Written by: Haroon Shuaib
Posted on: April 27, 2022 | 
| 中文
Samina Ahmed in drama serial 'Mera HumSafar'
A journalist while interviewing one of the finest actors of our time, Meryl Streep, remarked, ‘You’ve played so many strong women’, but was embarrassed when the three times Oscar winner retorted, ‘Have you ever said to a man, ‘You’ve played so many strong men?’
In Pakistan, a female television actor who has the same authority over her craft and who has played a multitude of roles in a career spread over five decades is the all familiar and loved, Samina Ahmed. Having proven her mettle on television, films, and theatre, Samina is still going strong with more than one super hit drama serial on air at any given point in time. She is seen essaying a central character role, often stealing the limelight from the much younger leads. Her well-rounded skills of acting further honed with her experience in production and direction. Samina’s portrayal of Zohra’s character, a village girl who challenges the feudal system in one of the most successful drama serials of PTV for all times, ‘Waris’ (1979), the best example of her acting prowess. She also played memorable roles in landmark serials such as Akkar Bakkar, Taal Matol, Alif Noon, Family Front, Dolly ki Aayegi Baraat, Suno Chanda, Aangan and Ghisi Piti Mohabbat. Currently, her serial Meray Humsafar is on air, where she is playing the role of a kind yet authoritative matriarch Riffat Ara. She has also acted in films such as Naraaz (1984), for which she won a Nigar Award, Load Wedding, Intezar (to be released), and Khel Khel Mein. Born in Lahore in 1950, Samina has done Masters in Home Economics. She was 18 when she first started working for Pakistan Television Corporation, and was awarded the President’s Pride of Performance Award in 2011.
Samina Ahmed in drama serial 'Waris' (1979)
“I always prefer to look at the script in its totality. Obviously, I don’t expect to be offered leading roles, but I make sure to only accept a character role that has something substantial to contribute to the story, and not just be a grandmother who is placed in the frame like a piece of furniture. Of course, when I was younger, I was offered leading roles and they had much more to contribute to the story, but I have always chosen my roles very carefully,” Samina elaborates during an exclusive discussion with Youlin. “I started acting in 1965, as my family had moved to Lahore from Peshawar. Television had started in Pakistan just a year earlier. People who were trying to start television in those nascent years actively scouted for talent. I did not have a problem in establishing myself as an actor on PTV. Of course, my family had some reservations about my acting on television. I was a very keen student and very fond of painting, but films also fascinated me. I was adventurous and headstrong, and a bit of a rebel! I wanted to learn everything, from cycling to driving. I was never the type to just stay at home,” she recalls with a smile.
Samina with her husband, Manzar Sehbai
“I had two choices when I finished my masters, either teach in my college or accept a very important role in a drama serial that was being produced at the Rawalpindi television center. It was a major production, was written by Bano Qudsia and produced by Uxi Mufti. My mother wanted me to have a more stable career, such as teaching or advertising, but I had started enjoying my life as an actor.” Samina takes a very optimistic view of how television drama has developed in Pakistan, and where it stands today despite numerous challenges it has faced along the way. “We are often too harsh in our criticism. We like to be too critical without giving much credit to how far we have come. We do not create and celebrate icons. We need to develop a perspective and keep in mind the context in which we operate and function. This is nothing new. When we started work in the era that you now refer to as the golden period of television in Pakistan, there was an older generation that did not approve of the way things were back then. Who knows in future we may look back at this time and say that this too was not all bad! Times have changed, as writing a 13-part serial was very different from writing 26 or 50 episodes of a serial, which is now the norm. When we talked to Hasina Moeen, she would say my stories cannot go beyond 13 episodes. We must keep in mind that now with so many channels and so many dramas being produced, not every drama can be brilliant.” With wider access to digital technology and most viewers watching dramas on the internet at the time of their choice, the viewing patterns have changed. Samina disagrees with the notion that television as a medium has lost its glory. “In Pakistan, television is still a very popular medium and our dramas are widely watched at the same time that they are aired. Most housewives do not know how to use internet to watch dramas online, so they watch them as and when they are aired. Our dramas are also very popular overseas amongst the Pakistani diaspora in such countries as Canada and the U.S.,” she adds.
Wahaj Ali, Saba Faisal, Samina Ahmed with director Ahmed Bhatti on the set of a drama serial
Coming back to her own technique of internalizing a role, Samina credits her power of observation for the realism that she portrays in the characters that she plays. “There are a few details which are laid out in the script. Then your own vision as an actor has to coincide with the director’s vision. A good script will tell me whether the role I am playing is kind hearted or graceful, and if so, to what degree. To build the rest of the character, one can use imagination and observation. I was very young when I started doing older characters. I would go and spend a lot of time with my grandmother when I was playing such a role. I would observe her body language, her gestures, her dressing sense and her walk. An actor must also put in that effort. My grandmother would often wonder why I was so keen on spending time with her all of a sudden,” she confesses with a laugh.
Bazelah Mustafa (standing at the back), Fawad Khan and Samina Ahmed in a theater play, 'The Bus That Didn't Stop'
On the portrayal of stereotypical characters of women as submissive and selfless individuals in our dramas, Samina has an interesting take: “This will not change as long as the status of women in our society does not change. These dramas are a reflection of our lives. Women are suppressed and subjugated. Why should we blame them for watching dramas that reflect the reality of their lives? I agree that we should not show graphic violence just to get better ratings. To the people who would argue that this is also a depiction of reality, I say that there has to be a difference between drama and news. The stories have to be honest, but they must be told as a work of art in an aesthetic manner and with a sense of responsibility, so that it invokes the right emotions in the viewers. Artists must improve the sensibilities of viewers while being honest in the stories we tell.” Samina is happy to note the changing trends through dramas such as Dobara and Parizad, where both the plays have broken out of the well-worn formulas and challenged societal norms of beauty and remarriage of widows. “I am a very optimistic person. These same women-centric dramas have given opportunities to some very talented artists such as Saba Qamar and Sania Saeed, and many others to make a difference and a name for themselves. Many young girls are inspired by them as individuals and by the roles they play. There is a lot that is positive but we must focus on the right things and be forward looking. It a very vibrant time and lots of good content is coming out. It is important for an actor to develop emotional intelligence and for that they must read good literature, watch good cinema, and observe good work that is being done in other parts of the world. I work with a lot of young actors all the time, and I am always amazed by how talented and dedicated they are,” Samina declares.
Young Samina Ahmed
“I want to continue acting as long as I can. Sometimes I even yearn to take up direction again, but then I remind myself that I am not getting younger. As long as people want to see me act, I will continue to act” , she concludes with a smile.
Samina Ahmed celebrating her birthday
We hope that Samina Ahmed continues to act for many years to come. Interestingly, Samina Ahmed herself will soon be making her Hollywood debut in Disney Plus serial, Ms. Marvel. Here is wishing more power to this iron lady of Pakistani drama industry.
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