Faiza Saleem, renowned comedian and actor, is a one woman army who is making waves in the industry! Lets see what she has to say about all things related to her personal and professional life! 
Please tell us about your background, education, family, dob.
I am a lawyer turned comedienne based in Karachi. I was born and raised here and I am the youngest of four siblings. After finishing my LLB, I practiced law for a year but went into doing comedy full time shortly afterwards.
How have you developed humour in your personality?
I think you have a sense of humour that’s in born but you develop skills to enhance it and make it public.
What drew your attention towards mimicry and hosting as a profession and giving social welfare messages through it too?
I think it was connected to me having done law. When I was practising I always hoped to make a difference and I believe that I can do the same with my comedy. Hosting is something I like to do and think I’m good at doing as well. It’s not always comedic but I enjoy hosting a lot.
How were you discovered by high end brands to promote them through your profession?
My videos going viral helped me get noticed. I also have good communication skills and know how to deal with brands and clients in a professional manner. That spread the word about my work and if a brand comes to me once they almost always come back to me again as well. Allhamdullilah.
Hurdles in any field cannot be ignored. What difficulties you have to face in Pakistan, keeping in mind your distinctive profession?
I think it’s an ongoing journey. Every phase has its own hurdles. Often people don’t even understand what I do and it’s hard to explain. Sometimes I think about my work and it’s uniqueness and I get that it’s not easy to digest. But there are hurdles of various kinds from social media trolling to deciding whether to work with a brand or not to staying relevant over the years.
Whom do you take inspiration from?
I take inspiration from all kinds of people. People who have made their mark Despite all odds. I admire a lot of people but I like to be my own person and don’t enjoy comparisons even with people I really admire.
You are vocal about your opinion about celebrities/ politicians. Did anyone ever threat you or any spat worth sharing?
I’m vocal but I’m also respectful. If there are issues, I believe in one on one discussions instead of naming and shaming each other all the time. And I also understand now, more than I did earlier that everyone will not like me or agree with me and that’s cool.
Similarly, any criticism by any celeb ever?
Celebrities have mostly been nice to me. People in mainstream media have usually supported me and cheered for me. I just wish there were better TV and film characters to play in comedic roles .
How do you tackle critics and their cynicism?
I try not to let it get to me. If it’s constructive, I’ll think about it and see if I can improve. If it’s destructive, I will respond in a manner I deem fit. Like I said, I’m okay with everyone not liking me.
Describe your typical work routine.
During the pandemic I write at night, coordinate with clients during the day and shoot and edit in the evenings. I also have online rehearsals at night. I’m always busy with either working, thinking about work like my next project or coordinating with people.
A lot of people want to know the secret behind creating humor out of normal situations too! Would you like to share? Also tell us, in real life, are you a serious person or a jolly one?
There’s no secret. It’s about knowing your area of expertise and constantly reinventing it. I try not to bore my audience and I keep it real. That’s all. In real life, I have a lot of friends and I’m close to my family. I’m mostly a jolly person but I’m also serious and tend to overthink a lot. I’m quite emotional actually.
Share with us a typical day of yours.
There’s no typical day in my life. All days are different to one another. But work and spending time/speaking with my husband and mom are important parts of every day.
How do you keep a balance between work and family life?
I took on fewer gigs after I got married so I could settle in. I makes sure Abuzer and I have dinner together and that i call friends and family members if I can’t meet them. I also try to do small things every now and then to remind my loved ones that I may be busy but I’m here for you.
What can you tell about the next project of yours?
It’s videos for a number of brands for now but once the pandemic is over I’ll be back to doing shows and travelling for work.
2 things people do not know about Faiza Saleem?
That I’m quite emotional and also take on a lot of stress. People close to me know but someone who doesn’t know me well wouldn’t know the extent of either of the two.
Aspiring comedians and hosts should take care of what basic thing? Any tips for them?
That they’re not ripping off other people’s ideas and content and have their own unique voice. Consistency is also key.
Any message you want to share with your fans through the platform of our magazine?
Be yourself. I can not emphasise enough on that. There’s no one like you so make sure you dont try to become someone else yourself and lose your originality.
