If you ask me if I’m passionate about what I do, I would say ‘no, I’m not’. Acting is now a job for me. The passion isn’t there but, as far as earning my bread and butter through it is concerned, I’m happy.”

The no-holds-barred admissions come fast when you’re in conversation with Juvaria Abbasi.

It is a welcome change from the generic political correctness that has engulfed most celebrities. It’s also an indication that Juvaria is a far cry from the austere roles that she often plays on screen.

The actress belongs to the motley crew of performers who frequent TV drama storylines as older, familial figures. She’ll often be the domineering mother or, in contrast, the long-suffering, understanding one.

My most recent memory of seeing her on TV was in the character of an unbending, regal matriarch in the drama Dilawaiz. Swathed in voluminous shawls and heavy-duty jewellery, her character presided supreme over a haveli where her battalion of serfs would quake when she merely arched an eyebrow. Much like the begums of ’70s Bollywood movies, her character referred to herself as ‘hum’ and made about a zillion cruel decisions before finally seeing sense in a long-overdue happy ending.

Television drama makers have relegated the vivacious and bright Juvaria Abbasi to maternal roles right off a cookie-cutter. No wonder that the actress does not feel much passion for her work. But then, what does she look forward to?

In real life, Juvaria doesn’t refer to herself as ‘hum’ at all. She is candid, without pretences and has a sharp sense of humour that surfaces now and again. And you end up thinking to yourself how unfair it is that TV drama writers have relegated this vivacious, bright woman to maternal roles right off a cookie-cutter.

This brings us back to her comment on not feeling any passion for her work.

“In many countries, interesting characters are written for actors who are older,” she elaborates. “In Pakistan, as an actress gets older, she simply gets cast as an elder sister, a bhabi [sister-in-law], a mother. It just isn’t as exciting as playing the main lead.”

Juvaria and I are in conversation late in the night, after she has wrapped up a long day’s work on the set of a daily soap that she is working on. We were supposed to meet earlier in the day, but things got busy on the drama shoot, where a wedding scene was being filmed.

Yes, it can get on your nerves,” Juvaria agrees. “For months, you and the rest of the cast are working on a single serial. I think that we all need therapy by the time that we get done!

With all the actors decked out in their wedding best, the scenes went on for a bit longer than usual and I surmised that it would be better to simply have a one-on-one once the shoot was over.

I observe to her that shooting for soaps must be tedious, with long drawn-out scenes, and the serials building up to as many as 70 or 80 episodes.

“Yes, it can get on your nerves,” Juvaria agrees. “For months, you and the rest of the cast are working on a single serial. I think that we all need therapy by the time that we get done!”

How does she keep herself interested then? She ponders over this.

“Sometimes, I get to play interesting characters. I’ll work on the wardrobe and figure out new ways of accessorising. There are only a few directors, such as Saife Hassan and Mazhar Moin, who pay attention to character development. In most other cases, directors are in a rush to tell their stories and want you to simply just say your dialogues.”

She continues: “There are all sorts of restrictions too. There was this one time that I came on set wearing a sleeveless kurta and the director said that I would have to change, because my character was a positive one and sleeveless was associated with negative characters!”

Juvaria may now have to contend with maternal roles but there was a time, back when she started out, when she would be playing the female lead. The transition from lead to a member of the ensemble cast was not one that she accepted easily.

I mention a gap of several years in her career and she explains: “This was the time when I was trying to accept that I was no longer going to be the heroine in a drama. My daughter started getting cast as the main lead in dramas. All the roles that came my way would be of an older woman. Thorri takleef tau hoti hai [It does hurt a bit]. It took me time to accept this change and realise that it was now time to age gracefully.”

There is a small smattering of nuanced older characters that do surface in TV dramas occasionally. However, only certain actors — Sania Saeed comes to mind — usually get to enact these more interesting roles. Does this make her bitter?

“Not at all,” she says. “Those roles were meant to come their way. I have always loved watching Sania Saeed on screen. I also think that Hadiqa Kiani has made a brilliant debut as an actress.”

In her case, does being part of the ensemble cast mean having to deal with the tantrums of the main leads? There are certain popular young actors — some that Juvaria has worked with — who are notorious for coming late on set and being disrespectful towards the cast and crew.

“Heroes and heroines bring their tantrums on set. I’m sure that we did too,” she smiles. “They are just at that point in their career. Also, sometimes the off-camera team is so inefficient that all the actors get frustrated. Personally, I haven’t had any bad experiences, even with young actors who people say are difficult.

“The thing is, we like to complain a lot. We need to change our mindsets and be thankful that at least we are getting work when many aren’t,” she points out pragmatically.

Are actors at least getting paid better now, compared to when she first started out back in 1996?

“No, there are still some production companies who delay payments. We hear of young actors who do their work but don’t end up getting paid at all. It’s all just part of the game.”

What do you do when payments don’t come in? “Buss ro ke kisi tarha kaam chala letay hain [We throw a crying fit and somehow manage],” she laughs lightly.

Payment delays, however, are no laughing matter, especially when there are bills to pay. As the sole breadwinner of her home — Juvaria is twice divorced, has a daughter and lives on her own — has she ever regretted taking on the acting profession?

“No, I love it!” she professes. “I grew up watching Indian film heroines and Pakistani actresses such as Samina Peerzada, and was always smitten by them. I remember when I first met Bushra Ansari, I told her that I wanted to be just like her!”

She continues, “The industry is like my family. I came from a small home and, through my own hard work, I managed to improve my living standards, educate my daughter well and fulfil all my needs.”

I observe that, while she may have strong bonds within the fraternity, I have rarely seen her at industry parties or awards ceremonies. Why?

“I don’t really feel the need to network,” she says. “Producers and directors who want to sign me on are well aware of the work that I do. I don’t have to meet them in my free time in order to convince them to work with me. I like taking out time for myself. I have hobbies. I make acrylic nails and I love knitting. I work with crochet — I even take my needling kit on set with me!

“As for awards,” she continues, “they just don’t invite me.”

Would you go, if they did? “Of course, I would!” she says. “I’m a Capricorn. I love getting recognised. I would love to get awards for my work. I don’t have any qualms admitting this.”

Our conversation shifts to 2005, when she endured 12 broken bones and multiple hairline fractures in an accident on the highway. She had been en route to the set of her drama Dil, Diya, Dehleeze. The accident had taken place near Gharo in Sindh, and Juvaria had to be taken back to Karachi because there were no proper medical facilities nearby.

“There were no lights on the highway back then,” she recalls. “I lay in a truck for hours before I reached Karachi, and finally got admitted into a hospital. In the weeks that it took me to get better, my hospital room would perpetually be crowded by my friends from the industry. From the actors that I worked with, to the studio’s chowkidar, everyone came to visit me. I hadn’t known till then that so many people from the industry cared about me.”

Juvaria’s injuries were many and it took her time to heal. They did not deter her though. “Two months later, I was back shooting again, in Hyderabad,” she laughs.

She may come off as happy-go-lucky but life, as it tends to do, has thrown its fair share of obstacles in Juvaria’s path. Has it been difficult for her, a twice divorced woman, living on her own?

“Why should it be difficult?” she queries. “A woman can earn for herself just as well as a man can. It’s just that our society sometimes doesn’t give women the courage to believe that they could live on their own. I have never felt insecure in my own home. When a divorced woman cries, I feel very frustrated, because her parents simply haven’t given her the courage to believe that she can survive without a man by her side.

“I love how social media is turning things around for so many girls who are putting up content, even from within their homes, and earning from it,” she says. “Whatever skill a woman has, she can put it to use and earn a living from it.”

While we are on the topic of earnings, I ask her how she has planned ahead for herself. With royalties still a far-off possibility for Pakistan’s acting fraternity, many of her peers now talk about investing their money well in preparation for the future, when acting roles may be few and far between.

“I haven’t saved at all!” she replies. “I’m just going to marry again and let my husband take care of me.”

So two divorces haven’t turned her off the notion of love? “No, no, I still believe in it,” she laughs.

But whether she finds that elusive perfect husband or continues to live the single life, Juvaria Abbasi’s strength and forthright nature is inspirational. Her career is rock-solid, built upon roles that she estimates must be over a hundred. Her goodwill in the industry is undeniable. And her tenacity, accepting the changes in her career and paving her own path, is admirable.

When life gives lemons to the strong of heart, they make lemonade. My guess is that Juvaria Abbasi probably adds some extra zest to her particular brand of cocktail.

Published in Dawn, ICON, February 12th, 2023