Iqra Aziz catapulted into overnight stardom after her stint in ‘Suno Chanda’ as the delightfully stubborn and hilarious Jia. Nonetheless, it would be a strong misconception to believe that this particular drama should be credited with the most valor to her name, and I’ll tell you why. While ‘Suno Chanda’ undoubtedly resonated with audiences on a monumental level, if we strip it down and unfurl it to the core – then Iqra’s leeway to showcase her acting versatility was more often than not stumped.
Now don’t get me wrong, the drama did have its heartwrenching displays of strong emotion – however, the overarching theme was a comedy and naturally, the script was woven as such, only scratching the surface of its characters’ depth. What we were left with was a slightly one-dimensional side to every protagonist, including Iqra. So let’s turn to the drama that stretched beyond her comfort zone; ‘Qurban.’
Iqra plays Heer, the girl who falls for a boy (Jamal) her parents disapprove of – and instead force her to marrry someone they deem fit (he’s from the same class). She’s in quite the pickle though…she already secretly wed Jamal, and we all know two nikkahs aren’t allowed in Islam. The premise of the entire drama has Heer trying to figure out what she truly wants, and it’s far from a walk in the park. Iqra, through Heer, was able to explore the dark pinnacles of a messy love made possible by ‘Qurban’s’ morbid (but realistic) ethos.
‘Qurban’ provided Iqra with a platform to command your attention. With her striking features and mesmerizing traits, it’s only fitting to throw the actress into a heavy script that requires a ‘bare all’ approach – and ‘Qurban’ is precisely that. Iqra plays someone who is both broke and vulnerable as she fights the demons that have drained her in all entirety. With minimal makeup and an unnerving naturalness, Iqra steals all screen presence with her mesmerizing acting as Heer – it’s truly remarkable how bloody convincing she is in every episode.
Iqra’s disarmed presence was crucial for ‘Qurban.’ Her spiky abilities give her tremendous liberty to give us a dazzling spectacle of different forms of pain, and you’ll never see her wear the same face twice. Throughout the drama, she unmasks a different torment through her striking face that has you in complete awe; be it the first time she sees Jamal after getting married to someone else, or the moment Jamal is shot. She’s proven herself to be an extraordinary shapeshifter, molding into unimaginable folds of expression that make her one of the finest actors of our time.
Do you agree? Let us know in the comments below.