I LOVE DOING EMOTIONAL SCENES SHAFAQ NAAZ

Shafaq Naaz has been in the world of showbiz for a while now. The actress started her acting career with TV shows. She has been active in the television industry since 2010. In a decadelong career, she has done a lot of recognizable work which includes her role as Kunti in Mahabharat (Star Plus), Guni in Sapna Babul Ka Bidaai (Star Plus), Mayuri in Chidiya Ghar (Sab TV), Niyati in Kulfi Kumar Bajewala (Star Plus) and currently Shruti in Ghum Hai Kisikey Pyaar Meiin (Star Plus). However, before she became an actor, Shafaq went through her own set of hardships.

In an exclusive interview with City First, Shafaq Naaz said that it was difficult as no one in my family is part of the film industry but I have confidence in myself and I believe in destiny because everything happens for a reason.

ABOUT “X OR Y” MOVIE After so much struggle, she is finally making her debut with Iqbal Khan in the “X or Y” movie. This movie deals with society’s evil mentality about the girl child and women’s health. Naaz is an independent, strong and self-made woman. When asked why she chose to do this film, she said, “Every girl has the right to live her life according to her and she should be set free to choose.” Naaz said, “ Being a girl, I have seen all these things all these years. I am an actor hence I have the medium through which I can spread the word amongst the masses. And I consider myself lucky that I have got a chance to work on something like this. I feel we lack in a lot of aspects. The subject was so strong that I did not even think twice to say yes and the movie will very soon be out on the OTT platform. Apart from this, other big projects are also in the pipeline.

LEARN AND MOVE FORWARD The actress believes that one needs to accept challenges and learn from them to sustain in the entertainment industry where experience and determination are required to prove oneself. During my initial days, while I was shooting for a show and the producer would want to scold the main lead but unfortunately he would scream at me for no reason after pack-up. He would say, “Kya tumhe acting nahi aati hai? Itna kharab scene kiya hai tumne. Not only producers but also the casting team, people on the sets would speak nuisance about newcomers. It is like ragging and criticism that every newcomer faces in the industry. Once I was about to break down and also contemplated whether I am in the wrong field. Soon, I did realise that I will learn from all these experiences to move forward and don’t let anybody bully me.

DATING MY WORK When asked about marriage plans and love life, Naaz said, “Currently, I am dating my work, myself and I love spending time in my self-care routine. I have no pressure from my parents regarding this. I feel one should get married when they feel that they are ready.

COMEDY OR DRAMA Having worked in both drama and comedy Naaz said, ‘’I love doing emotional scenes because through this I can connect myself to the character. I enjoy doing that because I get to feel the emotions of different situations.’’ But likewise, comedy is not at all easy. One of the most difficult things is to make someone laugh. Signing a show like Chidiya Ghar taught me a lot about working in two different zones.

SOCIAL MEDIA TROLLS Naaz said, ‘’I think people should understand that we actors also have a personal life where we are free to do whatever we like. Even today I get trolled for posting pictures on social media wearing clothes of my choice. People write negative comments such as Kunti Mata ye Kya Phen Liya, etc. However, nothing can be done in the end because it is people’s mindsets that cannot be changed in one day, So I take these comments in a positive light and keep doing my work.”