LAHORE: The three-day Faiz Festival being held at the Alhamra Art Centre, The Mall, concluded here on Sunday amidst thought-provoking sessions, music performances and a big turnout of visitors.
The festival had jam-packed halls for almost all the sessions. The visitors, especially children, took a keen interest in Rafi Peer Theatre’s puppetry performances.
In a session titled Wo Log Bauhat Khushkismat Thay, moderated by TV host and actor Tauseeq Haider, the panelists,Asif Raza Mir, Simi Raheel and Daniyal Raheel, discussed whether actors push or pressurise their children to join their profession and do the second-generation actors feel any pressure to come up to the expectations of their parents.
Haider shared with audience that often the artistes, in their drawing room discussions, that actors’ children get the work in the industry easily, but this is not that simple.
Simi Raheel said that actors’ children do get inspired by their parents’ discussions about their profession, but it’s not necessary that they choose the same field. She said she was also an educationist and it was good that institutes such as the National College of Arts are teaching film and television as subjects to young students.
Asif Raza Mir said that parents want their children to grow but they have freedom to choose their profession. However, if actor’s children opt for their parents’ profession, they naturally face the pressure of comparison.
To a question, he admitted nepotism in the industry in certain cases, adding that but camera does not forgive and expose whether you know acting or not. “So sifarish, as a matter of fact, don’t work [in the showbiz].” Mir said that usually producers resort to nepotism, but it is difficult on the part of actors. To another question from the audience, Mir said that most often the nepotism is found in politics.
Moneeza Hashmi said it’s a huge compliment that she is the daughter of Faiz, but this also brings responsibility with it, the inner responsibility, she added.
Published in Dawn, February 16th, 2026
