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‘There are a lot of misconceptions about us’: Mehwish Hayat proud of Pakistani culture shown in Ms. Marvel

‘There are a lot of misconceptions about us’: Mehwish Hayat proud of Pakistani culture shown in Ms. Marvel

The actor said Muslim representation shown in the West before the MCU series "frustrated" her.
07 Jul, 2022

There are two characters other than Iman Vellani’s Ms Marvel that have excited desis and those are Mehwish Hayat’s Aisha and Fawad Khan’s Hasan, Kamala’s great grandparents. And Hayat is excited about it too because she feels there are a lot of misconceptions about Pakistanis.

The Load Wedding actor appeared on an interview with Disney Central where she talked about her “mysterious” role, comparisons between Hollywood and the Pakistani entertainment industry, representation of Pakistanis and Muslims and how Vellani is playing Kamala.

Starting off with her character Aisha, Hayat said she can’t say much apart from the fact that she is “a Djinn and Kamala’s great grandmother”. You’ll have to wait for another episode to find out more about her. She was, perhaps, hinting that the fifth episode of the show is the end for her character.

Talking about shooting scenes for Ms Marvel, Hayat said most of her scenes were shot in Thailand and some in Pakistan. She called it a “wonderful experience” being a part of a big production.

“I actually lost count of the nationalities that were part of creating this whole magical journey for people to experience. But it was literally a moment of me where I was sitting there and thinking, wow, this is all real. This was a really fascinating experience for me.”

She was also asked about the difference between the Pakistani entertainment industry and her experience of working in Hollywood and the similarities between the two. “Our industry is very small and it’s still in its infancy. What we do is whatever resources we have, we try to make the best out of it. But when you talk about the biggest franchise in Hollywood, there is no comparison,” she said.

“But for me, it does not matter where I am, who I am with and what I’m working for. Once the camera or the red light of the camera turns on and I’m in front of it, it really doesn’t matter. It’s the same for me as an artist. It’s about me and the character and my relation with the camera. Be it in Pakistan, in the movies or in shows, or even when shooting for Ms. Marvel, as an artist it’s always the same but it’s what’s around [you] that makes so much of a difference.”

She explained that she learnt a lot and so much of it can be applied and implemented in the Pakistani industry, bringing improvement in what’s done here.

Drawing attention to one of the most important parts of the show — representation — Hayat confessed that as a Pakistani and a Muslim herself, she would often get “frustrated” with the way the community was “misrepresented on the screen in the West and in Bollywood”. “If there would be a Muslim character, it would always be a villain, they would always be the troublemakers, the women would be the subjugated women.”

For her, Ms. Marvel was the answer to her prayers, something that as a Pakistani and a Muslim she felt like was “needed” because she has always asked for fair and balanced portrayal and the show does exactly that. “Scenes at the mosque, words like Bismillah and Ma Sha Allah being used. Who would’ve imagined it happening? It’s headed in the right direction. Nakia being a hijabi and being very proud of it. Imagine how many girls this is representing as well as the two billion Muslims represented in the show.”

And that pride of being represented doubled in episode four of the show when Karachi was showcased. “You have no idea what it means to me and the people that live there. For Karachiites to see the Clifton Bridge, Teen Talwar, to see our beach, It’s literally a dream come true for us. It makes my heart swell with pride.”

She concluded by wishing Vellani well and said she sees a younger version of herself in her. “She has great ideas and the presence, the authenticity she brings to Kamala’s character, I cannot imagine anybody else playing that role. For me Kamala Khan is Iman Vellani and Iman Vellani is Kamala Khan forever.”

Aisha, her character, is first shown in Ms Marvel finding the bangle that contains Kamala’s powers and trying to save the Clandestines and help them return home.

Episodes for Ms. Marvel drop every Wednesday on Disney+. They are also being screened in Pakistan exclusively. Episodes 3 and 4 are currently being shown in theatres while episodes 5 and 6 will hit theatres on July 15.

Comments

SaneMind1st Jul 07, 2022 04:58pm
No misconceptions ma'am. Word thinks of us as what we are. Truly.
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Bushra Jul 07, 2022 05:47pm
Love these episodes-however there are so many students from Pakistan in different countries of the West- Germany USA a.s.o- they are the ones who really represent their culture in the west
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IRFAN Jul 07, 2022 06:00pm
She looks too much plastic!
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Farouk Khan Jul 07, 2022 06:10pm
Please ms superhero come and save us we have no money no electricity no food no water no medicine no hope.
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Johnw Jul 07, 2022 06:13pm
Yes, world knows too well about Pakistanis and their culture, and shows it's appreciation by bestowing spacial treatment to Pakistani passport holders at the airports all across the globe.
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Johnw Jul 07, 2022 06:13pm
Yes, world knows too well about Pakistanis and their culture, and shows it's appreciation by bestowing spacial treatment to Pakistani passport holders at the airports all across the globe.
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Ehsan Jul 07, 2022 06:51pm
So good to see Mahwish hayat represent Pakistan so well
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Asad Jul 07, 2022 07:36pm
@SaneMind1st You may have a low opinion but that is a reflection of yourself and not the rest of Pakistan. 99 percent of Pakistanis are decent human beings like any other place in the world.
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Christen Jul 07, 2022 08:59pm
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AHB Jul 07, 2022 10:16pm
Disappointed with episode 5 representation as a Pakistani there was no quotes from the muslim Pakistani leaders we admire but instead we get nehru and gandhi .....
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Raheel Jul 07, 2022 10:50pm
Saw all the episodes and I was touched by the story and acting. Well done to all involved in Ms Marvel.
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Huh Jul 07, 2022 11:14pm
Pathetic
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John Rushell Jul 07, 2022 11:58pm
No misconception. Pakistani themself given a lot of conception to the world how truely you are.
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Sid Jul 08, 2022 07:05am
No they aren’t misconceptions unfortunately.. it’s true they allow corrupt looters into power, it’s true the judiciary is incompetent, it’s true Pakistani people take short term views and don’t think long term, it’s true pak military pulls the strings etc etc
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Rebirth Jul 08, 2022 08:53am
After a decades of vilifying Pakistan, they have magically found some value in our culture. May we ask what made them change their minds? Are they planning an invasion of Pakistan by any chance? If so, it’ll be most likely from Baluchistan. That’s the only place that it seems like they’d be interested in invading.
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Snowman Jul 08, 2022 09:57am
I enjoyed watching it with my family, and we loved it. If you take it as a Marvel Super Hero movie, you will enjoy it. But if you try to bring in any of your imagination, you will start to question it and may not like it. But nevertheless, it s pure entertainment and helps promote our culture. So let hater hate; we continue to watch and appreciate Marvel's effort.
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