Zara Shaikh
With his large glasses and crumpled, light blue shalwar kameez that I have yet to see him outside of, Khawar Riaz looked unlike the genius behind 'Tere Pyar Main'. While she, with her 22 inch waist, made to look even smaller by the dresses Khawar designs especially for her and her teasing walk, looked astonishingly like the Zara Sheikh one saw on screen.
Khawar and Zara – looking at them, you wonder at the scandals the Urdu press has been ripe with ever since the release of Tere Pyar Main until you notice how Khawar fusses over Zara, leaving his assistants to deal with the other models – until you realize how the tantrums that film producer Shazad Gul mentioned cease, the moment Khawar steps into the picture. It is then that you start to wonder whether theirs is the simple doting relationship of a photographer with his favourite pupil or – a purely professional relationship which has proved to be symbiotic for both as the grapevine claims 'a liaison along the lines of Syed Noor and Saima'.
One would be inclined to believe the 'liaison theory' if it wasn't for Khawar's talk of moving ahead from Zara and for his enthusiasm over the new girl he is thinking of launching – a damsel called Saira, with nice pouty lips and a somewhat baby like face. Not much competition for Zara at this stage but then you never know – Khawar has been known to turn girls into heroines so one shouldn't be surprised if Sangeeta's next venture stars Saira. It seems as if despite all that others are saying, Khawar is bent on graduating from Zara Sheikh like he once graduated from Gia Ali.
The hard-to-get attitude that Zara is currently trying the patience of film producers with, was once used to try Khawar's patience – this was two years back when he was trying to convince Zara to model for him. A chance shoot in an Urdu publication brought her into his eyes; just like with Gia, Zara's pictures made him feel that she would be a great platform for him to portray his work from. Then followed a Tom and Jerry chase which lasted for a year and a half and took him all over Lahore, from late night parties to afternoon trips to the shopping malls until eventually he managed to pin down the young lady.
Straightaway Khawar told her that if she agreed to stick by him for a year or two, he would turn her into the next Aaminah Haque. For a no-repute, no-earnings Urdu model, she was hardly putting anything at stake by saying yes to him and so yes it was. Looking back, she now refers to it as a 'blessed decision'.
A month or so of gruelling training – some inches were shed, a lot of facials were done – and Zara was ready to hit the market. Instead of going slow and steady with her, Khawar straightaway pushed her on the covers; a year later, when the name Zara Sheikh was just making the ear drums of a few major designers vibrate, Khawar decided it was time to move her on.
He made sure that Shazad Gul saw Zara when she was all decked up in her finery – Shazad Gul (who Zara now playfully refers to as her mom) describes their first meeting in these words;
"On seeing her, I was immediately struck by her unique beauty and typical Eastern features. Later on, conversing with her I was pleased by her good-nature and mannerisms but all this would not have prompted me to place an entire film on her shoulders had Khawar not assured me that he was confident she would be able to live up to the challenge."
After having worked with her, I have come to the conclusion that Zara has a good future ahead of her in this industry and as long as she has Khawar behind her, the camera will continue to love her. A mite unprofessional in her attitude, a few tantrums here and there but no major problems and a lot of dedication makes her an ideal choice for most producers – especially those who can afford her.
At this point in time, Zara is stuck in a dilemma – after refusing twenty six films, she has now been offered two that are both making her mouth water. One is Shazad Gul's next venture which revolves around the daughter of an airforce person and the second is Samina P's love polygon which has four boys all interested in Zara. The problem is that both films are to be shot on the same dates and Zara knows herself well enough to be aware of the fact that she'd never be able to concentrate on both films at the same time – thus, one has to be refused, but which one? If she says 'No' to Shazad Gul then she risks moving out of the good books of one of Lollywood's most powerful men, on the other hand, it has always been her dream to work on a Samina Peerzada project. Whichever way she goes, you can bet on it that Khawar Riaz will be part and parcel of her contract.
But another film and more shoots aren't the only thing occupying Zara's future plans – there is talk and pretty serious talk of our young damsel branching out into singing. She has already given a performance at Yusuf Salli's haveli where she accompanied Khawar and Ali Haider for a Basant night celebration; on a special request from Yusuf himself, Zara agreed to an impromptu performance. Those who were there are still raving about her husky voice and Malika Pukhraj-like expressions.
According to Zara, a future album with Ali Haider is in the pipeline;
Why Ali Haider?
" Because he asked me first."
But why do you want anyone to ask – why can't you just take the plunge on your own? "Because I don't think I'm famous enough to be able to ensure the success of a solo album". Is she just being modest or has Ali made a too-good-to-refuse deal?
It seems as if things are flowing along pretty smoothly for young Zara Sheikh right now – during this interview alone, Khawar received a call from a TV producer willing to offer Rs. 40, 000 for a long play requiring only a day's commitment from Zara. If this is her current going rate, God only knows where she'll end up after she wins a National award.
But the question now is why, if life is being so good to her nowadays, is she smoking like a chimney? During the few hours I spent with her, she smoked at least six if not seven cigarettes. Zara claims that she started smoking recently, after the release of her film to be more specific.
"I know a lot of models start smoking because they want to kill their appetite but with me, I had to with the tensions that were suddenly invading my life and the company I was hanging out with. When everyone around you is smoking, you end up picking up the habit too – right chanda," chanda being Zara's favourite word and she uses this ruthlessly for anyone ranging from a journalist to a make-up artist to a fellow model lighting a cigarette for her.
But isn't she afraid of the nicotine damaging her skin?
"That is the only factor which restrains me from lighting a new cigarette. I'm unbelievably finicky about my skin and don't even bother doing make-up if I'm not working. My skin is my biggest asset and I take care of it in the same spirit."
And what would your biggest flaw be?
"My figure? I wish I had more curves."
When we put your assets and flaws together, do you think we end up with a product that is beautiful?
"I'll say you'll end up with a product that satisfies the requirements of the modelling world but that is from nowhwere Miss World material."
And who do you consider as Miss World material?
"Meera and Aaminah Haque."
Khawar Riaz and Mekaal (the male model accompanying us) groan and get Zara all flustered up to which, she replies;
"Well, I actually meant Vinny,"
Vinny and Aaminah – there is a big difference there, a difference of many inches if I am not mistaken.
Is there anything in her short career that Zara regrets so far? Any project that she wishes she had not said yes to? The Jazz ad campaign for instance;
"No, I don't regret that campaign at all – true the maulvis did give it a lot of bad publicity and some people pointed fingers at me but overall, I think the campaign managed to make some important statements about liberalism in a democratic society and I'm glad to have helped make them. As far as the maulvis' point of view is concerned, even if they did have some sensible arguments on their side what I fail to understand is why did they just find fault with the Jazz billboard – how come they never object to the half nude women painted outside cinemas. If the Jazz board is un-Islamic then so are those boards?" [Point taken, Zara]
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