How Coke Studio happened for Seemab Saqib Khan

¿Sabes qué? Buenas tardes. Back to another episode of TalkBy and Things. Ya yo meis el amor yunakh bot y khash mehman, who I've known for a good part of the last decade, I believe. मेरा इनसे वास्ता पढ़ाता है तरीके से कि I knew her sister, but I found out about her because I ran this small page on Facebook and, उधर मैंने एक, I don't even remember क्या किया था but I remember that you had one of शायद note तस्वीर केंचनी थी and you took one of the most conceptual and very very interesting photo at the time. Believe you were 17 or 18 at the time. Probably, don't remember. Very very young and I found that quite interesting और परोस्वागत हमारी जान पहचान हुई. उसके बाद I've seen you grow rapidly over the years. You've been recently, pasूरी गाना है. हां, so I was a creative associate for the season. For the entire season. Yeah, yeah. So you've been working on the sets and all of those for For songs. Koch Studio, but in that song, you can actually see her as well. इसी के साथ साथ, she's worked previously on Nescafe basement as well. So, यह जुल्फीकी team है जो basically Nescafe से flip करके दिलाई है. बिल्कुल बिल्कुल. So, she's worked on that as well. She's a communications designer. Is that the right? Communication designer. Communication designer. By degree. By degree. But she's a filmmaker now. By profession, सीमा अब्साखिल खान. Sir, thank you so much for being part of the show. Thank you so much for having me. Conversation को थोड़ा सा मैं start करूंगा. Just trying to understand,

I had a really, silent बचपन. क्योंकि I think, जब आपको होशी कुछ five, six years old में आता है. And then when I, you know, I was seven, my father was diagnosed with lung cancer. अच्छा. Yeah. तो, उस time पर obviously आपको उस 2,005 था वह और उस time पर lung cancer एक बहुत like आपको पता नहीं था कि cancer होता कि it's just a word जो बहुत scary है और पता है कि क्या ही हो सकता है. So, I remember कि वह time था and then, you know, my father was, you know, एक मेरी अम्मा और मेरी अब्बू हर जगह एक hospital से लेकर दूसरे hospital में तो they they weren't home much. And then, I remember कि एक दिन जब पता चला कि cancer है तो मैं अम्मा उन्होंने हमें बिठाया चारों बहनों को अपने गित and, you know, and she said, you know, this is what we have to go through and we have to fight it. Obviously, and then, you know, we cried a lot and then that was the last time I saw my crying for the next three years. Right. तो फिर उतना तीन साल, इस दिन ना गुज़रे and then my father passed away when I was 10. And then, उसके बाद यही था, you know, my अम्मा was handling his business. So, मेरे अब्बू का business था in अख़बी मंडी. Ok. लाहौर. What what He was a wholesaler business. उनका wholesale का business था. तो बहुत ज़्यादा. वह it was a difficult time but वह and I think वह वही कर सकती थी सिर्फ़. मतलब मैं imagine भी नहीं कर सकती कि आप एक जगह जा रहे हो जहां पर सिर्फ़ मर्द हैं. And उससे पहले वह काम कर रही थी? नहीं. So, totally from a housewife to directly like अकबर मंडी. अकबरी मंडी, very businesswoman. And the only जो अभी तक भी अभी भी कोई नहीं जाता वहां. कोई औरत नहीं गई वहां. तो she went there. Obviously, फिर ऊपर एक office बना हुआ था. She didn't used to sit नीचे but ऊपर office था मेरा बुखा, वहां she used to sit. And then eventually, पुराने workers ने भी काफी मसले करने शुरू कर दिए she had to wind it up. दो साल लग गए wind up करने में obviously मेरब्बू के बहुत amazing friends भी थे जिन्होंने help की मेरी mummy की you know to wind it up and सही तरह वहाँ से निकलने में बहुत मदद की. So that was life till, like, 13. अब फिर, you know, उसके बाद से, यही था कि, you know, obviously जब आपके parents इतने busy, you can't complain much about anything at all because Mhmm. और फिर आप अपने अंदर ही होते हो और ज़्यादा नहीं. तो जो भी था ना मेरे अंदर ही था, whatever I was, it was just sincere. Basically became very sort of हां, in a shell and sort of. ज़ाहिर

उस time के ऊपर और उस age में while other kids are talking about and and and experiencing other things, you have experienced something जो कि it's very real. It's it's not a joke, right? And and you have to see all of that.

आपकी mother ने single handedly चारों को raise किया, चारों को पढ़ाया. बिल्कुल. And now all of them are working? Yeah, all of them are working and two of them are married. And just me and my little sister who's also studying right now. ज़बरदस्त.

How much do you think that impacted what you ended up doing? Or how you sort of panned out in terms of as a, art वाली side तो एक है but as as as someone who, you know, graduated and is is actively working, is fully financially independent if I understand this correctly at this point in time and, Pakistan में बड़ा मुश्किल है. हवा तीन के लिए बड़ा बहुत ज़्यादा difficult है for two reasons. या तो वह difficult है because environment conducive नहीं है या वह बचपन से उनको जो है ना वह बनाया ही ऐसे है कि they don't feel the need to go out and बिल्कुल.

So आपके लिए वह कैसा था? अच्छा अच्छा, मैंने शुरू किया था ना तब तो यही था कि it was out of passion because I was like, मेरे करना है यह और मेरे इस्ता I think, इस सबकी वजह से यह भी हुआ कि मैं emotionally भी बहुत independent थी, you know. फिर ये हुआ कि अब जब, obviously जब time था मेरी अमीर वो busy होते थे तो चल रही थी school life सब कुछ चल रहा था. फिर then when I was, you know, after my father passed away and और जब, you know, I was, in sixth grade I think तब और उसके बाद से ना, you know, So interesting बात यह है कि मैं मैं इतना शुक्र करती हूं. लाला के जिस time मुझे दोस्त मिले ना, honestly मज़ामिल, I think I am really lucky to have the friends I have in my life. क्योंकि, I remember कि मैं हां, eighth grade मैंने repeat की मैंने class. अब मैं अकेली रह गयी अब मैं खड़ी हूँ अब मेरे से पहले तो कभी हुआ नहीं था ये तो मैं बैठी हूँ कि अच्छा मुझे को लेने आएगा okay okay ठीक है. So मैं बैठी हूँ और so एक आई teacher काफी देवाद you know she said कि you have to go to this class, this section you have to go. Said, okay, so I'm going. I mean, bestest friend जो थी she came, वह late आती थी हमेशा. अल्लाह का watch हो गया so she came late and she was with me. She said, ok, चाहो चलो, it's ok, कुछ नहीं होता. So, was standing outside AD and वह एक hallway था पूरा. So, left पर A D थी और बिल्कुल end पर उसकी ninth ninth grade थी उसकी. तो, you know, she was है उसने मुझे छोड़ा and then she walked towards the class. I couldn't go inside because एक young बच्चे के बहुत soul crushing होता है. हां. You know, you have to repeat and ऊपर से इस इस तरह के school में जो जहां पर लोग बहुत opinionated हैं जो कि obviously मैं भी होती है अगर मैं होती तो. तो, so I remember she's standing outside her class and I'm standing outside mine and I remember her looking at me. She's like, mom now, you know, just go inside. So then I went inside and, you know, यही था कि I remember she used to bunk her classes जब मेरी break होती थी because same break नहीं होती थी हमारी. अच्छा. She used to bunk for a month. She used to bunk her classes जब मेरी break होती थी. पढ़ देती तो पढ़ लेती ना. पढ़ने के हां,

वह basically वह out हुआ था system. And then so O levels, A levels, same same score? No, so I went to LGS defense for A levels. ठीक है. So, LGS defense is difficult to get into. So, you really clean up your Yeah yeah, I did, I did.

I Becan House Deputy Campus उस time पर इतना focus नहीं करता on their activities as in, you know, if someone wants to get into something, photography. किसी competitions पर debates भेजता था ज़्यादा. Debates पर focus था उनका. जो कि मेरा नहीं था तो मुझे था कि मैं वहां जाऊंगी तो better opportunities मिलेंगी मुझे. So I went there और यही हुआ कि full मैंने जान लगा दी. हर competition में मैं जा रही हूं and I mean, you know, won them, prizes और यही हुआ कि, फिर eventually जब आया time to, time for the council to be announced तो सबको पता था कि मैंने president बनना है. हाँ. Right. And then जब announce हो रहा था, I was a deputy. Another girl जिसने कुछ भी नहीं किया हुआ था ज़िंदगी में. She was the president of the society. In liberty campus? In elger defense. In elger defense. Media president society की वह, होता है ना कि बच्चे ने कुछ किया हो county की society में. No way to be found. तो मेरे लिए वह बहुत off बात थी. Then I went, you know, I said कि, कि क्या reason है इसका? Then I got to know कि her father knew the principal of the school. Right. And then I did not accept the sash because I was like, I asked her, I said if you think the I asked the coordinator, I said if you think that she deserves it more than I do, then I'll take it. And she did she did not have an answer. Right. I said then I also can't, you know, take it. And I didn't take it. So you understood उस time के ऊपर कि it's life is not that easy. It's not that easy at all. You really have to, make your way through it.

A lovers आपने graduate किया? Graduate करने के फ़ौरन बाद you started college? Yeah. University? Yeah. What was that?

Department में जाना है? तो मैंने दिल पर पत्थर के बोला, you know, communication में डाल दे. Because that was the closest option. आपकी जो बाकी बहनें हैं उन्होंने कितना degree किए हैं? Art type किए हैं Business. या

Business. You were the first artist type. Yeah, हां. Outlier in the family. छोटी भी जो है वह वह open. No, she is also doing business. She is also doing business. You are just the exclusive, only outlier. And and film का मसला यह था कि film में I think shoots वगैरह होते हैं और उसको हां, के time मेंगी छोटा अकेले होकर तो खुदा ही जानता कितना मुश्किल होगा. So more power to her. I mean माशिला सी she's raised four remarkable young ladies. मुझे ये बताएं कि what was the decision behind going to NCA first of all and and and choosing that communication design की degree. चले वह तो आपने बता दिया कि आपने flip कर दिया. So you didn't know anything about हमेश के design? I did. I was like, चलो it's closest वहां पर उसमें photography भी होती है. उसमें you know this sort of direction,

you know, कुछ layouts वगैरह. तो it also helps a lot in filmmaking some some way. तो मैंने कहा चलो the closest I can get to filmmaking is communication design. So, why not? तो then I got it. And why NCA? Why NCA? Because मुझे शुरू बचपन से मुझे था कि मुझे कुछ नहीं पता. I said I have to go to NCA. अच्छा, it was a thing. Yeah, it was a thing. Also because the kind of people I have met over the years जो NCA थे, मुझे लगता था कि वह बहुत असल हैं. Mhmm. As in like कुछ pretend नहीं कर रहे. जो हैं वह हैं, जैसे भी हैं, When did you start working, working, working? A levels. अच्छा. हां. What was God of photography शुरू की थी मैंने. कितने पैसे मिले थे उसके? पांच हज़ार.

But वह उस दुबारा में यार पांच हज़ार मिलते थे तो होता था कि यार मेरा तो scene है भाई.

You know, कि मुझे मैं कुछ मैंने कभी वह big deal थी नहीं आजकल. I don't पता नहीं. दिमाग़ ही ऐसा है कि चलो जो मर्ज़ी कर लो, it's ok. हां. तो बस कर लिया, शुरू. कभी भाई ऐसा कभी scary वह नहीं आया, moment where you felt scared as a woman? I did. एक दफ़ा I was coming an event और you know male photographer से वहां पर, पर मैं इस्लामाद आई थी उस time पर बिल्कुल यह city में और वह बिल्कुल like, you know, वह जो किया है upside पर हटे हैं. अभी एक क़में

हाँ and I think that's the thing I mean I heard of her recent incident I believe इज़ा के साथ हुआ yeah. With someone and and वो जो है ये it's a thing कि वो एक power dynamic है कि ये लड़की ये क्यों आ गया है? हम इतने बड़े king है भाई professionals है वो भी काम करे वो भी काम करे तो you have to give each other equal courtesy but I think also I have seen female photographers की एक वाही भी अलग है क्योंकि I think they learned then कि to take that space कि भाई वही आपने कहा कि ऐसी की तैसी है, I'm gonna fight back and I'm gonna make sure कि मेरा काम चलता रहे. बिल्कुल. How how do you, because I know कि आप wedding but actively कर रही हैं. How's your experience with that?

अब तो it's amazing. क्योंकि now people know कि, you know, आप एक बंदा हैं जो professionally कर रहे पता है काम किस तरह का है, तो अब तो, you know, you go there, you get the respect you deserve,

or everything goes really smoothly. And you do, a lot of conceptual type of you don't do the standard flash gun लगी हुई है और बहुत ख़सख़सख़स. You're, like, you know, really wide-wide angle के साथ अंदर घुसकर, really capturing the moment.

What was the thought behind that particular style of photography? So, मुज़ामिल जब मैंने frog free शुरू की थी, जब मैं छोटी सी बच्ची भी थी, तब भी even मुझे पसंद था कि मैं moments capture करूं as in something that किसी को लगे कि यार, you know, मज़ा आए. मेरे moment capture के with my अब्बू, with my whatever. तो Teams तो होती है कभी कभी लोग इसके लिए भी बुलाते हैं कि just photographer. You have a team now when I you do do projects but like teams try किया गया है. I know कि एक specific लोग हैं जिनको मैंने बुलाना है for events. Freelancer types. Yeah, freelancer types. Need to make a team now. It's about time. It's about time.

Recently you've you've sort of बल्कि in fact, before I go towards that,

how did Desk Cafe Basement happen for you? So, मेरी senior वहां पर काम गई थी with Giraffe, the agency. -ठीक है. Because she knew that I photograph and she's seen my work. She caught me up for a meeting.

Happened. And how many seasons did you work there? Just one. Just one. Yeah. वह BTS हुआ था. बिल्कुल. And then how how did the Koch studio thing happen? Okay. So, यह interesting बात यह है कि And also because Koch studio में are you working as a,

as an AD or as a So, I'll हां, I'll explain you कि मैंने क्या किया कोशिया. Because काफ़ी लोग बहुत confused हैं. मैं गिड़ियों में भी घुस गई हूं. मैं कहीं all over the place. So, basically I was a creative associate for the whole season. ठीक है. I Starting was off with, how did it happen in the first place? हां, so basically, मैंने अभी because fashion और film बहुत different है. ठीक है. So I knew everyone in fashion but I knew no one in, you know, film. अब वह मेरे लिए बिल्कुल zero से start था. तो I remember मेरी senior ने एक poster आई हुई थी कि, you know, I need an I need an AD for my film. ठीक है. अपनी film का मैं कुछ भी कर लूंगी मेरे पास set पर होना है. तो that's how it started. तो उस And this was an indie film for the college या no. एक proper film film थी. Festival, yeah. अच्छा. Have you heard of it or it is still No no, it's named as happy marriage Okay. By सन्ना So, yeah, ओलो ओलो मोपोलो एक media house है सरमत घुसट का. Sorry, कबल घुसट का. Right. And उनका एक festival था. ठीक है. उसके लिए वह film बनी थी. ठीक है. तो हुआ यह कि फिर मैंने उसके लिए डी किया, फिर वह एक full जान लगा दी और कि, you know, मैंने करना है दिन रात एक कर दी. So, वहां पर एक producer था उस film का. He recommended me for Cokes studio. Right. It wasn't because of Nescafe, was because of this film. अच्छा, interesting. And so, you started off as and you're working now so, you're working as a creative?

Associate for What cook studio, does that entail?

अच्छा, इसमें creative associate यह भी था कि मैं छह महीने से काम गई थी इन लोगों के साथ. हमने shoot तो तीन महीने में किया but मैं उससे पहले एक इनके साथ लगी हुई थी. So, basically जब director से हमारी meetings होती थी तो, you know, making a mood board for them and, you know, discussing कि अच्छा आगे कैसे चलेगा. फिर discussing कि हम नारे पास कौन सी stylist की options हैं, कौन सी makeup की options हैं. So basically coordinating है पूरा साथ लगता है before

this happens. बिल्कुल. And who's directing all of the is is ईशान प्रवेश directing all of them? No, different directors. There's कमाल हान, there's मृतज़ान्याज़,

there's, ईशान प्रवेश.

Yeah. Yeah. So, time यह different directors हैं. वहां पर तीन चार directors हैं जिन्होंने की है. ठीक है. अभी आपके वाला जो यह आया था बस पूरी. यह किसने direct किया? कमाल हान. Very interesting. Yeah. That song is a vibe. That that music video is a vibe. बिल्कुल. Very well done. और अभी और पूरे season में आपने उसपे वह किया है,

eight to Start a to हां, to making sure the makeup starts a time, to making sure कि artist पहुंच रहा है, कुछ नहीं पहुंचते, artist पहुंचे, artist set पर पहुंचे, सब कुछ यह करना coordinate. उसके अलावा the promo of the season was also like I was, the production head for Interesting. So, got an got a very diverse experience from this project. -Report. और आपको finally अब वह जो आपकी hunger थी हां. To really sort of understand. Exactly.

वह ख़त्म हो गई होगी. उससे पहले you you worked on fashion industry for a while and you did, like, proper shoots for Generation and other brand as well.

तो obviously a lot of personal changes happened and then, you know, इस समय आकर मुझे मुझे लगाकर like, you know, मेरी ज़िंदगी का कोई मकसद नहीं है. I felt really Aimlessly it's like a part of the cycle. बिल्कुल. हां. अब भले ही मैं अजीब बात करूंगी पर मैं

value driven उस तरह से. When it comes to films particularly, do you think are you satisfied with what's happening in Pakistan?

मुझे लगता है कि अब चीज़ें बदल रही हैं. अच्छा. अब लोगों को थोड़ा सा creative freedom भी मिला है और लोग उसको use भी कर रहे हैं. पहले बहुत मुश्किल था, even दो साल पहले बहुत मुश्किल था but I अब I feel like, you know, people are actually starting to experiment more. Mhmm. और जो उनकी stories हैं जो वह निकाल रहे हैं भाई. क्योंकि मुझे जो हमारे dramas ही बनते हैं, सब कुछ बहुत pretend हो रहा है मुझे लगता है और जैसे आप कोई भी film देखो जो अच्छी हो, उसमें realness बहुत ज़्यादा होती है. As in like या किसी किसी की भी आप बनाओ. इतनी stories हैं हमारे पास और चलिए mix. I feel like यह आपने बड़ी मज़े की बात बोली है कि Pakistan में

there is a huge discrepancy. And हमेशा में I've spoken about this in a lot of, conversations but class is a is a major. मेरे लिए बड़ा interesting होता है. I I I study that a lot कि how different classes operate in Pakistan. In Pakistan में यह होता कि you when we talk about our dramas for example. So there is our class that is going to watch Game of Thrones and and suits and all sorts of these sort of western shows. Then there is the masses which are consuming your local पाकिस्तानी dramas. जो पाकिस्तानी dramas आते भी हैं एक तो वह बहुत ज़्यादा समझ नहीं आती जितना for example शिज़ा फिज़ा वाला drama चल रहा है आपने सुना होगा. सुना है मैंने सुना है. Disconnected right? So you see a lot of this content in India जिसमें वो दिखा रहे हैं कि खोके वाली की जब कहानी दिखाएंगे ना तो वो actually खोके की गली में जाकर उसको बड़ा honest और raw बनाकर ऐसा दिखाएंगे कि मेरे लिए भी वो interesting होगा. For me aspire कर रहा कि शायद बाबू लोग ऐसे ही होते होंगे हालांकि ऐसा नहीं होता. So जो stories है ना हमारी I feel like there is a huge discrepancy and उससे ज़्यादा जो and and you know you've been properly आपने education भी ली है खैर filmएं तो नहीं ली but you have been at in those spaces and you are working in films. Do you think की Pakistan में मसला filmmakers से ज़्यादा writers का है? Because I feel like we don't have that talent. We never built that talent of actually writing the stories. बिल्कुल. जिसको आप visually represent कर सको. We have a ton of people. Cinematographers थोके तरह produce हो रहे हैं. DOPs थोके तरह produce हो रहे बिल्कुल सही बात है. जो दो areas मुझे नज़र आ रहे हैं. एक sound design डेढ़ों पैकी नहीं हो रही है मुल्क के अंदर. Right. और एक writing actual honest to god writing. मैं हवाला दूंगा sorry last comment होगा ना like your comment on that. मैं हवाला दूंगा वार का. Do you remember वार? I haven't seen it. So, वार का यह scene था कि बिलाल लशारी's genius as a director उसमें थी. He pushed a lot of boundaries there. वार में मसला जो था ना वह था ही writing में. ठीक है? What has your experience been in terms of proper films? Not just like obviously जो brand

films हैं, छोटी films हैं उसके there is a lot of other things that you are doing but proper proper films जो storytelling films हैं उनके अंदर what's your experience been like? I think जो मैंने छोटी मोटी भी fashion films भी की हैं जो कि लोग अच्छी लगी हैं, वह यही था कि वह बहुत real थी. As in, like, उनके जो loves भी थे as in को narration भी हो रही है तो वह इतनी असली थी कि लोगों को वह touch किए. Connect होता है, हां. बिल्कुल. के लिए हर्चे जा रहे एक cinema में और आप इस तरह treat कर रहे हो उसको. हां. तो यही I think सबसे ज़्यादा I think पूरा साल, दो साल लगनी चाहिए writing पर. Writing सबसे main काम है. Writing मतलब आप देखें ना

समत most famous and celebrated films and TV shows are the ones जो books पर बनी क्योंकि उस book writer ने बैठकर साल लगाए book बनी book लोगों ने पढ़ी सारा कुछ हुआ फिर वह जाकर उसको adapt करते हैं क्योंकि

हैं तो यही करें लोग, you know, गुज़ारा करो, चलो अपनी ratings बनाओ और हमारी ratings भी तो किन चीज़ों पर आ रही हैं कि अच्छा उस उस एक I remember एक drama आया था. नंद नाम था उसका यार, I don't even remember नाम क्या है? वह तो नहीं था जिसमें uh-uh वह मोटी होती वह कहते हैं तुम जो ना वह तुम इतना weight loose करोगी तो मैं तुम्हारे से शादी करूंगा यह. यह पता नहीं. नहीं but इसमें एक नंद थी जो बहुत psycho थी. अच्छा. और वह बस पागल करती और लोगों ने वह पागलों की चांद देखा है. Even मेरे घर में भी लोगों ने देखा है वह. तो उसके पास तीनों कहीं swice लग रहा था. अजीब सेना मैं आपको जो मैं drama का बता रहा this has happened last year.

This drama जिसका premise यह था कि क्या यह weight lose कर सकते अर्पाई. जैसा है कि यार दुनिया कहां से कहां चली गई है? और यही बैठे हुए. हम अभी weight के ऊपर बैठ के किया. So, so I get that. But I, what I also think is the difference between our artist community and our commercial community. So the fact is कि I'm I'm not gonna argue कि यह देखिए dramas में क्या हो रहा है? Because the fact is एक economy exist करती है. माल वन रहा है माल बिक रहा है. Right? जब तक बिकता रहेगा ना तो why would what incentive do these people have to change? Right? If you have a tried and tested model, you wouldn't wanna change. My question is what is the indie community doing in trying to create the new demand? So, क्या हम wait करते रहेंगे कि जब तक हम TV हमें आकर recognize नहीं करेगा और हमें total space नहीं देगा हमारे artistic drama की, तब तक हम कोशिश ही नहीं करेंगे. इसकी मैं मिसाल इस तरह से दूंगा कि photoshoots पहले बड़े फ़र्क़ होते थे. हमने आकर disrupt किया. बिल्कुल. Digital care पर काम बड़ा फ़र्क़ होता था. बड़े सारे लोगों ने disrupt किया. Music disrupt हुई है. पिछले दो साल के अंदर with the हसन रहीमs of the world and all of these post COVID अनुराल खालिद and even I believe जो आपके गाने में जो जो शेघल? शेघल. Yeah. She's also a pandemic discovery. Know, so a lot of these new talent came in and they were like, listen, we need to change the way that music is made in बिल्कुल. मैं पहले बनाकर पूरी market change कर दूंगा and then eventually you know these people will follow. So, my question is what can indie folks do let's say starting with short films? Mean mid summer chaos for me was a phenomenal.

जितना

हुआ था. जितना hit हुआ था. यार उसको मज़ाक भी किया ना what that showed was potential कि YouTube पर एक चीज़ आ सकती है एक series आ सकती है और वह implode कर सकती है for good or bad reasons and so the platform exists आज लोग कह रहे हैं कि Netflix नहीं है हमारे पास Netflix नहीं है कोई छोटी सी series बनाकर उधर तो डालो ना. So so do you think that's happening and do you think कि मतलब what's your community around Lahore में ज़ाहिर है there is a huge creative community वह क्या कर रही है इस time पर films के लिए अगर मैं particularly उसकी बात करूं.

अब यहां पर बात यह भी आ जाती है कि हमारे पास funds कम हैं. As if you want to make a series तो आप एक शुरू तो कर दोगे आप लेकिन आप end कैसे करोगे जब आपने actors को pay करने हैं, आपने camera के लिए pay करने हैं, आपने art direction के लिए pay करने हैं. So, यहां पर आ जाती है बात कि, you know, funding चाहिए. किसी channel की funding मिल जाए हमें, किसी you know, network की funding मिल जाए. Which is why I think we're we're this is where we're lacking. But that's what I'm saying. So, I think you're absolutely right.

In an idealistic world, you want to shoot with your red camera and you want to ensure that you have some of the most remarkable talent and everybody gets paid. Absolutely. And I think that's the perfect case scenario. लेकिन जब आप disrupt करना चाहते ना देखिए यह बड़ी simple सी बात है. तक मैं ना यह seven three नहीं दूंगा ना तो मैं तो नहीं for doctor को वन सकता. The fact is you started with the mobile phone and you said listen I'm gonna start off there. And that's why I find mid summer chaos very very interesting because I think you know these kids were like at least let's just You do know. मसला हमारा यह है कि अगर मैं मैं लोहौर भी उठा लेता हूं. लोहौर में पिछले दो साल में बहुत amazing filmmakers emerge हुए हैं. From you know art by वासिफ से लेकर. साहिम सिद्धिक. साहिम सिद्धिक वह आपका है what's his name? दावर. You know a lot of these like indie artist आपके आना शुरू हो गए हैं और यह सारे कुछ पढ़े you know art school से निकले में हैं कुछ generally self taught हैं. The fact is कि अगर ये सारे आकर बैठे और बैठकर ये बोलें कि यार बस कोई funding लेकर आओ, फिर पचास हज़ार मैं रखूंगा, पचास हज़ार तू रखेगा तो फिर तो industry आगे नहीं जाएगी. But that's what's happening by the way. That is exactly what's happening. So बेकार films, you know बेकार films? नहीं. These are, creators हैं YouTube पर they used to create comedies kids, right? So, generally वह teenager, young teenagers के लिए वह content बनाते हैं, family friendly content होता है. Started off with content like you know how moms do this and how dads do this and society के जो relatable elements होते वो उठाते हैं और उसके around sketches बनाते हैं. Around 2019 I believe उन्होंने comedy अच्छा छोटे छोटे sketches तो वह बनाते होते थे. तीन लोगों की team थी. चार लोगों की team कहले roughly. And they were graduates from film के graduates थे I believe इकरा के यह अज़बेश के one of those again दोस्त हैं I am sorry I don't know where you guys graduate from but one of those universities. And उन्होंने फिर दो हज़ार अठारह उन्नीस में उन्होंने कहा यार छह आठ साल हो गए हैं हमें sketches बनाते हुए. Let's expand this and so they made an entire रमज़ान था उस तरह से उन्होंने पूरी पूरी एक One step बढ़ते गए और एक proper series आई. वह इस तरह आई कि उसकी episode so it's an entire storyline. Episode one आई फिर now wait हो रहा अगले हफ़्ते episode two, episode three and I think almost उनकी per episode तीन चार लाख views आ रहे थे. फिर उन्होंने अगले साल फिर से किया फिर फिर से किया last year उनकी एक episode एक एक फिर उन्होंने थोड़ा साcom comic relief से हटकर वह series की तरफ आए and they created a series called clickbait. I've heard about it I think. Yeah, जिसमें वह एक लड़का लड़की होते हैं और they're both youtubers और वह जो है ना basically उसमें मेरा भी एक scene है जिसे मैं बैठे कह रहा हूं कि जो character है उसको मैं कह रहा मैं उसको support करता हूं और इतना सारा कि तो suddenly now I am giving him a shout out of my Instagram story and and Hamna is doing the same and other creators are doing the same and so they worked in a very interesting way Just by literally almost no cost production के ऊपर they were able to create a series which has millions of views. And what I'm seeing is कि you have these sort of like indie creators, digital creators who are now going towards film but obviously because their core is very very you know comic and वो सारा का सारा so for them to go towards और उनके भी नई by the way उनकी अभी नई series भी आने वाली looks amazing shout out to them but for them to actually go towards something Netflix level is going to be much more difficult than actual filmmakers coming out of लाहौर for example Right? It's just that the filmmaker is a bit too arrogant forgiving for the being. कह रहे हैं कि नहीं यार जब तक मैं perfect नहीं होऊंगा. बिल्कुल. मैंने तो कोशिश ही नहीं करनी. जब possibility नज़र आ रही है जब हम है वो अपना primarily YouTube के बच्चा आ रहा है content. कोई बात नहीं है. जो कि बहुत अच्छा जा रहा है. बहुत अच्छा जा तो मेरा ये एक गिलाई filmmakers से कि कि why can't they create? Why can't they give us something fresh? Why can't we have stories which could be short stories? Like, you don't have to do an entire two hour feature film. But fifteen fifteen minutes की let's three episodes की एक बार आ गई. अच्छा, I'll answer अपने behalf पर for sure.

बाकी का तो मुझे पता नहीं पर मैं इसलिए

So you were there for three Yeah. Wow. Yeah. Was that like? Living? It was amazing. Living alone? Yeah, living alone with like, you know, like flatmates.

Interesting. So it was amazing. Interesting. तो बहुत अच्छा experience था.

Beyond film, know that you have a foundation as well. Can you tell me a little bit about that? How did it start and what was the thought behind that? So, it's called साकेबान foundation. It's,

named after my father. Foundation इस हिसाब से है कि for as long as I remember I wanted to do this. जब से मैं छोटी भी थी मुझे पता था कि मैंने एक NGO बनानी है बड़े होकर या जब भी और कभी उसका time नहीं आया तो जब COVID शुरू हुआ तो a lot of people, you know, people were helping each other online बहुत ज़्यादा. So, काफ़ी लोगों ने surprisingly they messaged me अब obviously because I am all over the place, this photography, this film तो मैं बिल्कुल भी एक time पर focus नहीं कर पा रही उस पर but, जब हमने बनाई foundation उसके बाद हमने दो ऐसी चीज़ें की जो I think बहुत ज़्यादा, काफ़ी छोटे level पर. इंशालाह, I know, I want इस साल का यह भी goal है, you know, I do something about it, you know, make it grow more. Right. But feel high. But you want to focus on the media aspect of where you can how you can help through through media and films maybe,

in the in these areas. Another thing I'd like to know, and you've been in the media space for a good part of four, five years to at least. Uh-huh. You know, professionally working as well.

Photography तो काफ़ी देश है, yeah.

How do you see women in media? Pakistan में generally यह कहा जाता है कि media industry बड़ी गंदी है, culture बड़ा ख़राब है, बहुत ज़्यादा harassment तो कह लें लेकिन I think वह जो एक थोड़ा small element to that would be like like you mentioned earlier कि as a woman respect नहीं है. But what's your experience been in terms of working on

sets or working with other people in the industry? What's the culture like? अच्छा, अब तो बहुत change हो गया है. जब मैंने शुरू भी किया था ना तो मेरे लिए obviously surprising था. You know, so many women working on it और अब actually में जितना मैंने देखा है ना जितनी hardworking और जितनी like, you know,

immediately. Recently I heard one of my friends, she spoke about Elon for not paying models. Yes. Modeling generally as an industry, do you think कि वहां पर यह मसला अभी भी है photographers respect का?

के साथ भी है. So, इलान did not pay me for six months. अच्छा. काफ़ी साल पहले. तो मैं और मैं इस college में तो पढ़ती थी, you know. Should be like मेरी pay देते हैं, मेरी pay देते मेरी पीछे पढ़ी हुई थी तो

internationally. Yeah, mean we got reached out by them as well recently They're as doing something but I don't know what's going on there guys. हां, बहुत समझ आ रही है. हां. But you know, if you act together, what's going on. But हां, so I heard the आतिका was basically the sort of I think you worked with her as well. Yeah. So she spoke out about it and she's like a docile you know she's the nicest girl in the world and she never speak out about it unless बिल्कुल ही

हो जाए.

And उस पर फिर मुझे यह हो रहा था कि यार आज तक यही मसला है कि modeling and then you're saying photography में भी यह है. Do you think this is exclusive? Is a media industry thing or is this exclusive to women though?

Over the next five years, I think I I think hopefully I'll be able to write something and then, you know, direct something and I'll be able to take साकेबान foundation to, you know, किसी जगह में लेकर जाऊं. अभी recently I started working with SOS. -Mhmm. उनके साथ में वही जैसे मेरा मैंने आपको बताया ना कि camera के through मैं help करना चाह रही हूं. तो उन्होंने भी, you know, they reach out and they said, you know, make something for us. Right. So, that's what I'm working on right now. So, hopefully इस साल I want to make it grow more, इंशालाह, and then, you know, weddings से साथ से चल ही रहा है. And core focus आपका up filmmaking में ही. So we'll see maybe,

Netflix के ऊपर कभी directed by इंशाला, अल्लाह करे. इंशालाह, why not? Represent. You're incredibly talented, and and I know for a fact that it's not even a matter of if, it's a matter of when. Mhmm. So I'm excited to see that. I I'll ask you a question. Generally, I ask everyone. You're 27 years old right now. Is that something I can publicly say? Yeah. Thirty years from now, you'll be 57 at the peak of your, life. I mean, that's generally considered as 60 is the, you know, ultimate high. Pakistan will be a 100 years old. You've grown up in Lahore most of your life. You've had a very turbulent, childhood as well because of and experiences. So, you've seen the best and the worst of it. How do you see Pakistan hundred years from now? Sorry, thirty years from now at the age of 100 in 2050?

Mhmm, Pakistan. मुझे, overall Pakistan का यह पता है. मुझे यह पता है कि I would be, trying to make things better. Not just, you know, entertainment side पर. But I would also be trying to make things better for the people who can't, you know, speak out. Right.

Be it by, you know, organizing a protest which I've been doing for a while or be it by, you know, any way possible. I feel like मुझे नहीं पता Pakistan क्या कराएगा, कहां जाएगा? पर मुझे यह पता है कि मैं उसको बेहतर करने के लिए कुछ ज़रूर कर रही हूंगी. Right. So I think it's very interesting. What you're essentially saying is I don't really care कि outside क्या है? I am focused on myself and making sure कि I put my value in there. And this is very interesting answer. I've never had one of those, which is very inward focused and it's saying, listen, I'm going to do the best I can and maybe everybody else can do the best they can and maybe we can create a better society for all of us. सीमाप, thank you so much for coming in. This was very, very insightful. Wish you all the very best. Have seen your journey. It's been remarkable and it's only going to grow from here. Thank you so much for this insightful. Thank you so much. Was really nervous. I am glad how we सही हो गया. चलिए, that was all for all of you guys. Thank you so much for watching. अगर आपका यह episode पसंद आई और अपने दोस्तियों के साथ ज़रूर share करिएगा. अनन्या politicians, government officials, policy makers just to get an understanding of what the thought behind some of the most major policies are in Pakistan that are impacting us and our future generations so you can check out that channel as well. Anyways अगर आप YouTube पर देख रहे हैं तो like button दबाएंगे engagement दबाएंगे conversation पहुंचेगी.