“No one’s a ‘real’ celebrity in Pakistan,” said Humaima Mallick as she looked around. We met at a busy café on Zamzama, Karachi. She related how she was in Mumbai, India during Eidul Azha and was staying near Bollywood actor, Salman Khan’s residence. “There was such a big crowd that had gathered outside his house that the entire street was completely blocked,” she said excitedly. “It took me 20 minutes just to cross it.” That, in her opinion, was how a ‘real’ celebrity gets treated. Don’t worry, Humaima. If all goes well, your fans will mob you in public places in Pakistan as well.
Humaima’s Bollywood adventure!
While on the subject, she mentioned how she was alone in India during the festive occasion and missed her family terribly. “I got a phone call from Mahesh Bhatt who asked me to drop by his office on my way to the shoot,” she said. “I spoke to my director and paid him a visit on the way.” What did Mahesh Bhatt want to meet her for? To give her some eidi of course! “He told my crew that they wouldn’t understand why this gesture was important or the sentiment behind the occasion,” she added, visibly touched.
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Lovelier than ever and dressed in a simple tank top and skinny jeans; Humaima was, for lack of a better word, glowing. Her career has gone places beyond her wildest expectations. From her humble beginnings as a teenaged model to acting in a Pakistani film, experiencing super stardom and then hopping across the border to work in one of the biggest film industries in the world, Humaima has come a long way. And it’s a ride she’s not ready to get off yet. She’s just beginning to enjoy the high.
Humaima was in Pakistan on a short trip before jetting off across the border to promote her upcoming Bollywood film, Raja Natwarlal, with Emraan Hashmi. The film has been directed by Kunal Deshmukh and produced by Siddharth Roy Kapur.
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This role is radically different from the one she did in Shoaib Mansoor’s epic film, Bol, which tackles, among other issues, the misogyny rampant in society. Simply speaking, how does that even work? “I want to make films that are entertaining,” said Humaima. She’s done serious films and has proven herself in that. “People want to go to the movies and forget their problems,” she said. “Such films are light, and they make people laugh, make them come out feeling good.” She says that not every film has to be a lecture or have a lesson attached to it, adding that she’s young, she wants to experiment and she definitely doesn’t want to be boxed into a particular stereotype or category.
Her finale from Bol — in which she gives a fiery speech against societal hypocrisy, misogyny and the twisted manner in which religion is often interpreted and practised in low-income households before being hung at the gallows for murder — was one of the strongest moments from the film. “That was the first scene I ever shot,” she relates proudly.
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“Prior to that, I had no experience in acting either. I was initially considered for the role played by Iman Ali (the courtesan) and at the very last minute I got a call from Shoaib Sahib asking me to do the main character.” Not even knowing what Shoaib Mansoor looks like, she arrived at the studio in Lahore and kept asking around for him until she found him. “He handed me a page from the script and we went straight into filming!” She now looks up to the director who, she claimed, has changed her life forever.
A lot of buzz has been circulating in the media regarding her upcoming Bollywood film with Emraan Hashmi — who’s also had the fortune to star alongside another Pakistani actress, Meera. Judging only by the comments online in response to video clips and photos of Humaima dressed in provocative desi attire while doing a typical Bollywood item number, it almost seems our national ghairat has been attacked. The same ghairat feels quite secure, even smug, when a male Pakistani actor shows skin or does provocative scenes with a non-Pakistani actress.
“My character is a working woman,” she retorts, her eyes firing up in indignation. “She’s not ‘that’ kind of a woman. She’s a dancer who supports her education this way. There are a lot of women in Mumbai who support themselves like this. She dances in bars, but doesn’t do anything beyond that.” She talks about how her characters have an interesting dynamic. Hashmi’s character is a con man that is perpetually broke and her character often supports him. In some ways, she feels, this movie in its own way also helps to break gender stereotypes.
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How was the experience of working with the incredibly good-looking Emraan Hashmi? “I’ve said this in many interviews before and I’m going to say it again,” she said. “Emraan Hashmi is an incredible person. He’s a good co-actor, a good husband, a good person overall.” Among his other qualities, it’s the actor’s intelligence, according to her, which stands out the most.
Her new life requires her to do a lot of travelling and as much as she likes it, she misses her family terribly. “I make it a point to make sure I use every opportunity I can to meet them and spend time with them, even if it’s only a couple of days.”
Humaima says with a seemingly strong sense of clarity, “I’ve realised one thing. No one’s going to come and save you. You have to save yourself. No one’s going to make opportunities happen for you or move you forward in life. You have to do it yourself. I could never imagine my life could turn out this way. It did. You have to grab whatever opportunities come your way. It’s up to you.” Well said and good luck.
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