Maria Wasti

Early years

Wasti's parents wanted their daughter to become a doctor. 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, 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. She has since done over 50 serials and around the same number of assorted plays.

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. 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.

She considers Bano Qudsia's Kallo one of her most memorable plays 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.

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 Bilquis Edhi. Wasti is known for being outspoken on various of issues women's rights, gender equality and prejudice.

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. 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.

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

Drama serials

PTV

Geo TV

AAJ TV

Aaj Entertainment

ARY Digital

Hum TV

Indus Vision

See TV

Telefilms

Telefilms

Film