'Acting doesn’t interest me'

Pakistani actor Zeba Bakhtiyar says she is most comfortable with production

Zeba Bhaktiyar, the Pakistani actress who stormed Bollywood with her beauty and acting skills in the early 1990s with Randhir Kapoor’s Heena, says acting does not interest her anymore.

“After Heena, I did a couple of films and later gave up acting to concentrate on direction and producing TV serials. I am more into producing and directing content for television in Pakistan. Television is more thriving back home and is more creative. I do act in television serials occasionally,” Zeba said.

“My serials are focuss on cultural, traditional issues involving women,” she said.
The actress is here in Goa connection with the South Asian Film Festival (SAFF) being held in the city  for the first time.

Speaking about films, she said that the Pakistan film industry went through a bad patch in the last two decades but is now recuperating fast.

“The revival process has begun and one can say that it is breathing now. The film-makers are welcoming new ideas,” she said.

Bakhtiyar was all praise for Mahesh Bhatt,  who is considered as a pioneer for beginning a new phase in the Indo-Pak film arena. “He has given opportunities to several Pakistani talents to showcase their capabilities to Indian audiences,” she said.
Responding to a question on whether the new government is helpful to the cause of promoting cinema in Pakistan, she said the present government in Pakistan has not set in as yet. She adds hopefully, “we are all waiting to see the difference.”