They say that love is in the air and you must feel it and if it is true it shall find its way. Its seamless fit with these two love birds who met, took reasonable time to understand each other and finally decided to get married. Sanam Baloch is one of the most famous and graceful woman in the showbiz industry who got married to Abdullah Farhatullah who has been an inspiring writer and host and also appeared in many TV commercials and shows. The couple tied a knot on 11th October 2013 in a decent and simple wedding celebration which was different from the usual elaborated and extravaganza of celebrity weddings. Sanam has always been in limelight because of her great personality and chirpy attitude. Abdullah Farhatullah has been well respected due to his high intellects and sophisticated nature. She is bubbly and extremely attractive while he has stunning looks and a great personality. Both of them make a beautiful couple which admires their fans. They have had clean pasts and have been counted as respectable personalities in the industry.
Many feel love tends to fade away post marriage, but talking to this lovely duo we believe the opposite. Seeing them both madly in love and having so much respect for each other surely signifies that true love never dies. Clad in their usual elegant attires with bright smiles on their faces, the couple had a candid chat with Sunday Plus where they shared lovely experiences about themselves and their relationship. Let’s have a look.
Sanam Abdullah
- 1. From acting to hosting, how has the journey been so far?
Hosting is not new to me. I actually started my career as a host. It has been great and satisfying. To me both of them are a means for self-expression and I love doing both. Shooting for dramas can be hectic at times but nothing is more satisfying than people coming up to you and saying, “You acted really well”. Hosting is different. You need to be aware of what is happening around and then you have to intellectualize it all for the viewers. In acting I have to be someone else but in hosting it is about who I am. In hosting I talk about things as I see them, but in acting the writer speaks through actors. If have to choose, I would say hosting because I can be real. I can be ME.
- 2. Which role has been the most memorable and special one for u amongst all your performances?
It has to be the Bano of Daastan. I worked really really hard for it. Daastan made me fall in love with my country all over again. While shooting for it, I realize we have sacrificed a lot for the country. It has taught me a lot. Bano has taught me how to fight and emerge as a winner.
- 3. Who is your inspiration in life and acting?
No one as such. I never thought I would be an actor one day. I would never watch TV. I just go with the flow. I read the scene and do whatever I feel about it.
- 4. How do you balance your personal life with your busy routines?
For artists, their work is their life. They do not draw a line between what is personal and what is not. I draw immense pleasure from what I do and it has kind of become my personal life.
- 5. What makes Abdullah a perfect husband?
His mind. He has an amazing mind. From philosophy to science and religion, he knows it all. He is extremely knowledgeable and has a beautiful soul. He is so original and honest. I never met such a person ever in my life that is so vibrant and humble at the same time. And since he is an extraordinary human being, so it automatically makes him a perfect husband (smiles).
- 6. Do you plan to continue working in the future?
Yes. Why not? As long as I do good projects and good shows.
- 7. Tell us about your upcoming projects?
Marriage Hahaha! Just kidding! I am not taking up acting project, ever since I started doing my morning show. I am really bad at multi-tasking. I can handle one thing at a time. I have done just one play in the last two years. Morning shows are tiring folks.
- 8. What do you enjoy doing the most, acting or hosting?
Both actually! I can never do things half-heartedly. I never do things but I do them passionately. I still think I am not a good actor and trust me I am not being modest. Hosting is a new territory to me. I am still learning. May be I haven’t found my thing as yet. Daikhien kiya guzrey hai qatrey pe gohr honey tak (Abdullah adds)
- 9. Television industry is undergoing a transition. Turkish plays have carved their niche in the industry. Would you like to comment on the situation?
Every industry goes through an evolution. Turkish plays might attract viewership but they do not reflect our social condition. The will please the eye but never touch the hearts. As long as our plays are talking about our issues, we shouldn’t be worried about foreign content.
- 10. Reality shows have failed to click in our TV industry. In your view what are the reason?
Because there is a political drama running on the news channels 24/7. Our socio-political situation has become the biggest realty show. Big boss is nothing compared to what we get to see as news. And it saddens me.
- 11. We have seen you in different characters; who is Sanam Abdullah in real life?
She is very simple. She loves God and His creation. She is humble and often contemplates on her existence. She reads books and writes poetry. Her biggest wish is to go back in time and see Prophet Muhammad (SAW).
- 12. Has your work helped you become a better person?
Yes it has. I live with my characters. I read the whole script before saying yes. I go through each and every line of it. Is has helped me a lot. But my morning show has taught me things I would not have learnt otherwise. I meet people on a daily basis. I listen to their problems and I say to myself “ Sanam tum kitni na’shukri ho’’. My show has taught me gratitude. People of Pakistan are living in a horrible condition. I wish I could eradicate everything that plagues our country.
Abdullah Farhatullah
- What inspired you to peruse your career as a writer?
I never wanted to be a writer. Writing is an extremely painful experience for me. Every time I write something I say to myself “ this is the last thing I am writing and I will never write again”. But such is the pleasure of writing that I am forced to write again and again and again. It just happened. I used to think so much about the world around me that I couldn’t help but write and express myself. So initially it was this urge to express myself. But when I read the likes of Mustaq Ahmed Yusufi Sb, Mumtaz Mufti Sb, and many more, I said to myself “ Written word has a power. It can move hearts. Lets use this power”. And when I started writing I felt it is no less than a miracle. You actually create a whole new world. Music inspires me. I can write a play on each of Beethoven’s symphony and Ustad Barey Ghulam Khan’s every piece of eastern classical music.
- 2. What do you enjoy the most being a host or a writer?
I enjoy being an artist and thinker actually. And everything that I do is a manifestation of my thought. Thinking about things is what I enjoy the most. Writing and hosting are a medium to express what I think and I share my world-view through my scripts and hosting.
- 3. What makes Sanam a perfect wife?
Nothing can be perfect because nothing has ever been perfect. It is the longing to ‘be’ perfect that is important and that is what I like about Sanam. She wants to be perfect. She wants to be best in everything she does. We don’t discuss people. We talk about ideas, music, philosophy and God. She has an inquisitive mind and a compassionate heart. And that is what sets her apart.
- 4. We have seen you sang a few songs, what inspired you towards singing?
As I said earlier it is all about being an artist. It is the thought that takes up different forms of expression. And music is one of them. I write and compose songs but they are different in nature. For me its not about entertainment, it is about attainment. There has to be meaning in everything that I do. So my music has a meaning and you will get to hear it soon.
- 5. What is the best compliment you have received so far?
When people come up to me and say “Ap Urdu bohot achi boltey hain”.
- 6. In your view how can we improve and make our TV programming more competitive?
By taking out the rating factor which dominates our approach towards television. Programs are not designed for the people; they are designed to garner ratings. It’s a pity that creative heads are at the mercy of marketing heads. People need to understand the power of remote control. If they stop watching trash, TV walas will stop producing trash. We need to grow as an audience and our channels will grow with us. We don’t have film and television is the only medium to groom our audiences. I rarely watch television. Majaal hai jo koi dhang ka program ata ho. Everywhere in the world they say, content is the king, but here it’s the rating which rules the roost. TV has a lot of potential and it pains me to see it going down the drain. I bet if Ghalib was alive, he wouldn’t be invited to the shows for he might be boring for the advertisers. No body cares about the content. And this reminds me of Ghalib’s couplet ‘Fursat-e-karobaar-e-shauq kisey..Zauq-e-Nazzara-e-jamaal kahan’ (Who has the leisure for the industry of passion Where is one’s longing to behold the glorious). Let’s grow up as a nation and everything will improve with it.
- 7. Any plans for acting in near future?
I have done acting for television but didn’t like it. I have been doing theatre for the past 6,7 years. I write, direct and act for theatre. Acting on television is too mechanical for me. I guess I do not have the temperament for it. I can’t get up and act everyday. Acting is a passion, not a job to me. I don’t want to be myself when I act. I want to play characters and you can’t play characters on TV. Acting is about being someone else; it’s about playing characters and not about being you. TV, unfortunately, doesn’t give you such liberty. I would hate to play ‘myself’ in every play that I do with a different set of clothes. I have said it time again that to me TV is furniture, film is art and theatre is life. And I love my life. The day I feel I can practice Sanford Meisner and Stanislavsky’s acting techniques on TV, I would latch on the opportunity (smiles).
- 8. You have a degree in Philosophy, studied engineering and attended a madrassah too. How did it all happen?
Well I was a brilliant student. And I won’t be modest about it. I loved Physics and Chemistry. I topped the Intermediate Board exams. So I had to become an engineer. But my quest for the ultimate truth never vanished. I had a lot of questions in my mind regarding the universe and man itself and its place in the universe. When I was in the third year of engineering, I abandoned it. I became reclusive for a while. I realized, it is only the wisdom, and not just the information that will make me happy. So this is how my journey towards wisdom began. Madrassa was the first step and a degree in Philosophy second. Aur...abhi ishq k imtihaan aur bhi hain. But studying Science, religion and philosophy has helped me a great deal in arriving at a balanced world-view.
Sanam and Abdullah
- 1. How did you meet each other the first time?
We were both working at Samaa TV. We almost joined Samaa in the same week. That’s where we met for the first time. We became friends. We had loads of stuff to share.
- 2. When did you both realize that you guys were meant for each other?
As we said, we became friends. And we asked ourselves a question, “can we be friends for the rest of our lives?’’ and the answer was “yes”. So we thought marriage is the only socially and religiously acceptable way of living together. Lets get married and here we are. (Both smile).
- 3. Who is the more dominating one?
No one really… We try and discuss things out. Love, better understanding and mutual care is what you need at the end of the day.
- 4. What is best thing you both have done for each other so far?
The best thing we have done for each other is that we got married.
- 5. When it comes to balancing life, which one of you is more cooperating?
It has to be Abdullah. I tend to get carried away by the emotions but he calms me down. Sanam jazbaat ki malka hai (Abdullah adds)
- 6. What is the biggest change that marriage has brought in your life?
Responsibility I guess. I was, and may be still am, a carefree and inqilaabi qisam ka banda. Change is what inspires me. I have a dream to transform my country socially and politically. And in pursuit of this idealism, one tends to loose touch of the reality. But marriage has given my passion, my Junoon a direction. The best part is that we look in the same direction when it comes to the priorities. We both value life. We dream of a prosperous Pakistan. We want to do something for the betterment of people of this country. And yes Sanam has got a little wiser (Sanam throws a cushion at Abdullah).
Rapid fire
How would you both define perfect happiness?
It does not exist. And if it does, it lies in the ability to deal with problems. It does not mean the absence of problems.
What is your favorite vacation spot?
Home.
What is one song that you both would like to dedicate each other right this moment?
May be Raag Aiman or Bhopali on sitar.
If you had to describe your relationship in one word, what would it be?
Blessing.
Say a word that describes both of you?
Compassion.
Message for our readers.
Aao sach bolien.