Pakistan Link — Community

HSZ: I was born in Chakwal Pakistan. I started writing stories when I was 8. My first work was published in Akhbar-e-Jahan in the children’s section. I wrote poetry when I was 12 and was very active in dramatic activities in school so I asked my father if I could work at Radio Pakistan. I got admission in premedical classes in H9 College in Islamabad and started doing radio programs there. Later, I got admission in the Rawalpindi Medical so I moved and made Radio Pakistan Rawalpindi my second home. I worked there as a writer, DJ, and as the host of different musical programs. I also wrote many radio dramas and performed in them as well. Being a medical student and having a passion for media arts proved to be a good combination for me.

RHS: How much experience do you personally have in filmmaking?

HSZ: I started producing cartoon dubbing programs in Urdu with NTM. I wrote, produced and directed hundred of such programs such as POUND PUPPIES URDU VERSION, for children which became very popular in Pakistan.

I was working with AVC Pakistan while I was doing my residency at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences, Islamabad. I wrote, produced and directed a drama BUJTA HOOA DIYA, which was made to promote AIDS awareness in Pakistan. This drama was shown in 23 countries and on PTV2 on satellite.

I moved to the US about three

years ago and started a radio show here which I write, produce and host on KEST 1450 AM every Saturday. I also started a Community Television show AMERICAN MASALA on cable Channel 29 and produced it for one year.

Last year I got a grant from Film Arts Foundation and produced a short film. It was shown in festivals and won some awards. My art is dedicated to the advancement and betterment of our people so I decided to make a feature film about the culture of the Pakistani people in the United States.

RHS: What can you tell us about your current “NIGHT OF HENNA” film project?

HSZ: My feature film is about a Pakistani woman who comes to USA and is struggling to fulfill her dream of going to an American University and be successful in life although her whole family wants her to accept the marriage which they have arranged for her. It is a story on which I have worked for one year and now we are in the pre-production stage. I am the writer and director of “Night of Henna”. I have reached many renowned filmmakers here in the San Francisco Bay Area and have been successful in getting help from American filmmakers for my film. My cinematographer Hiro Narita has two Emmy Award nominations for director of photography and has worked on Academy Award nominated films.

RHS: Who are the main stars in this film? You did mention that you needed more acting talent from here in the U.S. or specifically in the Northern California area. Have you been able to find what you have been looking for?

HSZ: My film has a number of stars who bring a lot of talent with them. Noor Sheikh (Sienfeld,Rice Boy, The Arrangement), Nancy Carlin (Haiku tunnel, Midsummer Night Dream), Reef Karim (Days of Our Lives, Body Shots), Amali Parera (Hollywood Bollywood), Rupinder Nagra (Hollywood Bollywood) and Girja Shanker (Bunyad, Dil Se) are in the cast. Others are in the negotiation stage.

RHS: Are we to look forward to a Pakistani-Lollywood type commercial Pakistani film? Or is it going to be one we have come to describe as a formula film in the Indian-Bollywood tradition?

HSZ: My film is not a Lollyood film and neither is it a

Bollywood one. It is an American film with a duration of 95 minutes. It is an independent film which explores the cultural differences in a uniquely different and beautiful way. Films like East is East and Monsoon Wedding have had success in USA. Western society is very eager to learn more about South Asian culture.

RHS: You describe “NIGHT OF HENNA” as the first Pakistani-American film. Would you care to elaborate?

HSZ: NIGHT OF HENNA is the first Pakistani American feature film being produced entirely in the USA in collaboration with American actors and filmmakers.

RHS: Is filmmaking ever going to make a successful comeback in Pakistan, especially in view of the current competition from the well developed Indian film industry across the border? Pakistani TV dramas are excellent but why are our films not of the same standards?

HSZ: I have experience with Pakistan film Industry. Syed Noor and Hassan Askari are my good friends. I think that as long as educated people do not enter the Pakistan film industry, it cannot make much progress. Also, only one or two educated persons can’t change the dying film industry in Pakistan. The Government there should be taking real interest in this industry because entertainment is a big field the world over. We have great talent but little support.

RHS: How can the Pakistani-American community further assist you in your effort?

HSZ: The Pakistani-American community can help me a lot to speed up the production of my film. People can come in as investors and if you are a Pakistani and think that you have talent which needs to be discovered please feel free to email me at nightofhenna@yahoo.com .

RHS: This reporter is a very big fan of some of the c

urrent efforts from the Iranian film industry and would like to see some similar efforts from Pakistan. Have you had a chance to see films from around the world and from Hollywood that you really liked recently?

HSZ: My recent favorites are Iranian films too. I am also a big fan of Italian films. I love Felini and Pasolini. A lot of Italian films are about World War Two and how it affected the lives of many people. Peter Greenway is my favorite American director.

RHS: What have been some of personal favorites Pakistani films of all time?

HSZ: My favorite Pakistani films are still ARMAAN with Waheed Murad and Zeba and

SANGDIL with Nadeem and Deeba.

RHS: I guess that this sums it all up.

HSZ: Thanks for your time.