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    Tazeen Hussain: Like Father like Daughter

    Written by: Muhammad Suhayb
    Posted on: September 02, 2024 | | 中文

    Tazeen Hussain with Talat Hussain on her marriage day

    In the early 1980s, Karachi was a very different city: peaceful, with a vibrant cultural scene. While cinemas were in decline, theaters still offered quality productions. At the Pakistan American Cultural Centre, a play about Helen Keller was in the works, but the director faced a challenge: finding the right girl to portray the lead role. The trained children struggled to embody a character who was both deaf and mute, especially in a cast that included seasoned actors like Talat Hussain and Yasmin Ismail. Eventually, the director persuaded his daughter to take on the role, requiring minimal training. Her performance received praise from both the press and the public, with her talent unmistakably inherited from her father. The same Tazeen Hussain we see in television dramas today, began her acting career long before many of us even understood the art of theater, through a drama that was also directed by her father.

    Tazeen in tele theatre play with Nabeel and Latif Kapadia

    Tazeen is the eldest daughter of the legendary actor and Professor Rakhshanda Hussain. Like her father, she ventured into acting but soon followed her mother’s example by becoming a teacher. As a child, she was seen singing alongside the Mona sisters and Anwar Ibrahim in Sohail Rana’s Sung Sung Chalain (Lets Walk Together), which aired on Pakistan Television from 1986 to 1988. She made her mark as a lead actress in Raqeeb, and stayed on the scene for a couple of years. Took a break from acting, only to return to screen after a twenty-year hiatus. In this interview with ‘Youlin’, Tazeen Hussain reflects on her early days, life, her break from showbiz and what lies ahead.

    Q: Were you drawn to acting?

    A: ‘Not all star-kids are drawn to acting. My father put me on stage when I was 8. He had started a theater group with Rahat Kazmi called Theatre Wallay, and they were staging a play on Helen Keller’s life, Andhera Ujala (Darkness and Light). I played the title role, which was quite challenging for me as she was ‘sight and hearing impaired.’ Yasmin Ismail (late) played my teacher, and Shehnaz Ismail played my mother. My father acted in and directed that project. I also did some plays on Pakistan Television (PTV) as a child artist, Sung Sung Chalain came later, where I learned singing from Sohail Rana. He was an institutional figure who blended music and education long before terms like ‘fun-learning’ became well-known. My career as an adult began with the telefilm Raqeeb (Rival), directed by Atiya Khan for Network Television Marketing (NTM). That led to another telefilm, Aurat (Women), written and directed by Mohammed Ahmed for Combine Productions.

    Many still recall her pairing with Faisal Rehman in Mustansar Hussain Tarrar’s Shahpar (king of Birds or Royal Bird) (1996), a Pakistan Air Force version of Top Gun, where she played the hero’s love interest. Among her notable projects are the serials Mohlat (Respite) (2001), directed by Owais Khan, Itni Si Baat (Such a Small Thing) (1995), and Anjanay Rastay (Unknown Paths) (2003), both directed by Misbah Khalid.

    Tazeen with Faisal Rehman in Shahpar

    Q: Who were your inspirations, both local and international?

    A: There are so many. My father, of course, tops the list. Among my contemporaries, I admired the work of Sania Saeed, Nadia Jameel, Huma Nawab and Savera Nadeem. I grew up watching and admiring Khalida Riyasat, Saba Hameed, Bushra Ansari and Rubina Ashraf. Today, we have fantastic talents like Sajal Ali, Maya Ali, Saba Qamar, Nimra Bucha and Samiya Mumtaz, and they are doing amazing work.

    Internationally, I’m a fan of Tabu, Rani Mukherji, Vidya Balan, Shefali Shah, Shabana Azmi, and Smita Patel. These women are phenomenal.

    Tazeen Hussain and Uzma Gilani in Mehreen Jabbar's Shaam Se Pehlay

    Q: What made you take a break from a successful television career?

    A: I got married and had kids, and my family became my top priority. It was a choice I made, and I have no regrets. I joined academia in 2009, and that consumed most of my time until recently. I believe that there is a time for everything, and things will happen when Allah wills it. My return to acting happened by chance. I was tagged by Mehreen Jabbar on an Instagram post about her play Chalo Phir Sey Muskuraien (Lets Smile Again). Nariman Ansari, the daughter of Bushra Ansari, commented on the post, asking why I hadn’t acted again. Feeling nostalgic, I wrote back that I was thinking about it. Moments later I was offered a role in Mehreen Jabbar’s Jurm (Crime or Offense), a four-episode thriller, to which I agreed.

    Q: After Shahpar, weren’t you offered roles in movies?

    A: No, I don’t remember any film offers. The film wasn’t really a happening field in those days.

    Tazeen did make her feature film debut in 2024, playing a scheming ‘Phupoo’ in Daghabaz Dil (Deceitful Heart). Had she debuted in the 90s, she might have been paired with Saleem Shaikh or Babar Ali, but in the movie, she played the sister to these former leading men.

    Q: How was your experience working on Daghabaz Dil?

    A: Working on the film was both interesting and challenging. The character in Wajahat Rauf’s movie was quite different from what I’ve done before, and I wanted to break out of my mold. The cast and production team were great to learn from.

    Q: You left acting when channels like Hum TV, A Plus, Geo Entertainment, and Express Entertainment didn’t exist. What changes do you see in the production aspects now?

    A: Technically, things have improved. I don’t have to wear as much makeup anymore, which I love, as makeup was never my forte. The lights, lenses and cameras are so good now that everyone looks beautiful! Previously, we had a few dramas on diverse topics, currently they tend to be monotonous. While some are experimenting with different storylines, the majority still revolve around romantic involvements. The roles I did back then were quite varied: one was of a child from a broken family, another was a woman with a failed marriage, and another was about friendships. People still remember me for those dramas but the current viewers are less involved, while audience interaction has increased. Social media bashing is new to me, as people become critical without even watching a full episode. Even casting now seems to depend on how many followers an actor has on social media. I believe these changes have influenced the content.

    Tazeen Hussain in drama serial Yunhi

    Q: What inspired you to continue teaching while taking up acting assignments?

    A: We have some great examples in the industry of actors who managed both jobs and acting, like Raju Jamil Sahib, Durdana Butt, Rahat Kazimi and Mohammed Ahmed. I love teaching, and I love acting, so I will find a way to manage both. I believe there should be more connections between the industry and academia, for it would be beneficial for both.

    Q: What would be your preference, acting or teaching?

    A: I find many commonalities between acting and teaching. Both require you to engage your audience, understand them to communicate effectively, and observe keenly to portray a character or give relatable examples in teaching. As a teacher, the skills I learned as an actor were invaluable. But the most important element for me is passion, whether it’s acting or teaching. I need to feel passionate about something to give it time and space in my life.

    Q: How has life been after Talat Hussain’s passing?

    A: He was a very encouraging and positive father. I don’t remember ever being criticized or chastised by him. In fact, whenever I got bad grades, it was ‘Abu’ I would go to because I knew he would cheer me up! The pain of losing him is immense, but he has left us with so many beautiful memories that will stay with me forever. His legacy will live on, not only through his work but through the lives he touched, mine being one of them.

    Tazeen Hussain with her father Talat Hussain

    Tazeen Hussain's versatile career mirrors the breadth of her father's contributions, spanning theatre, television, film, radio and even voice-over work. Her talent and dedication continue to uphold the legacy of her parents, promising a future filled with more memorable performances. As she carries this legacy forward, one can only hope to see and hear even more of her work, ensuring that her parents’ pride in her achievements only grows stronger with time.


    As the new year begins, let us also start anew. I’m delighted to extend, on behalf of the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in the Islamic Republic of Pakistan and in my own name, new year’s greeting and sincere wishes to YOULIN magazine’s staff and readers.

    Only in hard times can courage and perseverance be manifested. Only with courage can we live to the fullest. 2020 was an extraordinary year. Confronted by the COVID-19 pandemic, China and Pakistan supported each other and took on the challenge in solidarity. The ironclad China-Pakistan friendship grew stronger as time went by. The China Pakistan Economic Corridor projects advanced steadily in difficult times, become a standard-bearer project of the Belt and Road Initiative in balancing pandemic prevention and project achievement. The handling capacity of the Gwadar Port has continued to rise and Afghanistan transit trade through the port has officially been launched. The Karakoram Highway Phase II upgrade project is fully open to traffic. The Lahore Orange Line project has been put into operation. The construction of Matiari-Lahore HVDC project was fully completed. A batch of green and clean energy projects, such as the Kohala and Azad Pattan hydropower plants have been substantially promoted. Development agreement for the Rashakai SEZ has been signed. The China-Pakistan Community of Shared Future has become closer and closer.

    Reviewing the past and looking to the future, we are confident to write a brilliant new chapter. The year 2021 is the 100th birthday of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Pakistan. The 100-year journey of CPC surges forward with great momentum and China-Pakistan relationship has flourished in the past 70 years. Standing at a new historic point, China is willing to work together with Pakistan to further implement the consensus reached by the leaders of the two countries, connect the CPEC cooperation with the vision of the “Naya Pakistan”, promote the long-term development of the China-Pakistan All-weather Strategic Cooperative Partnership with love, dedication and commitment. Mohammad Ali Jinnah, the founding father of Pakistan said, “We are going through fire. The sunshine has yet to come.” Yes, Pakistan’s best days are ahead, China will stand with Pakistan firmly all the way.

    YOULIN magazine is dedicated to promoting cultural exchanges between China and Pakistan and is a window for Pakistani friends to learn about China, especially the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. It is hoped that with the joint efforts of China and Pakistan, YOULIN can listen more to the voices of readers in China and Pakistan, better play its role as a bridge to promote more effectively people-to-people bond.

    Last but not least, I would like to wish all the staff and readers of YOULIN a warm and prosper year in 2021.

    Nong Rong Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of
    The People’s Republic of China to the Islamic Republic of Pakistan
    January 2021