Sweet Sophistication – Tazeen Hussain

From the days of Aurat (telefilm), Anjanay Rastay and Muhlat to finally Yunhi, Tazeen Hussain has come a long way. Daughter of Talat Hussain, Tazeen has an inherent acting skill that she displays with ease. With a quiet, beautiful persona of Iqbal, Tazeen has been carrying this role with aplomb.

Beyond the screen, Tazeen Hussain is Associate Professor of Communication Design Department at the Indus Valley School of Arts and Architecture, Karachi.

Here in this interview, she opens up to Fashion Collection about her journey as an actor.

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Fashion Collection: Tell us something about your journey to becoming a working actor.

Tazeen Hussain: You can say my exposure to TV and acting started early in my life. My father Talat Hussain, was a force to contend with on PTV.  We grew up visiting sets, acting a bit as child artists and doing some theatre as well. One of my theatre as a child artist in a production titled Andhera Ujala an adaptation of the Miracle Worker, a  three act play written by William Gibson on the childhood of Hellen Keller and produced by Theatrewalay, a group led by my father Talat Hussain and Rahat Kazmi. Around 10 years of age I joined Sung Sung Chalien, a program by the esteemed Sohail Rana and remained with the group of children being trained and performing alongside him. I think I landed my first acting project around the age of 18, Raqeeb, directed by Atiya Khan and co-starring Faisal Rehman. Next came Aurat, a telefilm written and directed by Mohammed Ahmed.

FC: What do you like about acting the most?

TH: I just enjoy being in someone else’s shoes, it gives me a lot of freedom to imagine

FC: Theatre or Cinema? And why?

TH: Theatre any day. I love the direct interaction with the audience and the uninterrupted, real time acting experience. No cuts, just live the character for the duration of the performance.

FC: In your opinion, how important is training in acting?

TH: Very important! Whether through formal mechanisms like institutional training or through observation and self-learning.

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FC: Who are your biggest influences?

TH: In terms of life, I have learnt a lot from my husband. In terms of acting I like to observe people, see how they behave in particular situations, try to feel their feelings, see their motivations and try to understand their pain. So you can say I am an empath. The people around me who I observe have been by inspiration!.

FC: What is your dream role that you aspire to do?

TH: I don’t think I have a dream role, a role happens, its created through team work, writers directors Dops’ makeup artists and your co actors. The enjoyable part for me is the way I perceive a character and then the way it shapes up through these relations. I can say Iqbal, as I read her initially, is so different from the Iqbal that is on the screen in Yunhi!

FC: What has been your experience with Younhi?

TH: Great, it s a great team with lots of stimulating conversation, crazy creatives working behind the screen who are always experimenting with lights, cameras and their actors, meaning us, pushing us to try our new things, new ways of doing things etc. Also some members are great foodies, so the food just keeps rolling in while some are expert political analysts. So you can say our sets are never dull.

FC: Any advice you would like to give to the young people who are just starting their careers in showbiz?

TH: I have also just re-entered, so I am learning from this super savvy younger lot. Totally full of admiration for them!

FC: In your opinion, how difficult it is to establish yourself in the film industry?

TH: I have no idea about the struggles, but all jobs have their challenges. Resilience and   consistency help overcome the challenges to some extent.

FC: Are there things you want to do other than acting?

TH: Travel!

FC: Describe yourself in three words.

TH: I can’tÂ