She’s sassy, witty, a fireball of entertainment who is being applauded for her distinctive negative portrayal in the hit drama series ‘Nand’, as it comes to an end. Javeria Saud has been one of the most grounded and may we say immensely talented artists to have come out of this industry whose production house JJS Production has also presented some brilliant works of art.
Social Diary had the pleasure of talking to this beautiful and brilliant star who shares how she came into the world of entertainment and how Gohar isn’t going to be the only negative role she is going to take on:
SD: Share with our readers how did you get into the world of acting
Javeria: It was PTV’s producer Naheed Hasan Zaidi who had first introduced me to this field. It was in 1993 when I took part in her Naat shows and afterwards, I had acted in her programmes as well. This progressed me towards doing my first serial in 1995 and the rest as they say, is history.
SD: You remain one of the most versatile actresses of our industry, how do you keep going forth, ignoring the ‘ugliness’ that comes along the way?
Javeria: No matter whichever field you choose, you will face your share of negative people with negative energy. However, the opposite stands true as well. You also come across those who encourage you and boost your morale. So how we welcome the goodness, the positive vibes, I feel you need to embrace the negativity of people and criticism with the same strength through which you affirm your positive stance. Also, I feel ignorance doesn’t get you going every time in a situation. Sometimes you need to say it as it is and be able to answer back when the situation calls for it.
SD: How would you say the drama industry has progressed through the years?
Javeria: As I recall my work in PTV, in those early days, I can say the work done was of utmost quality. Nowadays if we see the drama industry, I would say that there is good work done alongside not-so-good. But it’s great to see such great talent emerging along the way. The progress is also going upscale, allowing us to present work with new storylines and vibrant characters.
SD: What remains the most special role till date for you and why?
Javeria: It has to be ‘Jameela’ from ‘Yeh Zindagi Hai’. It was the ultimate role which gave me so much love and respect from viewers. You can also call it our first child and it was the first soap which ran for 6.5 years successfully, while sustaining its high rating throughout.
SD: How has the pandemic affected your work and how did you make the most of your time?
Javeria: It affected my work much like everyone else’s. We had to halt productions as TV channels, artists and producers have all been impacted by this uncertainty. But thankfully, things are steadily getting better and as soon as we get the money from channels, we shall kickstart where we left things off. I have also started my own YouTube channel through which I also carried successful Ramadan special transmissions and cooking shows; these kept me busy and happy.
What remains more satisfying and closer to your heart- acting or producing?
To be honest, I don’t have much of a role in the production department as Saud takes care of most of it. However, I am also a writer besides being a producer and actor. And if I compare my writing skills to my acting chops, I would say both fall in the same framework as nothing beats being able to act out what you wrote yourself. But yeah acting is definitely close to my heart.
SD: How did you take on such a negative role for the drama serial ‘Nand’?
Javeria: I had never done a negative role before in my life. But when Big Bang approached me; Dr.Ali Kazmi and Arsalan told me how Faiza Hasan had been carrying this specific role and how they wished for me to continue on the same as she had to leave the role; for a while I was perplexed if I would be able to carry it with the same fervor and commitment as Faiza did, but it was the relentless support of Saud and the affirmed faith and trust of Dr.Ali, Fahad Mustafa, and the director ‘Zeeshan’ which allowed me to take on this challenge. I had trust in my own abilities too as I took on this role to not break and disappoint the people who believed in me too. Alhumdulilah I am content as people loved and accepted me in this role. I was majorly worried about it. But when I came, people forgot that Faiza was in it, much in the same way how they wouldn’t have been able to comprehend anyone else in Faiza’s role earlier.
SD: How did it feel to gain so much recognition for a character which people loved to hate and many actors in mainstream, wouldn’t have taken on?
Javeria: The whole team welcomed me with open arms and when my fans accepted me with open arms, it was a huge bliss. I would say the chance to portray a negative, rather a psychotic and weird character was truly fun. I had never done it before and it was a journey every step of the way. One thing is proven from my negative portrayal in Nand- you don’t need to adapt the role of the perfect heroine to get appreciation for your hard work. The villain can steal the spotlight too! After Jameela, if there’s any other character which people have tagged my name too, it has to be Gohar from Nand. Indeed, it has been an amazing experience.
SD: What other projects you have going on for 2021?
I am currently doing a web series for UrduFlix. It is yet again a negative role. It is going by the name ‘Auratgardi’ in which I have a very solid character. I am sure people will also love to hate this one. I look forward to seeing the response of my viewers.
In a Glance:
