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FIRST PERSON: On cloud nine
By Samia Ahmed
In TV Sadia Imam looks like a gorgeous young woman — a gorgeous intelligent young woman who seems to know the tricks of the trade and knows she’s got what it takes to be on top. But when at ease, she’s a child. Everything she does is innocently childlike; the way she speaks, rolls her round black eyes in exasperation, smiles her toothy shy smile, puts up her thick black hair in a nest-like knot. There’s no other way to describe her. Meeting her the first time, we hardly spoke. I just remember her candidly telling everyone about a shoot, in her typically vivacious tone, where she told the make up artist that she’d rather do her own makeup and later felt like a fool when she found out that the company sponsoring the show was owned by the make up artist herself. Now they’re the best of friends and laugh at this little joke aloud. That’s just the way she is, outspoken and pretty sure of herself, even if sometimes she puts her foot in her mouth.
Sadia’s association with the media has been a long journey. She started doing radio shows from Islamabad (her hometown) when she was in sixth grade. When her sister, Aliya Imam, started doing TV plays, that’s when Sadia was discovered. And surprisingly enough the one to spot her was a Karachiite, the famous image maker, Nabila. And one fine day Nabila called, and the official tele-operator of the family, as she’s the youngest, Sadia answered the phone.
She did Uljhan with producer Kazim Pasha for Karachi TV, and was encouraged by many to keep appearing on the screen. ‘I never thought I was pretty enough to come on TV but Nabila gave me the confidence to do so’
“I had no idea who she was, and when she told me, I couldn’t believe it,” recalls Sadia, replicating the same excitement in her voice and face.
In the tenth grade at the time, Sadia did her first ever shoot with Nabila and Tapu Javeri. And after one and a half years Sadia got her first break, a commercial for a tea brand that led her to the city of lights, Karachi.
“I came for three days but I ended up staying for five years”, says Sadia. Now she is more attached to the city then ever. “That’s because most of my family is here”, she says and judging from the strong bond with her sister and regular calls on the cell phone from home, she seems to be a secure family person.
“My father is very liberal with all of us. He used to say that girls are like springs; the more you try to squeeze them the harder they’ll recoil. Thus his attitude towards us has always been lenient and we know our limits.”
Following her heart, Sadia recognized her own aptitude and kept on working. President of the Dramatic and Poet Society in College, she always had an interest in acting. Her first interaction with TV was through Zaheer Khan. She did Uljhan with producer Kazim Pasha for Karachi TV, and was encouraged by many to keep appearing on the screen.
“I never thought I was pretty enough to come on TV but Nabila gave me the confidence to do so.”
But one would not be able to tell that even now, before a shoot, she gets nervous for a split second and prays to God to make everything go smoothly. However in front of the camera, everything is a breeze for Sadia. She has worked with all the gurus on the media scene and has seen all types of directors.
“I found it a little difficult to work with Anwar Maqsood, because he expects a lot from the artist. The grammar and the pronunciation has to be perfect and you just cannot manipulate the dialogue to your liking because it seems perfect,” says a starry-eyed Sadia remembering the time when she did the play Colony 52. “It was probably the best serial of my life.”
That doesn’t come as a surprise because Sadia got plenty of accolade for the role where she portrayed a simple yet brazenly strong woman, engulfed with decisions that involved her family and her true love and the sacrifices she makes in the process.
“The most fun I have is when I get a really good line to say. It brings out expressions that breathe life into the scene and that of course is good acting.” Apart from acting and a myriad of other activities, Sadia has a solid interest in music and dance. “Hai kash mein gaa sakti”, sighs Sadia in classic ‘Zeba’ style, wondering why she is so out of tune. She may not be able to sing but she can certainly move. Those who witnessed a recently held Eid show by BMN got a pleasant shock when they saw her perform on stage, dancing to the beat of a classic Noor Jehan song, choreographed by Papu Samrat.
“I did it because of its novelty and also because no other TV actress had ever done it before. It was great,” says Sadia exuding excitement.
Her first love will always be TV. “I’ve tried everything, radio, compering, coordinating shoots, designing clothes, but nothing is better than TV.” Her progression as an artist does not come to a halt with acting. She has ventured into the realm of ‘behind the camera’ with a long play she wrote herself called, Khiza ko bahaar kaisay karon that went on air two years back. Sadia also disclosed a little bad habit of hers.
“I hate anything that has to do with physically writing things, like taking notes etc. That’s why I always got into trouble at school for not doing my homework. But writing a play is something different, it’s not a task, it’s an expression of your ideas.”
Since then she has been experimenting and has recently stepped into the director’s boots as well. Her latest project is called Tapish produced by herself and Azhar Abbas, and planned to go on air in April. Also on the platter is another serial called Kachi neend kay khwab written by Zubair Abbasi but named by her. She will be producing and directing it as well.
At the moment life couldn’t be better for her. She has a flight to catch for Malaysia where her latest serial is being shot, when she returns, she will start her own production and... “The biggest blessing for me is that God has given me such an identity. It’s all I ask for.”
And how about a life partner? I ask the hopelessly romantic damsel about the rumours that have been floating around.
“It’s a hazy image of a face that hasn’t appeared yet,” smiles Sadia and gazes off into space with a dreamy look that says it all.
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