Somehow, there’s an intellectual glow to Sakina Samo, even when you monitor her on the most mundane of serials. But, even more than that, it’s her nonchalant demeanour that absolutely dazzles you. Recalling her work and reflecting on drama issues, last week, in a room full of beautiful women of our drama, Samo made good observations in a weekly show, titled The Celebrity Lounge, with Asim Yar Tiwana and Nadia Hussain. There was a whole group of seniors in that episode. At one juncture in the show, Javed Sheikh, Sakina Samo, Muhammad Ali Shyhaki, and Shagufta Ejaz were together in a shot. Talking about those days of PTV, specially the 80s, Sakina said, “How can you forget what you learned from people like Yawar Hayat and others.” Without doubt. But, even then, nothing could have prepared her for playing an old lady in an all-time great serial, Jungle. And that, too, bhari jawani mein, when she should have acted out the lead. She acted brilliantly in my favourite serial, Choti Si Duniya, with that great jawan actor, Yousuf Ali. That masoom dehati woman was played to the hilt in that serial by Sakina. Recently, in Aseerzadi, Samo proved she still retains that touch. In Dil Banjaara, it was her baein hath ka khel, while in Dar Si Jati Hai Sila, she is playing a typical Urdu-speaking woman perfectly.

Sakina pertinently pointed out that today, the directors don’t even correct the artistes if they pronounce the words wrongly in a drama. “If some artiste uttered ‘maksood’, our directors wouldn’t ok the take till the artiste pronounced it ‘maqsood’. But, today, nobody even cares.”