Noor-us-Sabah
In a meet-and-greet held in New York, Sajal Ali recalled filming Jemima Goldsmith’s What’s Love Got to Do with It? and shared that she has no formal background in acting. She said, “I have never taken on projects solely for the purpose of winning awards. However, I am driven by people’s appreciation for me, and I enjoy performing for them. I’m grateful to Allah for being here because, through this work, I can tell many fascinating stories. When a local artist represents Pakistan on an international level, it is a significant achievement.”
Sajal proudly spoke about her experience on What’s Love Got to Do with It? “That was a great experience. It always feels rewarding to work with brilliant actors like Lily James, Emma Thompson, and Shabana Azmi. You learn so much in that environment,” she said.
Sajal, who played Maymouna in the 2022 romantic comedy, insisted that there is no secret ingredient to her work. “I haven’t learned acting anywhere. There’s no method to what I do,” she explained. “But I spend a lot of time with senior actors, both in Pakistan and abroad, outside of work. I try to learn as much as I can from them and, of course, make Pakistan proud,” she added.
Reflecting on her journey to stardom, Sajal expressed gratitude for the opportunities she has received and the support from her family, close friends, and manager. “The journey is never just your own; it’s always a team effort. I’m blessed with great people in that regard,” she said.
Despite her undeniable accomplishments, the 31-year-old actor admitted that she still doubts her skills from time to time. “I get confused doing every new project, as if it’s my first,” she said. “But aside from talent, I believe getting opportunities is crucial. Many talented people in Pakistan go unnoticed, and I consider myself lucky in that regard.”
Sajal credits her success to the early career projects that helped her shape her skills and explore her strengths. “If I’d felt I was bad at acting, I would’ve called it quits back then. But after those experiences, I started to believe that I might have a little something in me,” she said.
Sajal believes her line of work holds a well of inspiration, and that actors change and grow over time. “There have been many people who inspired me, but I work towards becoming that person for myself and inspiring others too,” she said. She acknowledged that actors don’t always resonate with the characters they play, as they take on different personalities each time. “If I always looked for similarities between myself and my characters, it would be boring, even for the audience. Then they won’t see the characters; they’ll only see Sajal,” she explained.
The Yaqeen Ka Safar star also emphasized her desire to take on challenging roles that allow her to grow as an artist. “I rarely regret turning down certain projects,” she said.
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