The lifestory of Fatima Jinnah is as powerful as her legacy—and Sundas Farhan is about to essay it on our screens. In this upcoming series, Sundas will portray the “Mother of the Nation” during her transformative years from 1910 to 1929. We sat down with Sundas to discuss the challenge of playing such an influential historical figure and the significance of telling Fatima Jinnah’s story to a new generation.
Read On!
Fatima Jinnah: The image you had of her before you took on the role and then, how it changed, if it did, over the course of the shoot. As in, what you knew vs what you know now.
Before taking on the role of Fatima Jinnah, my image of her was largely shaped by her public persona—the ‘Madr-e-Millat,’ which seemed a larger-than-life figure, a symbol of resilience and leadership.
However, during the course of production, portraying Fatima through her early years in convent school and later, it dawned a much more personal side of her onto me. I realized she wasn’t just a political figure supporting her brother but also a young woman navigating her education, her dreams, and the pressures of her time which I discovered by her determination to pursue a career in dentistry at a time when few women did. What a show of courage and independence!
The hardest part about portraying Fatima Jinnah, e.g. a particular mannerism, expression, speech, way of walking, carrying a sari etc. Something you struggled with.
The challenging part would be maintaining that balance between being soft-spoken and graceful while being firm and confident with an underlying sense of purpose as Fatima was in her convictions.
Do you feel we were cheated out of her legacy as Pakistanis? And how will the character help us regain that perhaps?
More than being a sister to Muhammad Ali Jinnah, Fatima Jinnah was a trailblazer for women in a patriarchal society and a strong advocate for democracy. Decades later, we have somewhat failed to fully embrace her contributions and honor her as a force in her own right.
Watching this character will undoubtedly have Pakistan rethink womens rights in a male-dominated society and re-define feminism.
Did Fatima Jinnah ever fall in love? And how was that different or the same as other women?
There’s no substantial evidence to suggest that Fatima Jinnah ever fell in love in the conventional sense. Being a sister of an influential personality she must have had a lot in the air around her but she had her priorities set. She chose to remain unorthodox, contrary to marriage and family life. These choices set her apart from many women of her era, as she broke away from traditional gender norms.
Give us a moment on the set that you will always remember, that audiences would love to know about.
I have a plethora of memories but if I had to share one, my favorite would be the bonding with the dog we had on set. We shared quite a few scenes and he had been the best professional colleague of all.
FJ vs Ruttie: The manifestation of women supporting women or not? How would you describe their relationship?
The relationship between Fatima Jinnah and Ruttie wasn’t one of open sisterly camaraderie, but they didn’t seem to be in direct conflict either. It is important to understand the larger context here which is the fact that Fatima was still emerging in her public role at the time of Ruttie’s marriage and passing. She certainly respected her brother’s marriage to Ruttie and the profound impact she left on Jinnah’s life after her death.
Something Fatima Jinnah did a lot that has gradually crept into Sundas’ unconscious mannerism since you played her character?
There is nothing really but at times involuntarily, I do end up in the same hairdo as the character.
Fatima Jinnah had a close relationship with her brother, Muhammad Ali Jinnah. What aspects of their relationship will we see in the series?
Their relationship in fact goes far beyond a typical sibling relationship. This series beautifully captures the way Jinnah sought her opinion and trusted her judgments. There is a lot said in less words between them.
Do you see a public or political figure or even fictional portrayal that is close to Fatima Jinnah’s personality onscreen? From whom you drew parallels?
Fatima Jinnah’s personality is so unique that it’s challenging to find a direct parallel in modern portrayals especially from the sub-continent region. A fashionista, poetry lover, a painter in private, opinionated, leader of the pack grounded to her religious and societal purpose. Hard to find!
The fashion statement that you wish young girls would pick up on from Fatima Jinnah.
The timeless pearls and organza!
What did you discover about the character that you didn’t know prior to? What surprised you?
Her interests in art, literature, film, sport and gardening were refreshing to learn about. The kind of history which if I had studied in school, I would’ve loved the subject.
The pressure to meet public expectations. The best response you’ve received so far after word got out about your role.
Not taking any pressures here. I am excited for the feedback. Although I remember standing amongst a few people while our director was about to introduce me to someone as his character for the series. Even before he could utter a word, the man pointed me out as his correct guess for Fatima Jinnah by simply looking at the nose structure. Always a chuckle reminiscing about.
A personal connection or shared values with Fatima Jinnah that helped you connect with her character on a deeper level?
That personification is part of the homework and somewhere down the road we do meet at the junction of being unorthodox, opinionated, priorities set and grounded.
What are some of the positives in Fatima Jinnah that we have forgotten or never adopted as a generation of Pakistani women?
Fatima Jinnah is known for her unwavering sense of independence and commitment to public service and her courage to speak out against and for what she believed in. Most importantly however, she mobilized women encouraging them to be politically and socially active. Pakistan today would have looked very different had we adopted such participation actively.
Will we see shades of a modern Fatima Jinnah in your portrayal to resonate with today’s generation, or will it be all staying true to history?
Fatima Jinnah’s character shall be portrayed while staying as true to history as possible. It is no less than a fact to learn that despite her being the Mother of the Nation, she was a human and she had her flaws behind those walls to which women shall be able to resonate. Every woman may not be her but she is every woman.
If you could have a conversation with Fatima Jinnah, what’s one question you would want to ask her about her life, and how do you think it would help your portrayal of her?
If I could have a conversation with Fatima Jinnah, I would ask “What would your life look like had you not been born in the Jinnah family?”
The answer could have been a great insight into who she was in her own spirit not having to succumb to the tribulations of political and family circumstances.
The forthcoming series, “Fatima Jinnah,” set to debut soon, aims to cast a somber & “not yet seen before” light on the profound journey of a woman who transformed from being a mere sister into an indomitable revolutionary, ultimately rising to the stature of a distinguished stateswoman.
In this highly anticipated series, viewers will witness the pioneering spirit of Fatima Jinnah, breaking barriers, challenging norms, and paving the way for future generations. From her early struggles to her trailblazing leadership, the series promises to encapsulate the essence of Fatima Jinnah’s legacy, offering a compelling portrayal of her enduring impact on society and her timeless relevance in today’s world.
