In Focus With MAHIRA KHAN

For Mahira Khan, working with Shoaib Mansoor again was quite a defining moment since her first experience with the maestro in Bol. Now six years later, post Bol, we sat with Mahira Khan and Zarrar Khan in Dubai for a quick chat to know more about their experience working on the latest project Verna and paid a bit of an ode to VJ Mahira.

“It was amazing to work with Shoaib sahab again,” said Mahira earnestly, “if you disagree with something he has in mind for the project, you end up agreeing with the thought behind it. When I disagreed, he would talk about it in such manner, and he was so good with words, which unfortunately I am not, he would simply win me over each time.”

Back then, every day we would go live and just be ourselves – it was the best thing about being a VJ.

With relatively newer names in the film industry, we asked Mahira how was it working with the cast of Verna, “the cast was great to work with. Majority of the cast was working in a film for the first time. However, I never questioned, ‘Oh no, why am I doing this?’ The scenes were not easy to shoot, it is a pretty intense film, and during such scenes, you need the support of the actor you are in frame with,” said Mahira while exchanging glances with Zarrar.

“Whether it was Zarrar, Haroon or Naimal, they all handled everything so well. In fact, there is a scene in the film that is shot on a boat, and Shoaib sahab was not with us during that scene. We shot the whole scene ourselves. We gave cues to each other and reviewed each other’s performances,” described Mahira with fervour.

Seeing Mahira’s excitement about the project, we asked her if there were any fun and memorable moments to share from the set, “I can just tell you that this is the most serious film I have worked in and the most non-serious set I have been on,” she said with a laugh.

“Sometimes the whole cast would be laughing out loud, and I would constantly worry that I will get in trouble for it. At one point, when we were shooting a death scene in the film, I was supposed to go down the stairs as the other actors awaited me. I saw Haroon giggling amongst them. I had to shut him up as it was a very intense scene and I wouldn’t have been able to shoot it in that atmosphere. Regardless, we were constantly having fun as though it was a long, on-going party.”

I have always received a lot of appreciation, and the only way to give back is to work harder.

We asked Mahira and Zarrar if they would like to change anything about their characters, to which Mahira shook her head instantly, “as a character, I don’t think I would change anything about Sara. Zarrar’s role, however, was so dark, perhaps he would tone it down, would you Zarrar?” asked Mahira as she turned to Zarrar, “No way!” said Zarrar, “I wouldn’t take anything out of Sultan, my character. It was just perfect. It was supposed to be dark and loathsome.”
“Sometimes, Shoaib sahab would say ‘this persona is so you’ which I am not at all,” Mahira continued, “But I feel it was his way to encourage us.”

“I think it is a very positive thing to hear as an actor when the director actually sees the character in you,” added Zarrar.

Seeing the spirited discussion between Mahira and Zarrar, we wondered if the chemistry and relationships shown in the film were transpired by onset friendships?

“To be honest, Zarrar and I were not friends before this film, and we wouldn’t talk much. That really helped us,” Mahira said, smiling, “had we been friends, we would have gotten comfortable, which was not needed for our roles. We didn’t even rehearse lines together. We would just appear in front of one another and perform. Now, we are friends of course.”

As we reminisced, we asked Mahira if there is anything she misses about being a VJ and if there is something she wishes she could incorporate into her profession as an actor. She beamed as we glided her into the past and said, “You know as a VJ, I was so honest. I think I still try to be honest. You see, that VJ was me,” she said, leaning back into her chair with a big smile, “obviously, we change with time, but even now when I do interviews, the VJ side of me comes out, and I as a person come out.”

“Back then, every day we would go live and just be ourselves – it was the best thing about being a VJ. People would either appreciate you, for being you or not. I don’t miss it now because I think when I give interviews today, I am myself, and that is why I enjoy going for interviews; I can say what I want and be candid.” She explained.

In the end, we asked Mahira if she has any message for our readers, to which she pleasantly replied, “I hope you enjoy reading the interview. I would like to take this opportunity to thank and send lots of love to all the readers. I have always received a lot of appreciation, and the only way to give back is to work harder. I promise never to give up.”