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Maria Wasti

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Maria Wasti
Born
Maria Wasti

(1974-08-14) 14 August 1974 (age 50)
Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania
NationalityPakistani
Years active1997–present
AwardsLux Style Awards
2006 Best Satellite Actress
[citation needed]

Maria Wasti (born on Aug 14, 1980)[1] is a Pakistani film, television actress and host. She currently hosts the talk show Sunrise From Istanbul on Turkey-based Pakistani television channel See TV.[2]

Biography

Early years

Wasti was born to a Punjabi family in Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania. She spent her early years in Tanzania before moving to Pakistan with her family. She is the niece of Rizwan Wasti and Tahira Wasti. Wasti's parents wanted their daughter to become a doctor however she preferred a career in entertainment.[3] In the day, the only television network active in the country was the government-owned Pakistan Television Corporation (PTV). It would be later in the 1990s that Network Television Marketing (NTM), the country's first privately owned channel, showcased content specifically targeted to the younger generation and Wasti got interested in acting.

First teleplay

In mid-1990s,[4] she was approached by Bakhtiar Ahmed, the programme manager PTV Lahore Centre to be cast in a play called Sarah Aur Ammara alongside Resham, a film actress. The teleplay highlighted a story about two sisters going through the turmoil of arranged marriages.[3] She has since done over 50 serials and around the same number of assorted plays.[5]

Acting as a career

Wasti recalls that her first experience in acting was for the passion of art, but later her parents told her to pursue the career in a professional manner.[3] After her first stint, Wasti began receiving roles in various other plays in Lahore, Karachi and Islamabad centres for PTV. She reminisces that people were sceptical when she stepped into acting, but once she proved herself they started accepting her.[3]

She considers Bano Qudsia's Kallo[6] one of her most memorable plays[3] In other equally applauded roles, she played a woman victim in Baadlon Par Basera, who is forcefully led into marriage with a man in the United States of America on the phone and when she meets him for the first time, she realises the man is older than the picture she saw him in.[7]

Wasti is usually seen playing unglamorous roles involving sensitive issues regarding women in Pakistan. She has played roles depicting prominent women like Salma Murad and Lenin Peace Prize winner[8] Bilquis Edhi.[3][9] Wasti is known for being outspoken on various of issues women's rights, gender equality and prejudice.[10]

Recent ventures

Wasti has expressed that newer Pakistani plays should portray issues in today's Pakistan. She names drugs and AIDS being amongst the most sensitive.[3] She also cites the reason for the decrease in the quality of drama serials as being the lack of a supply of actors, actresses, writers, directors and producers.[11]

In view of these thoughts, Wasti opened up a production house in 2002, where she has successfully produced several serials and a dozen plays.[4]

Filmography

Drama serials

Telefilms

Films

Film

See also

References

  1. ^ "Maria Wasti Celebrates Her Birthday On The Sets Of Salam Zindagi". Reviewit.pk | Celebrities | Entertainment news Portal. 2017-08-11. Retrieved 2018-04-17. {{cite news}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |dead-url= (help)
  2. ^ "Maria Wasti to Host "Sunrise From Istanbul" Morning Show". Pakistan Media Revolution. 4 June 2015. Retrieved 23 November 2015.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g "Oh, Maria!". DAWN Newspaper. Archived from the original on May 13, 2006. Retrieved 2008-06-27. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  4. ^ a b "Playing the field". DAWN Newspaper. Archived from the original on May 20, 2008. Retrieved 2008-06-27. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  5. ^ Rendezvous: Maria Wasti
  6. ^ "INSTEP Magazine". Jang.com.pk. Retrieved 2012-08-11.
  7. ^ "Maria Wasti's biography". Retrieved 2008-06-27.
  8. ^ "Bilquis Edhi". Femina Pakistan. Retrieved 2008-06-30.
  9. ^ "Maria Wasti". Mag4U. Retrieved 2008-06-27.
  10. ^ [1] Archived January 23, 2009, at the Wayback Machine
  11. ^ "Interview with Maria Wasti". Scribd.com. Retrieved 2012-08-11.
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