Shaheer Ahmed
Sajal Aly, who is presently stealing hearts with her portrayal in Nadeem Baig’s Kuch Ankahi, admits that she longs to return to Bollywood. The 29-year-old actress, who appeared with Sridevi in 2017’s Mom, hopes to return to Bollywood soon and wonders when borders between India and Pakistan will cease interfering with creative expression.
Aly’s first foreign film What’s Love Got to Do with It? was a collaboration with Indian director Shekhar Kapur and performer Shabana Azmi, who she had previously worked with on the Indian film Mom. The notion of arranged marriage in the modern era of Tinder is front and center in this romantic comedy starring Lily James and Emma Thompson.
Aly told Hindustan Times that it was “like coming home” to collaborate with musicians on the other side of the border. For me, it was like a dream come true. She explained that they had “this familiarity, a feeling of belonging that is very calming,” which she referred to as “Unmein ek apnaniyat” (having one common identity).
The actress from Sinf-e-Aahan continued by claiming that she had long expressed a desire to work in India. I want to be able to return to work in India. But at what time, I can’t say. What awaits me in the future remains to be seen. I have been emphasizing this point for a very long time. Politics has no place in the creative process, in my opinion. She said, “And I hope this wall, this boundary between Pakistan and India rips off soon.”
Aly’s most memorable experience in Bollywood was filming the thriller Mom with Sridevi. She said the late actress was like a mother to her and that they had a strong emotional connection, echoing the film’s title.
I had a close relationship with Sridevi ji. Sadly, she was gone from us in no time. I have avoided discussing my feelings for her. She remarked, “It’s a shame that artists are caught in the crossfire between the two countries.”
