Manik Aftab and Sana Eqbal - The process of storytelling must continue through mediums like cinema and digital media, speakers at a seminar on the second day of Faiz International Festival said.

Veteran artists Irfan Khoosat, NavidShehzad, SaminaPeerzada and SamiyaMumtaz spoke at the one-hour session, titled "BaatKahanThehri Hai: My Journey Theatre, TV, and Film," which was moderated by SarmadKhoosat.

The session began with discussion on dance as a form of art. Recalling her experience, SamiyaMumtaz said she took up theatre and dance at a time when such things were considered taboos. "For the next 10 to 12 years I performed with discipline and hardwork. But that was at the height of Zia regime and dance and theatre were considered taboos," she added.

"Our performance at that time was confined to four walls. Ajoka theatre was our only way out of that suffocation." The actress, famous for her works in Meri ZaatZaara-e-Benishan, Dukhtaar and Moor among others, said she did not enter the film industry during the '90s as "film was considered a dirty word at that time".

NavidShahzad, a woman of various professional accolades, said cinema had always fascinated her. "Cinema has always fascinated me as a medium, probably because three of my uncles owned cinemas," she added. On efforts to revive theatre, she said one had to practice it."Theatre is like religion, it has to be practiced." The session also saw a light-hearted interaction between the father and son duo, Irfan and SarmadKhoosat. The former, while recalling his experience growing up under a father who was also an actor, said people to this day compare him to Sultan and Sarmad. "They often tell me that Irfan you are good but your father was better. Nowadays, they say Irfan you are good but Sarmad is better," he added. "I say to them that I am the father of Sarmad."

SaminaPeerzada, while sharing her experience, said she grew up under a violent father. “My mother would cover her face and pretend that she got injured. She never told that my father was abusive who used to beat her.”

She added that the incident led her to working for women rights and voice concerns against domestic abuse.

The discussion ended with the panelists urging the audience to continue working for the industry and come up with new stories and ideas through the medium of cinema and social media.