The star of Mazaaq raat, Iftikhar Thakur!
is the king of comedy.
He adopted the name based on his character
in a stage drama.
Majajan and one two ka one are some of his famous works.
Iftikhar has starred in
numerous shows and telefilms in different languages
This has made him Pakistan's comedy and theatre legend
I just wanted to know about his
life, his journey and his struggles.
I wanted to know how theatre has evolved
over time
in Pakistan.
And what is the future of media in our country.
I am sure you'll also enjoy
everything that he talks about.
Thank you for coming to my show.
I have to thank you that I have come here
and I am sitting with you.
I am saying it from the
bottom of my heart.
Mostly the male and female actors
watch each other respectively but the
reality is I have seen you
on television and learnt a lot from you.
Especially when your drama was going on
at Alhamra.
I took a leave from my drama
and went to watch your drama
because people like us who did theatre see
how to talk, walk and how to move.
This all was learnt from you people
Aww, thank you.
Because the actual thing that puts life in theatre
you know where it was.
Now theatre has changed.
People do laugh but I feel hurt
that now the actual theatre is not what it was supposed to be.
You, Qavi Khan, Khayyam Sarhadi, Sohail Ahmed
did actual theatre.
Sohail Ahmed,
it's been eight years since he left theatre.
We feel like we're helpless.
There is no elder with us.
We feel like orphans.
We did a great job.
Thakur: Very much Samina: Me and Sohail
Samina: We had perfect coordination. I miss theatre too.
I miss it too much.
and I think we should miss it. I was talking to Usman
that we should go back to theatre.
If you come back, the families will come back too.
Our sisters and daughters can't
watch drama anymore.
This is my wish that
those daughters and sisters of ours who stay at home
they have no means of outing
they wash dishes, clothes and take care of their husbands.
But they have no fun and outing.
If they have fun at home
and they feel relaxed
and whenever their husbands
come back home
they will receive them with a good mood.
If women are tired and not relaxed
and men are tired too because of work
obviously there will be tension in the house.
I tried my best
that whatever work I do
a daughter in law and father in law can watch together
with confidence. No one has to be ashamed of anything.
Samina: The whole family can watch together. Thakur: Yes
From where does your story begin? Where were you born?
I was born in Mian Channu.
At that time it was district Multan. Now
it is district Khanewal.
I was in 5th grade.
Samina: You went to school? Thakur: Yes, I was in 5th grade
when they dropped me out of school. Samina: Why?
My teacher was very strict.
He used to beat children.
I loved to hunt birds
I used to keep a slingshot for
hunting in my bag.
I had marbles in my bag too.
Once the teacher was checking homework.
He was in the second row.
I knew when he'll will come to me as I haven't done my homework,
he will definitely beat me.
Thakur: Sometimes he gave a hard slap that ... Samina: And it is very wrong. Thakur: Yes.
Samina: Children shouldn't get beaten. Thakur: Sometimes I would hit the wall and then fall down.
He used to give such a hard slap.
Thakur: Because of the fear of slap... Samina: Did your brain hurt? Thakur: No
Then I took the slingshot and
placed a marble in it.
There hung the bell outside.
I hit the bell with marble, it rang and the class was dismissed.
Samina: Wow! Thakur: Still 10 to 15 minutes were left in class.
Headmaster called me.
They gave me a certificate and said: "Son, our school is not worth it".
Go to a better school.
I was kicked out from 5th grade and then from 8th grade.
Why did you get kicked out from 8th grade? Where did you hit the marble this time?
It was very cold.
I came to know that the English teacher had
two periods together and he was not coming.
I jumped out the window and
grabbed a vase and emptied it of the plant.
I collected wood sticks, put it
in the vase and set fire to it.
Samina: Taking warmth? Thakur: Yes.
Teacher came.
All the boys were sitting around that plant.
Teacher came.
My hair used to be long
He used to call me
Sikh.
Because of long hair.
He entered the room and said
it is the work of Sikh.
He kicked me with his leg, I moved aside
That leg hit the vase and one stick jumped out of the pot
and hit wall and fell on his foot.
He beat me then and there at first.
Then he took me to the headmaster.
He also gave me a certificate
and said: "Son, find a better school for yourself".
He had written something on certificate
because of that I couldn't get admission.
Because of someone's reference, I went to Kabirwala
where I did my matriculation.
In matric, I thought I will fail Biology
We, cousins studied
and fought together.
I thought if I failed Biology, they will insult me
From there I went to Karachi
and learnt after three months we have exams.
I took admission. I took tuition for three months.
I studied hard and prepared myself for exams
It was second last paper of
English B. Then result was declared in Punjab.
High first division
and in Biology, I got
76 marks Samina: Wow! Wow!
I gave exam on both side.
I got second position from Punjab
and first from Sindh.
I don't know how it happened.
When I went for a job
They told me , they have no Punjab seats.
I asked till when can I apply? He said till 2 pm.
I had matric degree of Sindh.
I ran to court, made Domicile of Sindh
I then asked about seats of Sindh. He said: Yes
Then I got a job there.
Thakur: then I Samina: Where did you work?
In Karachi as Pakistan Coast Guard. At that time it
was a new security agency for the sea.
I did F.A. from Commerce College.
Samina: Which Commerce College? Thakur: From Karachi
Samina: Where weas your College?
There was Art Council Chowk also
known as Data Chowk, between
Rex Cinema and Data chowk.
There was also the mess of Pakisatan Coast Guard there.
From there,
I did my F.A and they transferred me
to Islamabad.
Then in Islamabad
I graduated from H9.
There, I met Mr. Z.A. Zulfi
He used to do theatre.
He saw me and said
we have a drama if you can do it for a short while.
I went to do it. Samina: In Pindi?
In Liaquat Hall. There was a Ms.Sarwat Ateeq there.
Because the festival was about to start.
She came on a hunt for talent.
I saw her, she was looking at me from behind the curtain
at my character
As soon as I made my exit,
she caught me. She asked my name.
I said: Iftikhar Thakur.
There is an upcoming drama in the festival.
and you have to play a role with me.
Samina: Thakur was made by that time? Thakur: Yes Samina: Thakur was with Iftikhar since then?
It was actually by mistake. Basically my birth name is
Iftikhar Ahmed.
That person who took the publicity rights wrote
my name as Iftikhar Thakur on banners and posters.
It was misprinting.
that became my name.
What a misprint! Then?
Thakur: That Sarwat Ateeq's drama
The rehearsal timings were
three hours daily.
If I say honestly then,
the movement you make about on theatre,
at first I had no idea how to do it.
Ms. Sarwat Ateeq's
strictness taught me
that what actually
theatre's work is. In that festival
Her drama stayed number 1.
and Thanks to Allah, I got the
actor's certificate.
Samina: And then you never looked back? Thakur: Yes
First we used to do theatre at Liaquat Hall.
In 1996, I came to Lahore.
With Waseem Abbas,
I had a bit of a relation.
Samina: That was comedy theatre or serious which you did earlier? Thakur: Yes
Thakur: It was comedy. Samina: Ok.
Waseem Abbas 's mother died.
I came here to pray for her.
When I was about to leave
I saw Mr. Sohail Ahmed standing there.
He asked me: What is your name?
I said: Iftikhar Thakur. Where are you going?
I said: Sir, Lakshmi Chowk. He asked me to sit in the car.
He took me to Mehfil Theatre.
There I met Mr. Khalid Abbas Dar and Mr. Mastana.
Mr. Khalid Abbas Dar asked, "Who is he"?
Mr. Sohail said; He will do the
role of Nawab in Urdu.
Mr. Mastana said; That role is in Urdu but his face is like a bus conductor's.
Mr.Sohail said; Let's try it.
If he would read the role well then ok otherwise
we will let him go to Pindi.
The character's name was Ganda Puri.
Mr. Mastana was the second Nawab in that play and I was the first Nawab.
My character's name was Ganda Puri and his was Pani Puri.
They asked to read a line of the script.
It was Urdu theatre and that line was in Urdu.
Line was: Today Ganda Puri
after a long time rode a bicycle that
reminded him of his childhood.
I read the names of the characters
but it was actually in a rhythem. 0:11:48.815,0:11:51.265 Mr. Mastana was looking at me angrily
Must be thinking who was I.
When I read the line, I asked who is
that second character. They told me it was Mr. Mastna.
I read it like, Ganda Puri
Pani Puri. Today Ganda Puri
after a long time I rode a bicycle that
reminded me of childhood.
Mr. Mastana came to me and asked me: what is your name?
I said: Iftikhar Thakur.
He hugged me and said - you're my friend.
Let's go.
He took me to the theatre.
A rehearsal was going on there
It lasted for 28 days.
Then Mr. Sohail didn't let me go back.
He asked me to bring all my stuff
and live in Lahore permanently. Samina: You left the job? Thakur: I left it.
Everything was gone.
They sued me, they fired me
they took me to the court.
Because I had not shown up at work.
I said, it is boring here, I enjoy a lot there.
From 1996, I was with Mr. Sohail
when my theatre work started.
Then he left the theatre.
Thakur: And it is not the same now. Samina: How many siblings are you?
We are seven. Five sisters and one brother and me.
The brother is elder than me. My father was in Army.
And my brother was in army too.
He was in M.C medical core
and my father was in Signal Core, wireless.
I could have also gotten enlisted in Army
They asked me many times.
My father used to say, enroll in Army
protect your country. I said: Dad, I don't feel scared easily
but if a gun is fired
it will hit me and then if it hits the one behind me
then who will be responsible?
He laughed and said to let it be.
Do you joke with your parents?
My parents,
now they are dead.
But they were lovely and I used to have fun with them.
When I left for work for 2 to 3 days.
She missed me very much saying where have you gone.
There's silence in the house.
I think, all the confidence and naughty behaviour
is because of my mother.
I had a great understanding with my mother. I used to tease her.
And I knew I'll get punished too.
My mother was usually very
angry and when she looked at me
I would make a few awkward movements and
she would laugh.
So I would feel relaxed.
From childhood.
I think, my mom was my first teacher.
Who gave me confidence.
I used to be naughty in my street.
Then went to Karachi
wherever we went, we were
known as naughty. Then Mr. Sohail
he taught me many things.
I did Mr. Sohail's drama Double Sawari
in which my character was a disable with one arm and leg broken.
I asked: Sir, I will handle the arm part
but what will I do about the leg?
I will tell you at the time
you do the rehearsal.
When the drama starts, I'll tell you how to do it.
I said fine. Now the drama has started
It was the time of my entry
I asked Mr.Sohail, he was standing with me, I asked him to tell me.
He said; When you'll make your entry
you'll be disabled.
I said; ok.
When the cue came, he had a stick in his hand but I didn't
understand why he was holding a stick.
At the second last cue,
I asked again. He told me to listen to the show
When my cue came,
he hit my ankle with the stick
I entered and it was hurting
I heard a voice from behind me, son now you understand.
Where do you find such words to
say at the right time?
Where do these words come from?
I think,
it's an atmosphere around us
Mr. Aman ullah,
Mr.Amanat Chan and Mr. Zafri Khan
These were very spontaneous people and we are not.
We cheat their words
and rephrase them and use it.
They were the true spontaneous people.
Mr. Khalid Abbas Dar, one day he told me:
"how do you walk, your gait looks bad.
Son, on stage
you have to walk without saying a word and people should be able to enjoy it.
Then he told me.
Irfan Khoosat...
I was doing his drama, when
I walked from the sofa to right edge
All the house clapped for me. 0:16:48.215,0:16:49.655 All clapped.
One day I asked him that the dialogue is very long
that I can't breathe.
He told me, "Ok, take a breath today
No problem". When I took a breath
there was no clap in the house.
I asked, Sir, what was that?
He said: I had divided your steps and dialogues into two parts
The clap wasn't for you, it was for your walk.
Ok.
Irfan Khoosat, Muhammad Qavi Khan
We have dried them out.
We have served them a lot.
I went on tours with Qavi Khan
and knew he would be tired when we would come back from the tour.
I used to massage his feet.
And after sometime he would start
to tell me stories. Stories,
that he kept inside him.
He told me.
He has a century in him.
Same for Mr. Khan and Mr. Irfan Khoosat too.
They have seen everything and
worked with many people. 0:17:59.335,0:18:00.615 They worked with amazing directors.
I think that the army didn't need to create any bomb.
We could have won everyone with our culture.
We had very big bombs, Irfan Khoosat
Muhammad Qavi Khan, if
we had told them to war for culture they
would have won it.
Samina: They fought for culture Thakur: They did.
Theatre is now ruined.
The reason was,
Pakistan National Council of Arts, Lahore Arts Council
and Punjab Arts Council. These were three institutions
Those were sitting there and if
someone had a wrong idea in their mind
for them they got scared and didn't do anything wrong.
In General Musharraf's era.
Theatre came under Home ministry
and DC Office. Now these
two institutions are
like I say Samina: Didn't it happen before that?
No, it happened in Musharraf's period.
Ok. I thought it all happened earlier.
Something fishy was happenning.
Mr. General had ordered that theatre should be
given to these institutions.
It was a cultural department
but they were agricultural officers.
Now they have studied agriculture
that how to grow rice and wheat
and they came in culture. What will they tell us?
Then I think two or three
people below seventh grade
they censored us.
They don't censor they just say
give us some money for fare
and do whatever others want to do.
There was no tension about that.
They don't even feel that the family sitting in front of them
is our family. They are
our daughters and sisters.
When we went in Colleges and Universities for events.
The girls were running behind us calling
uncle uncle. And if we say
one wrong sentence and it
got recorded and if they see it
They never forget it and
say that you've said that wrong sentence.
We felt so ashamed.
Five to six years that passed
after Mr. Sohail.
I had to work with care.
Then there was Tariq, Sajan Abbas and
Asif Iqbal and Pheena.
He had a pressed nose.
One day I asked him:
"Do you want to have a straight nose".
He Said: Yes, I really want to. I told him to smell National Anthem.
So that your nose becomes straight.
Now
the environment and
the people are like that.
They do say wrong stuff.
Samina: It is also a survival game. Thakur: Yes.
Samina: You have to survive. If someone say a sentence and
if you don't answer it. Why I left theatre
that was the reason.
When someone criticise me
and I am not able to answer it.
Then I thought this is not a place for me.
Because we had a training
that what we have to or not have to say in theatre.
We have to do comedy but
scripted comedy. I remember
when I used to work with Usman,
he was a director. So, we did add anything in rehearsals
but if we added something on stage.
We knew that later we will get scolded.
You can add anything in rehearsals, any thing, any joke.
You can do it
in rehearsal
Samina: He said: because I will give you a move. Thakur: Yes.
I'll set your timings
Your sentence will be registered and
it will get claps. Thakur: It used to be like that.
After Mr.Sohail left,
it became difficult and then Irfan Khoosat left.
I begged them. All the seniors.
I went to their homes and said
You left us without help.
We didn't have a school
and no one is there to teach us.
Thakur: What will we do? Samina: How will you do it?
Because you think about it, I am feeling it
plus I have seen that you raised your voice
that you asked for government's help.
Yes. I keep doing something.
You asked for court's help.
Yes, I went there to handle this matter.
It hurts as we have
worked with those
people from whom we got scared
that if those people
come in front of us and they say what have you said?
What will we have?
We feel ashamed.
But the young people who're coming!
Thakur: What will they do and learn? Samina: They don't know anything.
Samina: We do need a teacher. Thakur: Yes.
Samina: Radio had a teacher that's why it worked well.
In the beginning, PTV had a teacher.
That time was the Golden Era of PTV.
When gradually teachers were gone
then students too left.
Until when the student think and work by himself. He does need a teacher.
Samina: He definitely needs. Thakur: Exactly. It is very difficult.
Our writers were gone then, there was no drama writer left.
Writers were treated very badly.
Writer, don't know, spent many days and nights
to write a script.
They gave only ten thousand rupees as compensation.
Ten thousand to the writer
who has a land, a plot and on that there will be a building.
Samina: He will leave then. Thakur: They were gone.
They went away helpless.
and also what hurt us was
that when vulgarity became a norm in Alhamra
and there was no one to stop them.
What will happen after that?
Aman Ullah
He was a great observer.
Thakur: He observed too much. Samina: He brought life into the character.
Aman Ullah raised his voice.
He made a lot of noise
to categorise theatre.
This is commercial theatre, and that is adult theatre
and then there is a family theatre. It should have been like that.
But don't leave them unmonitored.
Do it like that.
No one listened to him.
In the end, he stopped saying
and did a program on television.
We sometimes took him to the theatre forcibly, but he didn't want to go.
Even today,
the ticket seller is still Aman Ullah. Samina: Exactly.
Aman Ullah, I used to say
that actor like you is born once in a century.
Like us are born every winters.
Samina: He is too amazing. Thakur: And he was an observer. 0:25:19.595,0:25:22.615 Few years ago,
In New York Film Academy, we learnt that
Actor is a combination of five words
A for action, C for control, T for timing,
O for observation of character
R for rhythm and reaction.
Only then the actor is going to be a complete actor.
The point which says observation of a character
for that alone we should award Aman Ullah.
He makes close observations
If he did a role of a street vendor
you will be 100% sure that he's been street vendor since ten years.
He even adopts their tone and tempo.
And the whole family for example
there are ten members in a family
He used different forms to shape the characters of
those ten people. Samina: Exactly.
Now a days
The best actor is Amanat Chan
People who came from the time of Mr. Sohail
such as Nawaz Anjum and Amanat Chan
They are still working with effort
In their jokes there is no vulgarity
They told me
that he bought a plot near River Ravi
Flood destroyed their home and someone
else's plot emerged from that place.
I said: We were stupid.
I told them, they bought 5 marla plot
the last roof was left when he remembered that his plot was the one which was next door.
Thakur: Still Amanat Chan speaks well. Samina: This is very funny.
When Amanat Chan say good words then
everyone start saying good stuff.
because it's a track and everyone is following it.
One said something then other will reply to them and so on.
The talk that starts with Chan is always good.
If someone say anything bad
then everyone around will say bad words.
Although, Punster was a political
satire in its original form Thakur: Yes.
That talk was amazing according to that time.
Samina: Talk about the ruler of that time. Thakur: Yes.
A very political and
social satire. Thakur: Yes.
Words when spoken, hit you.
It's like you laugh and also
receive a message through it.
There was a drama Double Sawari of Sohail Ahmed's.
He was the writer and director. Qavi Khan did a character in it.
It was a role of an insane person.
Seventeen years have passed 0:27:52.615,0:27:55.755 if I get a little bit time
I watch Qavi Khan's character
of an insane man. He is insane because
Pakistan is not moving forward.
His first line was: "Pakistan is not moving forward
there are a lot of wars in between.
They aren't letting Pakistan go forward
because there's garbage in petrol
Pakistan wants to move forward".
In one line, he did the role
and told many things about why Pakistan is not moving forward.
Thakur: He was insane. Samina: Did he write it too?
Thakur: Mr. Sohail wrote it. Samina: Yes, that is why.
I still watch it with same interest.
I have seen it hundreds of times
but still when I watch it
This is it, this is called satire.
Here everyone
is just doing nonsense. Samina: What inspires you?
What inspires me is, the character
I am doing, and the relations around me
should be strong and durable.
Like, mother has a particular position ,
father has a special position, elder brother
has a specific position
If there's a sister, there should be a feeling
that people will know that she must be his sister.
and also do the satire side by side
that they aren't letting the Country move forward
the hurdles coming in the way should be discussed as well.
But the character should be so powerful
that the audience should feel that they are
actually brother and sister and they have mother and father.
It should look like his real parents.
But when it didn't happen, it hurt a lot. Then we just spent the time.
Samina: What do you see in the future? What do you plan to do?
Future? It's just the situation nowadays...
Samina: What dream does Thakur see?
Just a programme or a conversation
should take place, specially for the
people of Pakistan, the new generation,
and the youth that has left the country
to settle abroad,
a good message should be conveyed to them.
There should be a programme that shakes them.
so that they think about the country
and the independence which we cannot thank God enough for.
I have seen in many countries that people are so worried.
Their lives...
their living and death
nobody cares.
However many people sleeping
in just one room! Thakur: Yes, exactly. Samina: Away from their homelands.
Far away from their families and parents. Thakur: Yes, yes.
And if one of them leaves the room, another is already there to take that vacant space.
Samina: I know of such things. Thakur: Yes, yes. Such are the conditions abroad.
If somebody puts oil in their hair at bedtime, everyone is wearing
that same oil the next morning.
So sometimes one person's
dream would be seen by the next person
and so on. (taking about living in close vicinity)
Inside our own country for which we should thank Allah a lot
people care for each other a lot.
If we don't take care of each other...
Samina: No where else in the world are you a first class citizen!
Thakur: Yes, no where in the world. Samina: Exactly. No matter wherever you go.
Except Pakistan. Only here are
you a first class citizen.
I was in USA earlier, I went
there for the New York Film Academy.
I thought I should study something there. Samina: When did this happen?
I went there in 1997.
Samina: Where did you get this thought from?
Actually Mr. Qavi Khan was going, I asked him to take me along too.
Samina: So you went to do theatre there? Thakur: Yes, theatre.
There they told us that there were many good academies there.
If you want to study here, you should.
I had done graduation.
I went to them and they said that this is matriculation.
We don't accept this.
Then I had to do graduation from there.
From New York. Samina: What? Thakur: Then I did my graduation from New York.
Then I did some 8 weeks at the NewYork Film Academy.
Then 2 weeks from U.K.
And then 2 weeks from Paris.
From there I studied sets and lights and cameras.
I thought that if I am doing this, then I should know it all.
I stayed there for 3 years
and 2 months. I worked in the Lexus Company.
They were people from Iran. They helped me settle.
They gave me a private house. A private car too.
They would give me Rs. 5 Lacs, monthly. 0:32:30.165,0:32:33.085 Then when all this work finished, I told them that
I am leaving for Pakistan next week. For a while,
they just kept looking at me.
That how useless a man was I.
They wondered why I was going back.
I told them about whatever I had learnt here. And that I
wanted to apply it there.
They said that there was so much darkness in Pakistan. There was no electricity.
So what will you do there?
We pay you so well.
You have been given a private residence. And a private car.
You went to study acting in New York. Thakur: You need a lot of money to give there.
I couldn't have asked for money from Pakistan.
They would have come there and shot me down..
How could have they given me so much money?!
So I worked there and studied because of that.
My boss was from Iran. Mr. Muhammad Ali.
Very graceful man. Samina: Iranese are like that.
Their families as well.
If his family wanted any kind of setting
around the house, they would come and say
Come and help us.
Tell us what to do.
That you are from showbiz. You would have an idea.
And then he said to me you earn so much
car and house
how will you get this in Pakistan?
I said to him that Allah who
is here, is there too.
If it's written in my fate to earn this much with a house and a car
that is because of this
same God. I will find this God
there as well.
Now I did come back,
and thanks to God, I got a very nice back up.
All was good.
Mr. Sohail Ahmed
supported me a lot.
After 3 years, Mr. Muhammad Ali was going to Iran so he
called me that I am going home but first I will come to Lahore in Pakistan.
I will stay one day with you and then
I will go to Iran. I picked him up from the airport. I had
had a room booked for him at P. C. I brought him home.
At home after meeting my children, when I went to drop him off at P. C.
he said I am not even surprised one bit.
That you have had such a beautiful house made and you have 2 cars.
I asked him why to which he said
I was only surprised when you said This God is there too.
I was sure that wherever you go in the world,
all of this will be your fate.
Did you fall in love?
I, Sir. Not really as I have always had an issue.
If someone ever asked me where I was going,
or when will you return,
I don't know why but I get angry at this.
I think that I am going to work and will return when it's finished.
I have travelled a lot in this world, but never fell in love.
Just because if she ever asked me
that why I did not pick her call or where was I
I would probably fight on the very first day.
I have been married for
18 years.
So who arranged it? Mother or father?
Samina: Or someone in the family? Thakur: Yes, she's my paternal aunt's daughter.
Samina: Ok Thakur: She has never asked me.
You had told her not to do it? Thakur: Yes, I had.
Yes, I did tell her that if someone complains of me
then you have the right to do anything you want to.
But I won't do anything that will hurt you.
A girl who leaves her parents, siblings, her home
and comes to someone else's house after marriage,
she has a lot of rights and conditions as well.
If you are able to give those, it's enough.
My family,
May God grant you health, happiness and life,
if you ever meet my family,
you will get to know in the first 15 mins that it is
such a relaxed and fun loving family.
Is it even possible? Samina: How many kids do you have? Thakur: I have 4 kids.
Three daughters and a son.
I have heard this proverb a lot that utensils at home
do rattle sometime.
From the day of our wedding till today,
never has this happened that she spoke out loud.
I didn't do it either.
Never has this happened.
These days, I go home very late.
And get out of the house quite early.
But we both know,
I know what she's doing right now
and she knows where and what I am doing right now.
We stay linked. After going out from here, I'll call her.
I will call the children. Samina: Are the children studying?
Children, thanks, to God yes. My eldest daughter is in Grade 9.
And they all
have a gap of 1 year in between.
Just like this they are a grade down from each other respectively.
And they are studying really well. Samina: And if the children say they want to do what you do?
They can.
Whatever they want to do.
After studying they are free to do, whatever they want to. Samina: And study a lot too!
Thakur: Yes, they should study a lot. Samina: Is any of your children naughty?
My son, yes.
My youngest daughter is also very spontaneous.
They keep doing naughty stuff.
Sometimes they pick onto my lines and add further to them.
I say one thing and they are able to add 2 to 3 more things into it. Samina: Does this happen at home?
It does. Definitely.
If certain people come to my place
they are unable to understand
that these are husband and wife and the children.
We have a totally different atmosphere at home. Samina: You all keep talking?
Satire? Jokes and laughter? Thakur: Indeed.
Samina: What fun!
As an example let me tell you what happened recently. She told me in the morning that
I want thirty thousand rupees. Samina: Your wife?
Tahkur: Yes.
So when I went again, I asked
her to count the amount.
After counting she said , 30. I said
Very good, now pick your stuff up and leave.
Is it a dangerous line? Samina: Very dangerous.
I got a thank you in reply. And went back to doing her work.
She knows I am an actor
and I will stay stuff like that.
Samina: How about your conversation with the children?
Same with the children.
Even my kids are the same too. Samina: What do you talk about, at the dining table?
At the dining table, the issue is only for me.
I mean the issue of a salad.
I need salad at any cost.
And my children they tell me that
I made this and I made that.
Everyone cooks together. Children get
involved too. Samina: Do you make any food? Thakur: Yes, I also do.
Samina: because in your circle of friends,
let's say your tribe
i.e. the artists, they all make excellent food.
People all around you.
Iftikhar: Yes, yes. Too many people. They all cook amazing food.
Closest to me are Mr. Nasir Chinyoti,
and towards my right lives
Mr. Naseem Vicky and
both these angels live nearby.
Mr. Tariq Teddy lives next street. But the most amazing food
is cooked, according to me, by Tariq Teddy's household.
Desi Murgha with gravy is excellent.
Beyond par.
It is served with rice. They send that too.
The other two make bitter gourd and meat well. Coriander meat too.
I have never eaten coriander meat, ever. Thakur: Oh my God!
Mr. Amanullah has had it made at his place.
The first thing that is talked about at the dining table is
what have you learnt since morning.
Samina: Ok! Thakur: That is the first thing which is discussed.
About whatever is studied and what benefit is it giving.
And then after that in the morning, the first
thing that is discussed is about what to cook for lunch time.
This, when you have not even had breakfast yet.
And you worry about what to eat at lunchtime.
That is the first thing. breakfast and then food at lunch.
I often take children to school.
And if I find time in between, I pick them up too.
Samina: How nice! Thakur: It is such an enjoyment.
Whatever the children talk about in
the morning is different.
And when they come back from school, whatever they talk about is different. The mood is
different and the talk is different too. They talk about a lot of interesting stuff.
My youngest daughter, she never sits down.
When I drive, my eldest daughter, sits next to me and
my son sits behind me. The youngest though would
continue to stand at the back.
And if I ask her where to turn?
i.e. left or right?
My eldest daughter would pull my right ear and say right.
The youngest will pull left ear and say left. Samina: Sweet
And from behind they keep tugging at my cheeks turning them this soft.
The youngest one would pull at them a lot.
She tugs at my cheeks a lot. And keeps standing behind me.
And the whole journey is so enjoyable.
I forget all my lethargy and
I forget all of it. Often I have worked
100 hours at a time, day and night including travelling.
But I don't know what is it with these children,
what is that layer that,
what are those rays? Samina: Yes, it is incredible.
Indeed you are right.
As soon as I step inside the house,
you become zero meter at once.
True.
Daughters, specially as Allah has gifted us.
Samina: They are a blessing. Thakur: My God!
Samina: Indeed. Thakur: One sleeps next to my right arm,
my daughter sleeps next to my left arm
and the other daughter sleeps
between my feet.
My son sometimes goes from my right side to my left side.
My daughters, as soon as I enter,
one captures me from the knees and the other from behind.
I imagine that if from there they say
that you turn around and go do stuff for us which might take
upto 60 hours,
I will do it.
That is how fresh my daughters make me.
My son is also very good.
But when he hugs me tightly.
I have to ask him, what does he want?
He will most definitely say that my Cricket bat broke.
From daughters, no matter how much
you ask about what they want, they will
say that we only want Papa.
Yes, there is something between fathers and daughters.
Wherever they are in the world, no matter which place. Samina: A special bond.
when I am coming back, I call my children
to ask what they want. My daughter says Papa.
I ask repeatedly. They say Papa.
As for my son, he would say
game whichever has come to the market recently.
He would ask for a lot of other stuff.
But my daughters never do it.
And because of these things, I feel a lot of love for them.
After which I buy a lot of stuff for my girls.
Have you ever felt like turning back and going to certain moments in hopes of
correcting the wrongs into rights?
Or I did some wrongs! Are there any regrets?
Indeed I feel it, especially when I am about to go to sleep.
When I am about to fall asleep
I usually sleep very promptly.
But still those 3 to 5 seconds
I do see a flashback.
Then I do feel it.
Samina: You see flashback of a whole day? Thankur: Yes, daily.
Samina: Or do you go way back? Thakur: I often go back as well.
But I do summarise my day necessarily. But after going way back I realise that
there were a lot many mistakes.
Too many of them.
But then I do thank God.
I really am thankful for people like
Mr. Qavi Khan, Mr. Khayyam Sarhadi
these seniors that I had.
I got so much love
from these people that
They told me every single thing
not because I was intelligent
and asked a lot of questions but
I never asked any questions.
I felt embarrassed and never asked them.
I feared asking.
But they told me all very lovingly.
So whatever you thought, they would tell you.
Indeed they did.
Such was the bond you had with them. Thakur: Indeed.
Samina: When you play a character,
how do you go about it?
First of all I create a whole scenario.
Then I read the whole story.
I get to know about all the characters.
Between those characters I want to seem unique.
I always want it that of all
the characters, the limelight should stay on me.
So for that I specially see the get up.
The colours of the dresses
and numerous other things. I accept and reject them several times.
I create my own dresses.
I have never asked any T.V. or film
costume designer to make them for me.
I make them on my own.
And then I have to reject a lot of them.
I have to keep the colour in mind.
The colours need to be suitable, and then
I can wear it in my imagination as well.
To see how it would look.
Have you ever been jealous?
Jealous? Envious? No no no.
You have to burn a lot in that.
You get burned a lot. It causes a lot of harm. Samina: You keep to yourself?
Thakur: Indeed. Samina: Total concentration at your own tasks.
Yes. Keeping to my self and those who are around me
for them
at any cost, I will take care of them.
And I have to keep them happy.
No matter if I do their household chores
or that I look after their health
or of their schools
However many artists are around me, if
you ask them that we need copy of an I.D. card, they
will say ok, alright
I will do it tomorrow.
The next day they would say I forgot, may be the next day?
All of their things even documents
and registries of their houses are kept with me.
All of their household chores especially hospital related
as I work with a lot of hospitals.
One thing I would like to add here
and I want to say it because it will convey my message as well.
I work for children with Thalassaemia.
I have with me
25,166 registered children.
The actual amount in Punjab is
next to 40,000 children. And in
whole of Pakistan there are approximately 42,000 children.
Very little is known about thalassaemia.
Children that acquire it
can't make blood of their own.
This child becomes quiet after
16 days and sits
down after 22 days
On the 27th day, this child lies down.
He can't talk and can't move around.
On the 28th, 29th and 30th day
their last four days, only if fresh blood
is injected into them, will they live.
Now these children, their ages are between
17, 18 and 19. Not more than that.
In my 10 years career
only 2 people managed to live till the age of 23.
Rest went no more than 17.
Their mothers are very courageous that
they keep looking after their children knowing they will expire soon enough.
For them 40,000 bottles of blood
are needed monthly.
And where do these 40,000 bottles
of blood come from and how
for that we have an auto system.
Through your programme I would like to convey a message
to people, please donate blood.
After every 90 days a person who
donates blood
will never fall ill.
He will never acquire any disease.
I am sitting in front of you
I am 59 years of age
When 1st of April comes, I was born on that day
People don't believe me neither do they come for the celebration.
They think I am joking.
But I was born on 1st.
Not my fault!
I will be 60 on the 1st of April now.
And God has blessed me so much that if I go in
flashback of my life
I have never taken medicine for even headache.
Never. No doctor can say that...
Samina: You give blood every year. Thakur: After every 3 months.
Samina: Ok, after 90 days? Yeah.
Everyone should. It has a lot of advantages.
Fresh blood is made because of it within days.
Fruits, vegetables and meat
give energy that makes fresh blood rapidly.
That person never gets diabetes.
And no paralysis.
No contagious allergies.
A blood doner can never have any body pains.
A lot of people get sacred by the thought of donating.
Some people are scared
by the thought of a needle.
Even when there's no such thing.
Where did you get this heart from?
This sensitive?
Now that we are working, a surprising
thing is that we need 40,000 bottles of blood.
Who must be giving it?
We get so many bottles that
I give all those extra bottles to Services.
to Nishter Hospital, Multan.
There is a Children's Hospital here for kids.
My message to all these friends are
you should all definitely donate blood.
It helps a lot of people and it helps us too.
We don't get ill neither do we get old.
We stay powerful as well.
What is life?
Life is like smoke.
Life is too short and there's very little time.
It's like a one way traffic.
Once a person has come,
once when they have come to this world
if he is dead, after dying
that means that he never came.
Samina: Wow, what a thing to say. Thakur: He should not have come.
Yes, if after your passing away, you become alive,
anywhere that you are remembered and people say
we lost that person, they slipped out of our hands, only
then have you come into this world.
Something like
a thing which keeps your name
alive, should definitely be done.
There's no point in dying completely. One should be alive.
And a lot of people die.
If you get a chance
to go to the powerful ones
like the Prime Minister and
the President and the Chief Minister
and tell them to change
Pakistan, what will you say?
I have met all these frequently.
So if you get a chance, what will you say to them?
For example you do get a chance today
and that Pakistan will change. Thakur: I have gotten this chance a thousand times.
In front of the Prime Minister and the President.
I had at one time
May God forgive me, Our current President,
I told him a joke, he laughed,
and I thought he had died.
He was on a very soft sofa,
and he himself is so soft.
He laughed
and I got scared that there will be a news in the morning.
I thought he was gone.
When he got a little better
I thanked God. He said
tell me something else. I said never in my entire life.
I will never tell you a joke again.
I will tell you this joke. Samina: Yes?
One Sindhi and one Pakhtun are
travelling by train to Karachi.
The Sindhi felt sleepy and said
to Mr. Khan that I feel sleepy.
Please wake me up when Hyderabad comes.
He said don't worry, go to sleep. Sindhi said if
I don't get up, just throw me down onto Hyderabad's platform.
Pakhtun said, why though? You are a human being!
They both woke up when they reached Karachi.
Sindhi looked out to see Karachi Cantt. written on the platform.
And he had to reach Hyderabad. He called
Mr. Khan bad names for the next one and a half hour.
Mr. Khan stayed quiet. The Sindhi then left.
The passenger next to him said it.
He said Mr. Khan he has said such bad stuff about you, called you bad names and you didn't speak up.
He said what bad names will he call, that guy will be bad mouthing me
the one I dropped off in Hyderabad.
God knows who he dropped off there! And that too while sleeping.
He laughed a lot.
I told them I needed to be out of that presidency right away.
Samina: So tell us what will you say?
I will only say that for God's sake
ensure that the children i.e.
every single child of this nation should be educated.
They should try all means
and educate them.
They should impose such a law that
there should be no child that
Samina: Parents should be
They should be punished. Thakur: Parents are the actual deal.
Yes, parents should be punished if their children are not educated.
If they get educated, there will
be thousands of...
Samina: If your parents had said that
It's alright there's no need to study, you'd never have been able to reach here.
They must've said it. And it must've stayed at the back of your mind.
That you passed
matriculation twice.
My mother was very strict. Samina: Right?
If she hadn't been, you wouldn't have done it.
My mother wouldn't let me sleep.
She would make me stand
against the wall. And I was in a lot of pain. My legs were hurting.
I would beg her that I couldn't learn well but she would say
even if dawn arises
you keep standing next to this wall and learn your lesson by heart.
You are going to do it first and then you will sleep.
And now when I remember this, I,
for my mother ... Samina: All the mothers of our country
if they work hard with their children
and not let them go out to play in the streets
instead sending them to school, we will change. Thakur: Society will.
We all definitely will. We will change immediately.
Mr. Thakur have you ever understood
that what is death?
Have you ever thought that where did they all go?
Yes, yes, yes.
I have seen a lot of such deaths in front of me.
A lot of them.
Actually, the misunderstanding
a small one, that I see,
in our country is
to have faith in death.
They believe in tomorrow.
Samina: Yes. Thakur: That I will do a certain thing tomorrow.
I will do it the day after tomorrow. After 6 months or a year. Samina: Wow, what a thing to say.
They make schedules for a whole year.
That I will go
after 2 years to a certain place.
People of God, schedule for your death.
The actual faith should be that, death is coming anytime.
Only if this one thing is made strongest
in our faith i.e. in death,
nothing can go wrong.
Nothing at all.
Poeple have a lot of self confidence in their existence
I can do anything I want to and no one can stop me.
Have you ever thought about what happened to a pharaoh?
He is nowhere to be seen.
So who are these people then?
I fear this too when in News reporting I see that
a certain channel has
been able to get a hold of the CCTV footage.
Now that CCTV, even
if the person has done a small amount of robbery,
as he enters into a shop and CCTV captured that footage.
See here, this is the culprit.
This is his face with a beard and has come on a motorcycle.
And that huge camera that is working somewhere up
and is recording all that footage which is going to
be played on the Day of Judgement. Imagine it on a big screen.
Samina: Oh my my! Thakur: And if a loud sound says Iftikhar Thakur come here.
And if on that big screen, my memory card is put in,
and in that audience
is my daughter, my wife and my sister,
my mother and my aunts
and they show my activities
In reality I wouldn't have died
but after that I surely will.
All of my life is on that CCTV footage.
God has put it on display. Samina: He has indeed put a curtain on it all.
And we are still without remorse!
Yes, we don't feel it.
We have faith in living.
That I am here tomorrow.
Samina: Thank you. Thakur: Thanks a lot. Samina: Thanks a lot Mr. Thakur.
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