'I was told by everyone who mattered that it was dangerous for me to be an out-of-the-closet lesbian, who is a Pakistani in America. But I’ve never played by the rules.'
Fawzia Mirza, who is shooting Signature Move in Chicago with Shabana Azmi, introduces herself as a 'lesbian, Muslim, Pakistani, actor, activist, writer, producer, lawyer and creature of passion.'
That’s quite a ferocious fusion of challenging roles for Fawzia, whose short films and a one-woman play entitled Me, My Mom & Sharmila -- a homage to Sharmila Tagore -- have stirred debates and incited discussion among South Asians all over the world.
But Fawzia sees no harm in assuming the roles that she has assigned to herself.
"I was told by everyone who mattered that it was dangerous for me to be an out-of-the-closet lesbian, who is a Pakistani in America. But I’ve never played by the rules," says the Pakistani filmmaker.
"I wanted to be all the things that I saw myself being," she adds. "If some of my roles made other people uncomfortable, so be it. As long as I am comfortable being a Pakistani lesbian, who is also an activist and an actress, I see no reason for anyone to be upset about it."
Her Pakistani brethren were certainly upset and Fawzia discovered this when she went to her country of origin with her play Me, My Mom & Sharmila.
"I am a Canadian by birth. But my ties with my heritage in Pakistan are very strong. No one can take away my lineage and my roots from me. I’ve been to Pakistan eight times to visit my relatives," reveals Fawzia.
The trollers haven’t made her life easy.
The actress-producer says, "There is so much hatred on the social network. My initial instinct was to block the ugly attacks on my sexuality, my nationality, my work and my identity. But instead I chose to tackle the hatred, try to reason with it."
High on her wishlist is a visit to India.
"I’ve grown up on tales of India and Bollywood. I have never visited India but I plan to tour the country soon, especially now when I’ve worked with Shabanaji," she says. "I find my bonding with India stronger than ever. I hope I get a visa to travel in India."
Fawzia’s mother, on whom Shabana Azmi’s character in Signature Move is based, is a huge Sharmila Tagore fan.
"I have done a one-woman play based on my mother’s adoration of Sharmila Tagore,' she says. "It was an unforgettable moment in my life when Sharmilaji came to see my play last October in Chicago. Initially, she took notes, then she just watched. It was surreal."
Fawzia’s mother figures prominently in her film which she says is an amalgamation of many people and situations in her life.
"I find the cultural diversity in America very fascinating. Not only are Indians and Pakistanis similar but even Mexicans are bonded by food and family as we are. The film has characters I know personally, from the Indian, Pakistani and Mexican communities," she adds.
Fawzia’s film is also about the Mexican form of wrestling.
She says, "I find female wrestling such an underrated and misunderstood practice. My character’s lover is a Mexican-American and that's where the wrestling comes in."
At the moment, Fawzia is content with her life. "I am grateful for all that I have, including the chance to work with the wonderful Shabana Azmi in my first feature film," she says. "Jennifer Reeder, who is celebrated for her short films, also makes her feature film directorial debut with Signature Move. I guess I just got lucky."
