From Child Actor to Living Legend with Bushra Ansari

Transcription

Welcome back to another episode

of the releasing the genius

podcasts where we interview

extraordinary people and we try

to figure out exactly how they

got there. So when we talk about

releasing the genius I’m we’re

all looking at what is it inside

a person that’s their own

genius. And this whole podcast

was created because we wanted to

find those people who have

actually found it, and if we can

find the genius and people that

maybe other people can learn

from them and release their own

genius. And once we release a

genius and in many in people in

this world, then the genius of

the world can be can be

realised. Yeah, now this next

guest that we have for today

I’ve had dinner with her in

Karachi. We’ve had dinner here

in Toronto and Mississauga, so

this is what everyone would say

is a living legend. Bushra

Ansari. She is a Pakistani

actress, comedian, singer, and

Playwright who started her

career as a child performer in

the 1950s. Bushra Ansari won

numerous awards during her

career include including the

presidential pride of

performance award in 1989 for

her contributions in the arts of

Pakistan. In her career she

released a rap album full of

parodies of famous songs and has

been a judge for Pakistan’s

biggest singing talent hunt

show Pakistan Idol and has

devoted her life for doing shows

for charities worldwide.

And as I said earlier in

Pakistan, she’s known as a

living legend and whenever she

visits Toronto, people are

combatting to take selfies

with are so welcome Bushra,

thank you for joining us.

Thank you very much and you

have done a lot of homework.

About me. That’s very nice.

This is really exciting for Bushra

to to be here and and we’re

going to be looking at your life

alittle bit an maybe seen some

things that other people may not

know about you. Yes, Bushra is a

superstar in in Pakistan and

globally. People do know her and

it’s getting to know Bushra

really who she is. She’s an

amazing person when you look at

her values and what she’s done

in her life. She’s she’s kept

her values no matter what.

Attention has been given to her

throughout her life, and I think

this is something that is so

profound an and specially these

days where people lose the track

of what’s really important in

their lives. I also think your

brilliance Bushra is just even as

a child and what you’re able to

do, and then what you able to

1. You just you just kept doing

more and more and more. So let’s

let’s not keep talking about

she. Let’s have you talking for

a little while. OK, thank you.

Thank you Kim. Thank you

Kim, start.

Because you even started as a

child. As a young child, as as

an actress or as an actor, as it is said now, as a young

child, what were you like? What

allowed you to get there?

Actually, when I was born a.

I think at that time, maybe.

Well, whenever I just had

something in my mind and maybe I

I I became

conscious. I thought I

can. I I will be a singer

because we all say four sisters

and one brother. We can all

sing, I mean good, bad was

whatever. But we are very much

into music so I thought I’ll be

a singer. It’s so easy to be

singer because I used to sing

everything. Everyone was

singing at home.

The age of nine. In 1968, uh, I

insisted my mom to take me to

television station for singing

in the children’s program, which

was very popular at that time.

So that’s how I thought, and I

was so confident that I can go,

and I can see an in once one

audition was selected. And the

music director who was

conducting the show. I just sang

one phrase and he said, OK, OK,

OK, because I was, I mean over

extra talented in those kids we

were which were around us. He

said no, so I said no, I will

send you the whole song. You

have to listen to it.

He said Yeah, he was so surprised. What sound of a kind of a

kid she is. She’s so talented

and she’s so confident. I said

no, no no let me finish the

whole song I will sing you

anyway so and I was acting side

by side because I was playing. I

was singing fairly song and

Queens and princesses song with

acting. So it was so natural to

me I could. I mean, I never

thought about that. I’ll have to

do this. I was doing it.

So by doing that I was getting

trained because in Pakistan you

don’t have any Academy is no

proper school. Now they are. But

at that time it was not there.

So that’s why we started an

actually the one thing one thing

I always think about that I had

two elder sisters they were five

years up and two younger brother

and sister. They were five in

six years younger so I was in

the middle and I still think I’m

useless. Nobody wants me.

Because the elder sister used to

say go go go play with kids and

I didn’t like the kids so I made

my own place in my house. I I

created my own world with dolls

with their their embroidery’s

you know I used to dress up them

everyday. I just change their

slow then is to do the swing and

I do embroidery. So these are

many things I think I trained

myself for that and I just stood

up on my own

That’s something I think for

everyone to remember now.

You were like that as a

child. Do you think your parents

had anything to do with this?

No, actually the the good thing

was that my father, who was a

very renowned journalist, but he

was a very learned man and he

studied filmmaking from

Hollywood and he was a he had a

lot of knowledge about music and

the classical music. Very strong

one. So in our house literature

and music they were like sports.

I mean, my father never said

that this is not the thing you

are going to do it this is bad

or whatever, but he was a bit

scared. Or maybe you can say

some kind of conservative

regarding sending the daughters

to perform or do these things

because I was a young kid he

sent me but after a few years he

said no, no, let’s stop it. Now

you concentrate on your studies.

So they encouraged me in a way

but we could not.

Other than me, my sisters are

also very talented, but I mean

we were. We were not so freely.

We’re not so free to do

everything we were just in a in

a condition that you can go and

perform in only children’s

program and you will be back

before sunset by 5:00 o’clock.

So we had so many difficult in

strict rules in our house. So

then I got the chance because I

got married to a director and he

was OK with that. And whatever I

want you to do, I want you to

sing or add. And after I got

married in 78 then I was free

to do everything that was the

time is now I think 42 years

from that time onwards I’m

working. So when 42 years of

working OK, I’m not going to

ask how old you are.

I was a year old when I

got married.

OK, I think I’d like to go back

to your childhood then with your

father that wasn’t being very

interesting because he was of a

famous journalist. He thought,

thought leader in so many ways.

And what is that like to live

with that and have a father who

was so far actually in any girl

or boy’s life when you start

life any child you have a role

model in dice.

Sometimes you have a role

model in your father.

Sometimes you are role model

in your mother. Your mother is

can be a hero 2. So in our

lives our father was a role

model because we now analyze

his facility. He was such a

committed person towards

society towards the family.

Very honest.

I mean, he was so truthful that

he was all but most of the time

he was kicked out, swing, kicked

out from the jobs and he was

very happy to say to us I lost my job

today because I wrote this

offense against this. So he was

such a such a truthful person

and otherwise he was extremely

loving, extremely loving and

devoted to the family. So and of

course very talented, very

learned musical. So these are

the qualities you can you want

to see your parent as an honest

person. As as a strong person as

their brief person, so he he had

a lot of things. Lot of of you

can see inspiration in our lives

and I think sometimes I feel

that he is no more from last 16

years but he’s always alive in

ourselves. So I think I was very

lucky. I’ve been very lucky. We

are all very lucky to have a

father like that now. You know,

I’m just thinking it to have

that courage. You talk about

your father with bravery,

courage to tell the truth. You

know he could have come back and

just being so disheartened over

it so you as a small child when

you went in there and said I’m

going to sing the whole song. I

think that’s courage too. And

it’s a belief in yourself. Do

you? You know, it sounds like

your father believed in himself,

believed in what he was saying.

And believe that it was

important that he did what

was right. Do you feel that

that’s really helped you in

in terms of what you did in

your life going forward?

Yeah, actually he was uhm.

He was like I’m telling you he

was conservative in some way.

Is but otherwise it in our

house. We had all the freedom we

were singing. We were talking.

We were doing a lot of things,

reading the most literally

people used to come to our

house. Most journalists used to

come to our house and there was

an atmosphere. I think now I

think because at that time we

never realize that what kind of

privileged we have. I mean now,

as grownups, we think that we

will be lucky to have father

like him and the atmosphere.

And the people around us, and

the guests who were all the most

of the time with my father, they

were all very, very big poets

and journalists, and writers and

playwrights and Noble Writers.

So this will not atmosphere, we

got it got from him.

And I think that has that has

given us a lot of gifts from

which we inherited from our

father. It’s a blessing. Isn’t

that nice? So can you talk a

little bit about you as a

teenager, how were you able to

study and act at the same time?

Very bad in math.

Oh, that’s nice.

I can give you some lessons if

you have my God came. I used to

my God. My teachers were like

but I was a very favorite kid

of the school. You know,

because I was the number one

thing in the dramatics and I

used to tell everyone to seem

like this act like this. So I

was the favorite one for the

principal of my school. But my

science teacher in my math

teacher, you know they before

the exam they used to sit like

this. What will happen to this

girl? What would what would she

do? She was she. She failed in

math. Then what we should?

Only two 3 numbers.

Or mathematics. I know. The

interesting thing is that I used

to write a short note on the

side of my paper that made a

move in my school. In my family,

nobody is good at math. We’re

all interested in performing

arts, and we’re all interested

in music and literature. So my

father and my grand father in my

heart animal, everyone fails

window mathematics, so please

excuse me for this.

No wonder the teacher called

me, she said, listen, why do

you like me? Let us on the

phone or examination papers.

Why you met him? I don’t read

1. I said I’m I just wanted to

tell you why I’m not good in

mathematics. Sorry. So you

always try your always try but I

just got 2 three marks to cross

the class. That’s it. So can you

describe a little bit about your

day so you weren’t very good at

math but you were excellent in

all the arts he saw on. How did

you manage your time between

acting and studying?

Actually, at that time the

school was was simple. I mean he

had only 65 to 6 periods and we

had a certain time after maybe

three months. Some dramatic

events were happening in the

school and I, you know, I

remember what? Because I’m not

properly trained for the

classical music in the property.

The training sort of thing which

is very proper. I used to just

thinking and teachers just. I

mean they were just I don’t know

how they were so confident about

1. They used to give me a

poetry. And they used to tell me

go and make a tune of that. You

have to compose this and I was

in class six. I used to say OK

in the ground we had a big round

under a tree. I used to sit and

I used to just try to make a

poem Support, Reserve

composition or maybe the tune

when I come back to the chip she

said no, this is not what you

waiting there better one I said

my God I will. I’m not a music

composer but they I don’t know.

Somehow this trust in me.

So I I I used to take out time

but I had this privilege

privilege tube that uh, in

between the studies they took

me out for that they gave me

the time to get a break for the

dramatics, planning and I used

to go to any class I said I

need you to girls is to come.

Please take us in the place so

that we can miss that class.

Can you take me this this

evening for further admin

your drama? I just stand at

the behind but please just

tell people that I need this

card. They will not refuse

you because I was there.

Director decide so I used to

come man can I come? Chill

yeah, can I call her because,

uh, there’s a role she has to

do and I think she can do it.

They said OK so this was how

it used to enjoy this.

This is really, I think what’s

really interesting to is the

fact that your teachers.

Question whether you could do

it or not and they were

looking for keeping you busy.

By the sounds of it, so yeah.

Wanted you to do something

better too with with that that

music. So what I’m wondering too

is so when when you were

actually composing these musics,

did they use that in the place

when you were young? No, no,

actually we have. Music opposes

separately in Pakistan and India

and we have. We just get the

poetry first, then the

composition. So arrangements

of the music that this pucci

stages. I don’t compose music

because I’m not in the

composer, I’m just a singer.

So I used to get.

Project from when I used to

think more in Pakistan

television national team.

Uh, which was, uh, uh, I’m

coming television sets like CBC

or something, so I was when I

was invited for a song to sing a

song we used to give me the

poetry. Then they called the

director, director. He used to

sing in the song and then I used

to learn and then we had to

record it there for 3 four

stages so I don’t do that. I

only saying or I write or act

1. Some buddies play or

sometimes written by. So the

plan is not initiated by me.

Some other person, director or

producer, whoever he plans the

project and he invites whoever

he wants to. So that’s how I

worked. Oh, interesting. So now

you write some of your own

place. Are you some of your own

shows, right? Can you tell us

the process that it takes to be

a writer for a show? What does

that mean? Like so that kids

understand what it means to to

do that, and then we’ll talk

about your acting. OK, uh,

writing actually came a lot

after when I was in the middle

of my career, I started writing

about 20 years ago, maybe 1819

years ago. Being a writers being

than intellectuals daughter, I

can’t claim myself that I’m

right. I’m just a commercial

right in the drama.

Big intellectual very serious

one. But there are lots of

stories around us, all of us.

With this thing so many things,

but it’s how you absorb the

stories. It’s how you develop

them. And when the story

develops, it’s another a

difficult task to.

Make a drama out of a story.

Story is very. I think it’s

easier than the drama because

it’s not. That is the stories

who are linked. Writing stories.

There’s nothing doing nothing

but the story is a simple thing

you can write about. 1000 houses

are running. Maybe 25,000 people

are working, something,

anything. You can write your

free to write anything in

normal. In short story,

whatever. But you have to show

in the drama. So actually I had

a story in my mind.

The first play I wrote it was

yeah, it was about 19 years ago.

It was on the special Women’s

Day, so that plot was in my

mind. I spoke to my husband it

balance out, he was a bigger non

journalist so I told him I said

I this is a nice story and I

think we can ask some direct

some writers, some professional

proper writer to write it. I

have this plot in my mind. He

said you try to write it first.

I said, OK, I started writing in

it, then the natural flow was, I

mean the flow was very natural

so it came out like a good long

play. We call it long play,

which is 9090 minutes 1 1/2

hours something. So it was a big

clap because it was very

realistic. So whenever you write

even you write a short story or

a drama. There two different

graphs, different techniques.

Now in drama we have to think

about the feasibility, the

finances, how many people we are

casting. How much cost it will

be, uh, how many episodes you

have to write the screenplay,

the dialogue everything in

Pakistan. We do one person.

Otherwise everywhere in the

world we have it. They have a

team of screen screen, brighter

than dialogue. Writer and story

writer. And they have a big

booty. Yes, so seven months I

took for writing to write this

cereal, which is these days on

air still takes a lot of

dedication. It takes it out

rigger and it takes a discipline

and. And like just to have that

patience to be able to finish

that. Yeah, actually The thing

is which I think which is very

important to tell the kids the

New Generation. I find myself

very focused maybe.

Surely because whenever whatever

you do, you have to be focused

and you have to be committed.

Do you work whatever you do so

the focus like? The other day I

was telling my niece who’s a

very beautiful knew star in

Pakistan. Her name is Sarah.

She’s very pretty, very

expressive and a beautiful face.

I was just telling her about the

acting. I said I’m not trained.

I mean I have been doing this

but I didn’t go to an Academy

but even I know because I have

some relation with music too and

I have some learning some maybe

some knowledge about. Music a

little. I said when you just.

Dutch one card of

your piano like uh.

So you have to be concentrating

on, uh? Can you do

a? So that you’re active graph

gets done because you lose your

focus, this is this is what is

for every every field. Every

work you do.

The focus is the main thing.

Maybe for the teaching, for

painting, for dance, for writing

everything. So what I find in in

my journey. I was focused.

How can you?

Improved that focus.

I could get.

Yeah.

And then you have to be very

clever. Very clever ha. Just

Yes, you have to be very clever

with smart. I think, uh.

First of all, whatever quality

you have or talent you have or.

Whatever field in whatever

field, I mean, what is maybe a

nightie. You need to know

yourself and your interest

for the I mean the first

part from everything, then

you then you need to fix

your goals and

achievements that I want

to go there.

I won’t be able to go or not go

that something different, but I

want to go there.

So I have to go study and

whatever comes in my my way on

my way. I just need to

concentrate on that. Then I will

step next then I will step next

then I will step next, next,

next next. I may not go reach

there but at least whatever is

in front of Maine my plate first

I will do. I will just look at

that that this is what I have to

conquer. Then after this plate

the next one, the next one. So

maybe by by the time.

Uh, I was doing it, maybe, uh,

1. I don’t blame myself that

I’ve been so intelligent at the

age of. 9 or 10 or maybe 20.

I think it was natural enemy,

whatever comes in my way, and

I’m interested in that. Yes, not

bad, not meds. I bet if we

thought you might be able to do

something, I think you think

mathematically and you’re not

realizing it so.

So the yeah, yeah, and I think

you know there’s we had another

podcast where the person was

really talking about being the

best you can be and and you’re

talking about the focus and just

sticking with it. And that

persistence an not not worrying

about it now these days. I find

one of the major problems reason

I asked you about that is

because we’re losing our focus

even as adults. But kids to an

with the computer and the TV

and. Everything around us is

training us just to do quick

little things and so our brains

are almost getting lazy. Is what

I’m feeling like like just to

get our brains to be able to do

that seems to be harder, you

know physically. We are so

completely become so comfortable

because of these technologies.

There are many positive aspects

of this, but I find it very

negative because it makes you so

lazy. Everything is done with

the touch. You don’t get up to

turn off the fan, you don’t. I

mean, you just don’t get up. Get

up to turn off the TV. In our

childhood Mr. Go by Publix in

school. Our kids did not go, so

I think that has kept me strong

up till now because I used to

work for long time. I mean.

For long long distance to my

school. So that was a blessing.

Now I think now these kids. I

mean they’re liking this since

we can compare between the two

errors, you and me we have seen

that generation. Now we’re

watching this too so we can we

keep on comparing both the

things. But these kids are not

to be blamed. Actually they

didn’t see that. So this is what

we have given them and what our

expectations. So we’ve got these

new tools and yet we don’t need

to lessen our expectations of

people we can. Use the tools in

many ways to make things bigger

or an easier to use, but yet we

still have to do things

ourselves, so that’s really

good. We don’t have too much

more time, so I would like to

just really redirect this a

little bit, and I’d like to get

your perspective on just the

whole media on the arts the

what’s happening with television

was happening with the shows

right now and where you see the

future going. It’s we’re in the

midst of this COVID we have

technology that’s just come in

the whole world is thinking

differently there, working

differently with even media and

shows like if you if you look at

all the different platforms that

now people can access is not

just TV anymore and this covid

and and what was happening,

where do you see it’s going up

as far as, uh, our video is

concerned in Pakistan?

I think via the fighters.

Um, in last many days you know

the things politically,

economically, socially we’ve

been facing in different eras

of different governments. If I

talk about that perspective, I

think we are the fighters and

because we.

We survived in these these

circumstances and we got some

bear because somewhere.

But overall, generally, people

are a very badly affected by

this cover thing all over the

world. See Hollywood was closed

and. Macau is closed and by the

big big things visit we have

seen this so it has taken all

people to a certain

psychological pressure. Which is

damaging for some years at least

for for some few years more. But

I think kids will be OK after a

few years. I think we won’t be

able to get out of it totally

because the the speed and maybe

two years three years.

God forbid I don’t know how

many years it has affected

all of the all the whole

world, but media especially.

You know we used to attend

operas, musical concerts, and

big big football matches and the

festivities and that would that

used to give us boost an

enjoyment and fun and

everything. So that has now we

have to surrender that this is

not a choice so we can’t be so

happy happy. But you have to

adjust. And we have to do

whatever we can. In these

circumstances. The airport

choice.

We have to go through this.

What are you doing in terms of

this? How are you dealing with

this? Oh yeah, this is

tough one.

This is a tough one actually. I

I just finished the the project.

I told you the the one which is

on here now. So it was a long

commitment for seven, eight

months, a seven months for

writing. Then I came here in

America for a fundraiser show

trip Australia. When I went back

in short it in three months. So

it took me almost there earlier.

I was otherwise planning to sit

for some time and I will plan

maybe some songs or maybe some

fun things. Some other things,

but I had. A lot of time here,

four months more than 4 four

months, but my my mind was go

gone so off I could not do

anything. The fear the

paranoia we all had to go

through. Remember in the

beginning in March, April we

were just scared of each

other. I mean we still are but

little we have adjusted sort

1. So it was actually tough

and.

It is depressing to last week or

maybe from last 15 days.

I can’t stop crying, maybe for

no reasons. When I pray I, I

mean I pray to God that I have

tears then I still don’t know.

My kids are OK. I’m fine, I

didn’t have this coronavirus,

but even even that whatever is

around us it’s so depressing.

We’re sitting in the window we

can’t go and even we go to the

elevator we have to wear gloves.

We can’t touch anything. Then

you have to throw that we have

to bring the groceries list

wash. I mean we are losing our

minds. In so many other negative

ways, so it actually it actually

hurts. And it is depressing and

I hope we can get out of this

soon. I hope so too, and I think

really media and shows like what

you can produce will help the

whole world. Maybe come out of

this and see see that there

still is a lot of hope. You know

what we’re talking about is

releasing the genius in this

world and I want to finish with

one thing from you. And that is

what can you tell.

The youth of today or the

children of today, on what

does it mean to release

their own genius?

I think every child is a genius

in her or him his own way. God

has given everything to everyone

but you just have to find out.

What is special in you?

This is my belief.

Uh, you have to find out. Then

you have to just concentrate on

that again, focus and then you

have to work on that. Don’t

distract yourself. In other

things, just just divide your

time, just plan your life. The

study is the fun time. The

family. Anytime the TV time, the

computer time this should be 5

the eating time to not every

time eating. And I mean this.

This should always also be

discipline thing, but you have

to plan your life in a certain

way that you can have every bit

of life you can enjoy. You can

have fun. You can have studies

you can have respect by doing

that. I mean you get good scores

in class, you are respected your

life by your teachers, your

friends and you feel good

strong. Nice, so that is the

thing that you have to stay away

from distractions just do

everything but in a proper way.

Concentration when you will

achieve and achieving achieving

happiness, success, money

everything comes after you then.

So how do you? So you’re

basically saying to find it is

really to do the best you can

and whatever you’re doing an it

will basically come out and

you’ll see that it’s there yes.

And why do you feel the need to

give back? With so many

charity shows.

Uh, but why do you think what

you say you you give back in so

many charities shows? Yeah yeah,

why? Why is that so important

for you? Yeah, it is actually

the charity I don’t claim myself

as a I mean people do a lot for

people people just. I mean it’s

easy to do something for any

charity organization to perform

and then they collect money. But

I have seen big big professional

people, the doctors and the big

professional. They just leave

their job and go in the remote

areas of Pakistan. They teach in

the school. I mean they give

their own soul and they

physically there. So I don’t say

anything about me like this, but

I feel good if people like me

love me. They come, they just

get together somewhere to listen

to me, to listen to my

conversation or my songs or my

performances. And then they

donate for the hospital for a

good cause that gives me a big

happiness for that.

So from last, about 20 years of

18 years I was with Shaukat Khanum with Imran Khan, then

The Citizens Foundation.

The Citizen Foundation. Now I’m

more associated with in this

hospital because they’re doing

good job in Pakistan. Actually

writes wow this has been

amazing. Thank you so much. I

think we’ve all learned so much

just by listening to you may

think it’s just simple things

and things that would be obvious

to everyone. But while there is

so much there, thank you so much

Bushra. Thank you Kim.

Thank you, Nathan. Thank you

very much. OK, alright, thank

you Bushra. And what will do is

will put in the description

where they can find maybe some

of your work because I know a

lot of people here in Toronto

that aren’t familiar with your

work for sure are going to want

to watch it. Let’s hope they

also get impressed. So cool,

thank you, thank you, thank you.

Out of all of this, is Bushra

believed in herself from a young

child and she she did all that

she could, believing in what she

was doing was the right thing,

and she’s using it now what she

does and let her her geniuses

for others as well so that

others can use it. And it’s not

just for herself that she’s

allowing others to use it for

this charity work as well. And

that’s that’s pretty phenomenal.

And this is just been great.

And this one more important

thing I I think I missed out.

Let me know when you get married

in in. Specially in Pakistan you

think now I have to cook and I

have to only wash dishes and I

have to just look after the

kids. You stop working. Maybe

for some time or maybe never.

I’d kept doing that. I never

left my my work because I was

not doing a job. It was not

regularly everyday nine to five

job I used to take projects and

I was handling the girls, both

of them myself. I was driving

them to school. I was.

A cooking I had a help for other

things but I still cook myself.

I should take the both the girls

to tuition. Even you’ll be

surprised to know when I used to

take up, uh, any foreign tour

for the performances. I used to

take the projects in summer

vacations so that I never left

my girls at home, never for two

months they were traveling with

me everywhere but in their

vacation. Otherwise the whole

year I used to refused to book any shows. I said no, I’m not going

to leave my girls so side by

side I did everything.

With my family too. So that’s

the thing I want to tell the

girls that it’s not that you can

do only one single thing at a time. You can do five

things together, but you have

1. You have to just manage

them. You have to learn how to

manage them and you can’t. You

should not leave the family

behind. You should take

everything with you. So that’s

the thing I think I’m proud of

that that I could. I could do

that for at least 14 years. I

drove them to school.

Pretty, that’s pretty

phenomenal, and that says a

lot about you as a person too

and that you weren’t going to

lose that. And you also

weren’t going to say it can’t

be done. There is a way to do

it, you just have to figure it

out. That’s pretty cool. Yes,

that’s pretty neat. Yeah,

thank you for listening to

another episode of the

releasing  the genious podcast,

Looking forward to you joining

us next week. Thank you. Thank

you. Take care. Thank you. Bye

bye bye bye thanks everyone.