Pakistani actor and model Saba Qamar may have numerous TV roles under her belt, such as Maat and Dastaan, but she has no intention of capitalising on her fame by jumping onto the Bollywood bandwagon.
The actor has been clear about her lack of interest in the world’s second largest film industry. In a post on her official Facebook page, she has stated “I like Bollywood movies, but I have no intention of going
[to work] there. I’ve had offers but I don’t want to, so anyone who says I’m going to Bollywood is spreading rumors!”
Qamar was reportedly offered a role opposite Bollywood actor Randeep Hooda, a supporting cast member in films such as Once Upon a Time in Mumbai and Heroine, which she declined. Qamar believes that Pakistani artistes can only obtain “C grade” work in the Bollywood industry because directors and producers in India never offer “A grade” work to Pakistani actors.
Qamar can be seen on TV regularly as the host of Geo’s Hum Sub Umeed Se Hain and is preparing to work in Pakistani films in the future.
Bollywood not on the cards for Saba Qamar
Actor Saba Qamar prefers Pakistan over India
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@rahul: With due respect brother, we don’t find “A” grade movies in bollywood, the criteria and parameters of an “A”grade movie might be different in Mumbai, but the whole world follows a different set of standards. Moreover, copying Hollywood movies and styles might not serve the purpose everywhere. I would suggest the “A”grade actresses of India should focus more on making their skin fairer, which has been a source of complexity for quite a long now. Thanks very much for your kind concern. Peace
@rahul.
Apparently you have not seen Saba act. She has her own class. She will never fit in with Bollywood even if she gets a chance to act in what people class a “A” class Bollywood.
Dont think Kareena kapoor uses fair and lovely!
That’s what most of Pakistani actors/ actresses have stated in past but on getting an opportunity, didn’t hesitate in grabbing it. Let’s see if she is really going to stick to her stand.
There are a lot of A grade movies in bollywood, which is getting better and better. Remember, when we say bollywood, we are talking of Bombay (or Mumbai) film industry and not of the southern movie industry which produces most number of movies.
There are a lot of low budget movies that i watched in last several months which are “A” grade. The likes of Lunch box, Shahid, Bhag Milka Bhaag etc. Of course, other movies like Talaash, Kahaani, etc have made a mark. These are all movies that could not have been made before but thanks to a new “middle class” audience and multiplexes, they are being made.
What bollywood excels is in the blockbuster big budget movies with song and dance. These continue to be churned. Some are good, some are not. Most are entertaining.
Pakistanis regularly watch bollywood movies and pretend they don’t. I, living in US, once visited a pakistani home many years ago to find the TV cabinet stacked with DVDs of bollywood movies. When they watch the movies and say they don’t or that they don’t like them, i call it hypocrisy.
Of most of Pakistani actors (male and female) who tried their luck in Bollywood, not one has made a mark. Ali Zafar is still struggling though he showed a lot of promise.
Saba Qamar or anyone else can come and try their luck but there are no guarantees. The most sought after female actor today is Vidya Balan who is not very glamorous but acts well. The other one is Katrina Kaif who can’t converse in Hindi and has reads her scripts in English!
This Qamar something saying she has offers from Bollywood but is not interested is not same as someone like Rahat Fateh Ali saying the same. But talent has a way of finding its way to a place where it is appreciated, which is why Rahat is hugely popular in India also.
I have seen Saba Qamar on “Hum sab umeed sey hain”. Now a days, you can watch even a pakistani tv on computer sitting in US!
I was impressed. As someone said here, bollywood is all about glamor quotient. Good acting comes as a bonus, especially for a female artist. Katrina Kaif is not a good actor but she is hugely popular.
Things are changing fast and even small budget movies with good script are now being appreciated. So, who knows the likes of Saba will have a big part in future.
Also, most popular female actor in bollywood gets paid more than the most popular actor (male of female) in Pakistan. So, there is always this chance of displaying ones talent to a much wider audience and getting paid much more!
Clicked the link just to see the hate from the indian posters… was not disappointed.
P.S. to all the indians. Take a chill pill. You do not necessarily have to dismiss everyone who does not want to work in india or thinks that indis os the best country in the world
Dastaan wasn’t of Sanam Baloch?
@Random:
Unfortunately we do not have the luxury of crossing the loc with guns and kill innocent people,so we take our revenge by words……unfortunately for us and fortunately for you, this is the only option we have…..so enjoy…..
Bollywood is a joke. Serious actors having to gyrate to get some cheap thrills for the audience, musical renditions for no reason, over the top story lines, wanna be’s, etc. It’s why serious film awards aren’t given to their movies, they just celebrate themselves and think they are great but they aren’t. Not to mention their lack of rating system has made them the rape capital of the world. Might be a bitter pill but the words “India” and “quality” are never used in the same sentence.
Nay bother. Saba is good here and I hope she remains classy unlike item songs girls.
Saba qamar can qualify for hollywood movies. She is damn beautifull with greaty body
@Surya:
He was referring to Priyanka Chopra
Then why India is dying to cast Pakistani artists.@rahul:
@Surya:
Kareena Kapoor descendants are from pre-partition Pakistan, her father was a Pathan, her mother is half Sindhi from Karachi and her mother is also English, her mother being from London. So she’s not really ‘Indian’. But I have gone to India and I love the country as it’s so beautiful and welcoming but I suppose the skin colour craving is a big deal there, because I am quite pale skinned (very fair unfortunately I’d love to be tanned) so I was stared at pretty much all the time as being the odd one out in cities like Delhi and Mumbai, because let’s be honest there wasn’t many people that looked like me and this was one of the reasons I was asked wherever I went where I was from but I’m full Pakistani. When people asked me where I was from, I said Pakistan although I live in Dubai and the response was that I looked like Kareena Kapoor (only because of her skin colour). Anyways some taxi driver said I looked Iranian or European, I think he came up with that conclusion because I have an British accent. But I proudly told them where I was from and they all seemed welcoming! The reason why I am telling you this is don’t judge people about their skin colour, obviously your comment was to be biased about Saba Qamar’s skin colour and that’s a horrible judgement of one’s looks. Majority of the time it’s men who are dark skinned writing such messages. It’s shameful. Good luck Saba for all your future projects! May Allah bless you!! I hope you post this ET. This is my first comment ever.
@Khan
May be you don’t watch them ( I doubt it) it is Very True Pakistanis are truly addicted to Bollywood movies wherever we live. Since we don’t have anything like that no point in berating the whole ndustry. They do produce some good movies and some entertaining ones.
@Rania: Pre-Partition Pakistan ? Twisted history lessons again . Anyway I appreciate your views on Skin color , beauty is only skin deep ! But there seems to some hypocrisy in your post or in minds of most Pakistanis . What do you mean by that Kareena Kapoor is not Indian ? Father of Kareena Kapoor is Randhir Kapoor not Pathan and Kapoors are Punjabi . But Of Course her ancestors,grandfather was born in “Pre-Partition India ” 😉 Like you said Pre Partitioned Pakistan I may say her ancestors are from Pre Partitioned India ? Moreover, Why some Indian with fair skin are dismissed as Non Indians ? Mumbai, if you see its location on map is near equator (place where sun rays are more direct ) so thats why people of mumbai or from south India have dark skin (Fair,nice Hearts ) But if you want to see fair skin Indians (just to shake Pakistani hypocrisy about skin color ) you are welcome to upper north areas (Punjab, Harayana, Himachal, Uttaranchal) . Thanks E.T ..
@Lolz:
Thank god, someone speaks reason in this world. Bollywood movies are pathetic. In the world where movies are judged on their creativity, uniqueness and closeness to reality, bollywood is considered in the worst of all movies.
Pakistani cinema used to make artistic movies and bollywood destroyed that with their commercial garble.
@Rania: Kareena Kapoor descendants are from pre-partition Pakistan : rather India 🙂
I salute Saba Qamar for her integrity and class. She is miles ahead of any Bollywood actress in terms of her acting, command over language, dialogue delivery, and on-screen presence. Excellent decision and statement by her; we need more self-assured people like her who are not sell-outs to new trends. A pleasure to watch!
Keep dreaming Saba. As soon as some Bollywood director inquires about you, you will run like crazy to Bollywood, even if its for a C grade role. We all know you actors want money and fame, nothing else, and you all have a price.
@naeem hussain: “Then why India is dying to cast Pakistani artists”
It’s all about Money!!! Indian Producers find it economical to cast Pakistani artists in their movies for roles which don’t demand star power.
Eg.:- Here is the real reason why Pakistani actor Imran Abbas Naqvi was cast opposite Bipasha Basu in film Creature 3D
http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/bollywood/news/a460226/vikram-bhatts-creature-to-have-no-big-name-male-lead.html
Muslims brought lot of art to India and their contribution to the Indian film industry is immense. Contribution of muslims in musical instruments, singing, acting, lyrics, etc. cannot be ignored. But as religious fanaticism increased in Pakistan, muslim artists (actors and singers) started to move to India. Today, Indian film industry is dominated by muslims and more and more Pakistani artists who find it chocking in Pakistan are moving to India. In total contrast, you do not see even one non-muslim (hindu, christian or sikh) anywhere in the Pakistan movie industry. There is not even one non-muslim actor, singer, stage actor, lyricist, playwright, director, or cameraman in Pakistan’s movie industry. Why is it so? Even in good movies like Ram Chand Pakistani Indian actor Nandita Das has to play the role of the hindu woman. Contrast this to Indian movie industry. In the 1968 movie “Padosan” muslim actor / comedian Mehmood played the role of a traditional south Indian Brahmin. He played the role very well, everyone enjoyed the movie and it was a big success. Even today everyone will remember the song “Ek Chatur Naar Kar Ke Singar”, a song that mocks a south Indian Brahmin in an enjoyable way. South Indian Brahmins like me enjoyed it as much as anyone else. These things can never happen in Pakistan and the trends are that it will only keep going down. As for Saba Qamar, I do not think she is anything more than a mediocre actor. I have not seen any of her movies but see her occasionally in “Hum Sab Umeed Sey Hain”. I am sure good actors like Humaima Malik will be successful. Ali Zafar is nothing more than a mediocre actor and he has been lucky even to come to this level in Bollywood. He has good looks but his acting skills are just average. On the whole, I do not think Pakistan’s movie industry will become a successful industry internationally. Religious fanatics will kill this industry. Talented artists will move to India.
Of course not, she’s got a great offer from Dawood Ibrahim.
@Saeed Shamir:
I agree. All pakistanis have a price and Saba qamar is no different. When the bollywood directors will call, Saba and all other pakistanis will run and will have no second thoughts about shedding their clothes, or doing steamy scenes even as they consider it ‘art’.
@Vlad Singh:
Yes I have been to Punjab and Kashmir and Shimla and there are many fair skin Indians and many Indians who have dark skin and are beautiful (my point wasn’t about who is light skin or dark skin in India), I’m addressing what I experienced as a light skinned person when I visited India in the more prominent areas of the country and I was saying that this person was meaning to criticise Saba for her dark skin and saying that Kareena is naturally light as if dark skin made you lower and I was saying how I saw this attitude a lot in India and I’m not denying it may exist in Pakistan but my answer was directed to this individual who seemed to think Kareena’s white skin was better than Saba’s dark skin, what’s with this attitude? Oh by pre partition Pakistan I meant the land that is Pakistan now and what it was before! And about Kareena, yet again the person used her as example of being better as an Indian and lighter so I was merely stating facts and as far as I know her grandfather was from Peshawar and back in their line they have Punjabi and Pashtun in them…it doesn’t matter my point was about the infatuation of South Asians with skin colour and I’m not being hypocritical, there are dark skinned Pakistanis as well? ET please post my reply because no where in my original comment did I mention Pakistan or us being more light skinned!
I sometimes lose myself on the comments, is this a pakistani newspaper? Why so much hate Indians why
@Rania: Kareena’s father was not a Pathan. he was a Hindu born and raised in Mumbai. Her grandfather (Raj Kapoor) was born in Peshawar but his (Raj Kapoor’s) brothers Shammi and Shashi Kapoor were born in Mumbai and Kolkata respectively (both before partition). So it is not as though this was a family that had roots in Peshawar. Raj Kapoor too while born in Peshawar was not raised there.
In any case prfessional success of entire clan of Prithviraj Kapoor was in Mumbai not Peshawar – so it is unclear how you take credit for their success.
I did not know that was her name………I just called her the ‘ Maat ‘ girl from the TV series in which she was outstanding, plus she’s a brilliant stand-up comedian and I would be out of character if I did not compliment her on her charming looks.
@Tareen: you mean…..like pakistani missiles are far better than Indian, pakistani nuclear bombs are more powerful than Indian, pakistani singers are more talented than Indian and now pakistani actors are mile ahead of Indian actors. This mulla trained pakistanis still live in “Frog in a Well” story.
You just nailed it…I am not taking into consideration your last sentence, which put a damper on the short lived ecstasy. No one is mullah trained in Pakistan except the mullahs themselves and we abhor them to our hearts content.
you must have heard the Allama Iqbal saying ‘Deen-e-mullah…fasad-fi-sabeel Allah.
Beggars are no choosers.
@just_someone: “Pakistani cinema used to make artistic movies and bollywood destroyed that with their commercial garble.”
I don’t remember the name but I did watch a scene from an artistic Pakistani movie where a famous leading actor of Pakistan runs around killing villains with a damn HUGE injection in his hand, sucking out everyone’s blood! Unfortunately, it was an overwhelmingly brilliant fighting scene for me that I got stunned by that beautiful acting & could not watch that movie anymore.
Damned be Bollywood for destroying such artistic movies of Pakistan! Who in Bollywood can even think of making such awesome movies?! Not even Ram Gopal Verma.
@PashtunPakistani&Proud:
Sir… the answer to your question is obsession…. they just are obsessed…
I have watched Maat. Saba Qamar is a class actress. I want her to be in some great content driven movie.