I am more hardworking than ever before: Gia Ali
By Sadia Malik

ISLAMABAD—Gia Ali has no qualms about letting you in into the mind-boggling world of showbiz. For somebody who started out very young Gia certainly has gained a lot of stature she’s more confident about herself, more at ease with what life has to offer. What’s the one thing that makes you different from other entrants to the field of showbiz?
The fact that I began my career in showbiz with the best in the field, and that I began my career in a highly professional manner. It was in 1991 that I did a fashion show for Wrangler. At that time I was in Lahore. I enjoyed myself doing this project because it was so professionally executed.
How did you land in Lollywood?
Well...a long story. After turning down innumberable opportunities while working for Mussarat, after being manipulated by people on account of being naive, I landed in Islamabad and started working there. And it was during my sojourn in Islamabad that Nabila introduced me to Sajjad Gul and the movie landed in my lap. Sajjad had been looking for a girl like me and I fitted the description of the Mauritian girl perfectly with the height that I had and the flowing curly tresses that have become my distinct identity.
What prompted you to enter showbiz in the first place, the fact that it is creative or because it is lucrative, monetarily?
I come from a middle class family. Families such as ours have deep entrenched notions about what is right and what is wrong. My dad was against it, made it quite evident that I would not have any support from the family, that it was a profession marred by jealousies, intrigue, and competition of another sort but I still plunged in. I made him realize that this was no ordinary project from Pakistani standards. A movie being produced by Sajjad Gul, penned by Anwar Maqsood, clothes being specially designed for the movie by Amir Adnan, dances being choreographed by an Indian choreographer, how many Pakistani movies at that time could boast of such professionalism. I pleaded my case with my father; stood my ground; guess the fiery Kashmiri blood in me won in the end.
After Deewane Tere Pyar Ke, You did a couple of other movies but yet failed to make it as big as your debut. Lately you are seen more in the modelling scene. Have films lost their significance for you?
When you begin a career with as big a banner as I did, you are prone to expect quality work for yourself. Apparently, had I continued with films alone I would have exposed myself to a lot of disappointments. As far as modelling is concerned I enjoy it a lot. There is satisfaction in this work.
But why the lull in your career overall?
Oh a number of reasons. I am choosy; once I take a project I give it my maximum, and I don’t do a half-hearted job. I have made a name for myself and I don’t take it lightly. True that when I started at tender age of 19 I didn’t have to work hard, opportunities came my way. I guess God has been very kind to me that way. Now that I have achieved a status, that is not meant for everyone to enjoy in their professions, I want to maintain a standard that is enviable to others.
Are you comfortable taking risks professionally? Would you call yourself bohemian, unconventional?
I would definitely. Otherwise having experienced bitterness, backstabbing in the very initial stages of my career I would have given up. But I guess the spark for living life ambitiously never completely died and without the support of the family I still landed in the murky waters of showbiz.