Video: ‘Pardes’ is a story close to my heart, says director Nadeem Baig

Executive producer of Pardes and renowned director Nadeem Baig, who has made a record-making film and drama in Pakistan like Jawani Phir Nahi Ani and Meray Paas Tum Ho, is the man behind television’s currently pupular drama serial, Pardes. In a conversation with Aamna Isani of Something Haute, Nadeem Baig shared why the subject was important for him as well as why he chose Marina Khan as the director. “The story is very close to my heart because I’m actually an eyewitness to this story. My father lived in Dubai and Kuwait for around 20 years; I saw my mother raising us. I used to think why my mother is unhappy and bitter but eventually we grew up and realized what the absence of a husband or a father meant. I called Sarwat Nazir and asked if she feels that she can write on the subject, only then she should,” he said. Read: Video: Constructive criticism only helps in making things better, says Marina Khan about drama reviews

On working with Marina Khan

“Marina and I have worked together for 5 seasons for Ayegy Baraat series and had zero conflict. I also want to say this that I knew that Marina – as a woman – will be able to bring the right kind of sensibility to this script. I believe that sometimes there are emotions that only women are able to feel and understand correctly, and portray, in comparison to men. We have worked with Rubina Ashraf, Saba Hameed and now Marina Khan. We felt some of the dramas were very average scripts but these directors, with their sensibilities, made them much more,” he shared.

Message behind Pardes

“The message we wanted to give through Pardes is that you might earn less while living in your country, but you will be happier. At the end, you may own your own house but you won’t get back the time you could have spent raising your children or seeing them grow; is it a good bargain?”

Six Sigma’s vision

“TV channels have a set pattern of stories that they demand which includes the story of a woman who struggles and faces hardships, and the journey of her survival. It works for them and we understand it. We make such stories, but at the same time, we like to bring in relatable content. We don’t sensationalize these stories,” he said. Watch full interviews of the cast of Pardes here: