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After working 25 years in the business, I have become exhausted, says Mehreen Jabbar

After working 25 years in the business, I have become exhausted, says Mehreen Jabbar

"In countries where this industry is flourishing you won't be able to function if an actor says that I can only come after 1pm."
Updated 18 Nov, 2020

“After working 25 years in the business, I have become exhausted,” says Mehreen Jabbar.

I don’t find this confession surprising — especially since Mehreen has opted to tread unlikely paths in these 25 years. Her repertoire extends from critically acclaimed films to poignant, impactful stories in dramas. It must truly be exhausting trying to stand apart from the vacuous formulaic content that channels and producers prefer, the sort of content that brings in high ratings, but ends up being forgotten within days.

“I don’t want to direct a drama which will get ruined because a channel wants to extend it by several hours. I just want to tell stories in the best way possible without unnecessary elongation or gimmickry," she continues. "If a story is best told within five to six episodes, then so be it. If 30 episodes are required, I’ll work with that as well.”

TV channels, of course, like to maximise on revenue from advertisements, by carrying on with a drama for at least a whopping 30 episodes, regardless of how unnecessary they are. The story is stretched out thin, with the aid of flashbacks and long, emotional scenes and, then, some more of the same.

What is an alternate path, then?

I ask Mehreen how she plans to get any work at all if she opts to be so succinct with her direction?

With two web-series already ‘on air’ and another on the way, it seems director Mehreen Jabbar is more enamoured these days of the freedom to explore new genres. Why has she stopped doing television dramas?

“That’s exactly what my mother says!” she laughs. “How will you earn, she asks me.”

Jokes aside, Mehreen Jabbar, with her trained directorial eye, can never really be short of work, can she? She has carved a reputation for herself which commands respect and, sooner or later, projects to her liking do come her way.

It is, in fact, to discuss her most recent collation of work that I’m meeting Mehreen while she’s in Karachi. She flies back home to the US in a few more days, while two of her projects will start streaming out.

One of them is the web-series Ek Jhooti Love Story (EJLS), which has now released on the online streaming platform Zee5, and has been winning rave reviews. The series consists of 18 episodes because this was all that the story required, says Mehreen.

There’s also the flippant Candi Meray Dost Meray Yaar Season 2 totaling up to merely seven episodes. In the same spirit of brevity, the web-series Wehm, which releases on the digital media platform Rinstra, tentatively by the end of this year. That one is a psychological thriller consisting of five episodes of 10 minutes each.

Quality of content and what goes on behind the curtains

Recalling a bitter experience from three years ago, Mehreen says, “The last drama serial I directed was Dil Kya Karay, back in 2017. It was originally supposed to be 24 episodes long and got completely destroyed when it was extended to 30.”

And yet, longwinded, heartrending storylines keep raking in ratings, I point out. It’s obviously an argument that Mehreen has encountered often and she has her answer ready: “TV can still air out its morbid dramas. It’s understandable that producers will want to work on projects that will be profitable for them. But if you offer people junk food, that’s all they are going to eat. Why not add other things to the menu as well?"

"If there are five stereotypical storylines, why can’t the other five try to be different? I don’t believe that creative content should be banned at all but I do think that the Pakistani audience should be given alternatives."

The experience of working on a web-series

"In countries where this industry is flourishing you wouldn’t be able to function if an actor says that ‘I can only come after 1pm’. The rest of the cast has to sit around waiting. It’s insulting to the craft to say that you can’t wake up even when you’re being paid for it!

“And it’s not like the writers and actors don’t want to work on different projects. The channel heads are just so limited in their vision that they don’t want to try anything different.”

Was working on a web-series less restrictive? “It gave me the freedom to explore new genres that channels may not consider viable right now,” she says.

Did it also give her the chance to work with less censorship? “The freedom to show skin or use abusive language is only needed if a project requires it. I wouldn’t unnecessarily add it to a script just because I’m working for the web rather than mainstream TV."

“There was also no pressure to cast stars or Insta-stars, as is often the case in television. I could choose my cast according to whoever I felt suited the roles. I made my selection based on the actors who I knew would perform well and also who were available on the dates that we were shooting."

"There was this fantastic camaraderie on the set with everyone sharing a great rapport. And fortunately, I didn’t have to deal with divas who were obsessed with hair or make-up and wanted their food ordered separately, from a luxury café, while the rest of us had biryani!”

It surprises me that Mehreen has had to deal with such airs and graces from young actors, especially since most of them seem so entranced by the notion of working with her. I ask her to share some horror stories and we launch into a rant on actors’ lack of punctuality.

As an interviewer, it is something that I have faced often while dealing with the newer lot of stars, but it is shocking that a director of Mehreen’s calibre has had to endure similar experiences.

Actors' disregard and a lack of punctuality

“Thankfully I haven’t had to deal with too many divas,” she says. “However, I do feel that there are those from whom the project is supremely important and they make sure that they are prepared. They come on time. They don’t make irrational demands and they are deeply invested in what’s happening on set at the time."

"Then there are those who are talented and are stars as well but who give little value to punctuality and are always on the phone or involved in many other projects at the same time. All I require from my team is that they give a project their very best and are punctual, respectful and willing to work with each other.

“The timing issue is really rampant,” Mehreen adds. “I had to let go of one actress because of it. In countries where this industry is flourishing you wouldn’t be able to function if an actor says that ‘I can only come after 1pm’, or making a fuss if the call time is 7am or 8am. The rest of the cast has to sit around waiting. It’s insulting to the craft to say that you can’t wake up even when you’re being paid for it! You can do an entire feature on this,” she suggests.

No one would be willing to name names considering that most current day stars have problems with punctuality, I point out. “You’d run out of printing space if you started naming names!” she agrees. "It’s not like the writers and actors don’t want to work on different projects. The channel heads are just so limited in their vision that they don’t want to try anything different.”

We move on to the fact that she has worked recently with Zee 5, an Indian online streaming platform that has spread its wings into Pakistan. Considering that creative collaborations with India have historically been thwarted by politics and are unable to last the long haul, does she feel that Pakistan’s equation with Zee 5 has promise?

“We’re all working together in good faith,” she says. “I’m a firm believer in cultural collaborations. Storytelling brings nations together and Pakistanis creating content for Zee 5, including myself, have been focusing on telling local, organic stories, working with local talent. There’s nothing wrong about that. Despite the ups and downs in the past, we have to remember that it was the Zee Zindagi channel which showcased Pakistani dramas to the Indian audience and opened the doors to a new industry for so many Pakistani stars.”

Will she be working on more projects with Zee 5? Mehreen can’t confirm at this point.

Also, will her next project also have a lighthearted, feel-good narrative? It seems to me that Mehreen has had a change of heart, diverting from the serious, heavy duty stories told by a Daam, a Rehaai or a hard-hitting Ramchand Pakistani and moving on to romance, lilting soundtracks and social commentaries simmering between the lines.

“I don’t know,” she laughs. “I can’t really define my work and I can’t say that I won’t work on a more serious storyline in the future. From 1994 onwards, I have told so many different stories. They just have to be compelling.”

This piece was first published in Dawn, ICON, November 15th, 2020

Comments

ahmed Nov 18, 2020 11:22am
the content departments of major TV channels comprise mainly of ex digest editors. They know no world outside the saas bahu tussle or the infidelity trope.
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Moeen Nov 18, 2020 01:09pm
I would like to see more of her work on web series. Keep rolling please.
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M. Saeed Nov 18, 2020 02:19pm
Pakistani drama serials are serial killers of the livess of Pakistani audience. To see an episode of 25 to 30 minutes, they have to see advertisements of almost equal time thus consuming the lives of the viewers to wait doing nothing, equal to that time for advertisement , which are often repeated 4 to 5 times during a single break for ads. It needs to be officially regulated by law to a maximum of 5 ads of 30 seconds each, in each break.
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Riazullah Baig Nov 18, 2020 02:27pm
She is awesome!
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M. Emad Nov 18, 2020 02:50pm
Pakistan's film industry almost dead --- revival process not so successful.
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NYS Nov 18, 2020 07:02pm
Way to go Mehreen your work means for mass who want to watch even web series amidst their family members a big affirmative nod for your work .
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Fast comment Nov 18, 2020 07:26pm
Qualitatively her work is excellent, but quantum is very low. Still she got exhausted. Perhaps begin some health supplements or vitamins.
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well-wisher Nov 18, 2020 08:12pm
Mehreen, do what makes sense to you today. Business plans can and should change. Give to audiences what they want without imposing. You have a footprint in the industry and your talent is well known.
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Sab Se Pehle Pakistan Nov 18, 2020 09:25pm
She can join her Father Javaid Jabbar. Her Father made milliond through his NGO. It is a profitable business.
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Omar Nov 18, 2020 09:46pm
Sounds like a quitter. Movie and film industry is for tough people. Rather than make excuses should work harder and make things happen. Too much negativity and pessimism.
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Ayub Khan Nov 18, 2020 10:50pm
Thanks you are an intelligent director . you have got a very smart deep understanding all about your subject . you are a very focused woman in your creative vision . I wish you all the Best . Be FOCUSED AND BE SUCCESSFUL if you really Love your Passion and keep going on in advance . Best Regards
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Ayub Khan Nov 18, 2020 11:19pm
i wish you all the best . Pleas going on . you are a very much passionated woman in your subject deep understanding . Hope every thing is going well in your life . you are a very talented woman like your Father . Thank
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Honorliving Nov 18, 2020 11:49pm
@Sab Se Pehle Pakistan Why such callous comments. Please take them back. Baanhn Beli has done a lot for the people of Thar. I remember JJ driving his blue Honda Civic through Nursery while he was a senator in the 80's. He is a among the few gentle man we have in politics and media.
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ambreen Nov 19, 2020 12:23am
Pakistani awam have a real prblm with punctuality. Only if they understand that the nation can be much better if people start the days early and wrap up early (be it businesses or shadi functions). Sarey ka sara system hi messed up hai they even forget our religion teaches us punctuality !!! Sad so sad
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Annie Nov 19, 2020 01:04am
I love Mehreen Jabbar. She has produced very thought provoking dramas with strong female characters. From Malaal, Daam, Vasl going back to her telefilms that she produced in late 1990s. And she is right about the industry being run by narrow minded people who only want ratings and caricatures of people's lives without making any meaningful impact.
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RationalBabu Nov 19, 2020 03:38am
@ambreen every religion teaches good things, sadly it’s people who choose to omit and misinterpret certain teachings!
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Haroon Rashid Nov 19, 2020 09:39am
Already compelled?
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Ayub Khan Nov 19, 2020 09:16pm
@Ayub Khan Please Keep going on with my Best Wishes ..Stay Blessed . you are a very talented Media woman from your deep insight , Best Regards
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N abidai Nov 20, 2020 07:52am
The talented director like her should help in establishing professionalism, since Pakistani entertainment industry is still developing !
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