Istafa Ali
A shy and wide-eyed Sajal Ali made her start in the Pakistani entertainment business with Nadaaniyaan fifteen years ago. Self-described highs and lows have colored Sajal’s journey, but she now has a huge fan base of millions of people, an amazing body of work, a lot of awards and praise for her work, and most recently, the Tamgha-e-Imtiaz.
In talking about her journey, Sajal said, “The first few years were very hard for me because I wasn’t from the industry and didn’t have any friends or family in it. But because of those hard times, I was able to slowly make my mark on it.” I have no regrets at all. In fact, I value the early years I spent in the business because they made me a better person.
Sajal’s skills started to get noticed when she started to appear on shows like Nanhi and Gohar-e-Nayab. As her journey went on, she gave amazing performances in deeply moving works like Behadd and Yaqeen Ka Safar. Sajal’s acting skills were recognized all over the world when she made her Bollywood debut in Mom as a victim of sexual assault.
The star got more praise and nominations for her role as the lively and rebellious Sassi in O Rangreza. Sajal continued her string of impressive performances when she was praised for her part as Chammi in the TV version of the acclaimed novel Aangan. Then, she won over people with her role as Momina Sultan in the spiritual romance Alif. In the 2022 movie Sinf-e-Aahan, Sajal played a female soldier, which showed how versatile she was. In the 2023 movie Kuch Ankahi, she played a hardworking real estate agent. The actor also made her Hollywood start in the movie What’s Love Got to Do with It?, where she played a small but important part.
The talented artist recently received the Tamgha-e-Imtiaz award, which was another important step on her path to unmatched fame. She described the honor as “surreal.” “I’m thankful to everyone who has helped me along the way, but especially my mother, who has been so important to my career. This honor wouldn’t have been possible without her support and contributions to my career,” she said. My mom is responsible for everything I have. But getting this award has made me even more determined to work hard and get involved with projects that will help me make Pakistan a major leisure destination in the world.
Getting around on different terrains
Sajal is proud of what she has accomplished, but she is also aware of the problems that stood in her way. “Every point, every step was tough and I still feel it now,” she said. “I think the hardest time was when my mother left. She helped me with a lot of things, especially with my work, and I was very dependent on her.” She would read the script for me whenever I got one for a job. Now, though, I feel like I start from scratch with every job. I think it’s good to feel that way because you end up putting in the same amount of work. I’m not bored when I have to start over. It makes me want to do better.
When asked about the projects that really put her to the test, Sajal said, “O Rangreza would have to be the toughest because it was both hard and different.” There were feelings I had never shown on screen before, and the character has so many sides that it was hard to feel and show them all. The actor then said something very sad: “That was also the last project my mother read for me, and the last thing she told me was, ‘You have to do it no matter what happens to me.'” Even though I didn’t believe in myself at all, my sister and family pushed me back onto the set and told me to give it my all.
People who have been sucked into the online world often find it hard to control their emotions in the digital world. Sajal said, “I use the digital space as a place to share news about my projects and content that affects our society.” If I want to make changes in our country, I think we should start with education. That’s why I try to promote other people’s work, like educational projects, because I think my followers are listening more than ever. I try to tell people about news that I think will help. It’s also how I stay in touch with my friends, who are very important to me.
Praise and fan love
The actor didn’t hold back when she thanked her fans. “I’d like to say thank you for being there throughout the journey,” Sajal said. She went on, “Secondly, Allah has given us a lot of strength, so anyone can do anything.” You should never give up on yourself, and you should never let the child inside you die who thinks big. There are many things you can do. Be sure of yourself, believe in yourself, and work hard to reach your goals. What women can do is endless, so it’s important for them to get educated and follow their dreams.
The star said this about her different experiences working in three different fields: “I’ve been lucky to have worked with great people; I’ve been really lucky.” I never think about the differences. Instead, I focus on the things that have happened that have taught me a lot. They have helped me grow as a person and as an artist. She also said, “When I worked with Jemimah, the people, culture, and environment were all so new to me. Working with the legendary Shabana Azmi and the brilliant Shekhar Kapur, I couldn’t have helped but learn so much.” “This is how I feel when I commit to a project, and it makes me feel pumped up.”
Following fifteen years, it would be an understatement to say that Sajal is a celebrity in every sense of the word. As someone who has changed careers and left an indelible mark on many, Sajal’s journey is a model that many will continue to follow.
