselves because there ’ s only so much variation they can inject . A repeated criticism I ’ ve faced has stemmed from the embellished ensembles I wear to events . Why can ’ t I wear embellishment ? It ’ s what our region is famous for and just because Charlize Theron wore some plain , red gown to Oscars doesn ’ t mean that that ’ s pinnacle of style . Plus my question is : who are these people sitting behind their computer screens passing judgment on my outfi ts ? What are their credentials ? Where have they studied style or worked in terms of fashion before stating that my aesthetics aren ’ t up to par ? It ’ s a very single minded approach where we ’ re constantly pandering to Western ideals of what is fashionable , whether it ties in with local craft or not becomes irrelevant . I dress for myself , for my body type and honestly for me that ’ s what style is about . Furthermore , I ’ m not here to be judged on my style ; I ’ m an actor , judge me on my body of work rather than what I wear to some award ceremony . Social media has given a voice to every idiot – that doesn ’ t mean I ’ m going to take their words to heart and change who I am over it . For me these judgments by bloggers are trash and that ’ s exactly where they go ,” she answers . Despite reaching what can only be called veteran status now , Khan still appears to be an unstoppable force ; opinionated with a strong sense of direction and an irreverence that is refreshing . We know Jeena will only serve to strengthen her credentials as an actor instead of marking it as her highest accolade .
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