**Neeli **— “Javed Sheikh and I dote on each other. There are thousands of boys and girls who are just plain friends. So why pinpoint us only? The stories about our marriage are insipid gossip.”
**Shaan **— “When I go to the studios, I start correcting myself. I speak less English, avoid intelligent conversation and stoop to the level of the ordinary man.”
**Sania Saeed **— “Creativity is not allowed to blossom. Obtaining an NOC for a play is an uphill task. The person who has the authority to pass or reject your script has absolutely no knowledge of theatre.”
Anita Ayub — “If people don’t like my dress code, if it bothers them, they can look away.”
Nighat Chaudhry — “My life’s work is a crusade against the commercially proven formula. We are up against rigid, orthodox minds. It is important to communicate the message in as rational a manner as possible.”
Shaiyanne Malik — “The English language is the only worthwhile thing we inherited from our colonial lords and masters. It gives us a fabulous window to the world.”
**Abida Parveen **— “I am and always have been afraid of the microphone because it is the true judge and one is always afraid of the truth.”
Atiqa Odho — “Pakistani men can be great cowards. They can become physically abusive when threatened by a woman’s intellectual or emotional strength.”
Abid Ali — “The limitations of geographical borders have to be washed away if television drama is to go anywhere.”
**Syed Noor **— “I have never done a blatant copy of an Indian film. I am perhaps the only film writer in Pakistan whose films have been copied the most by Indians.”
**Uzma Gilani **— “Women are never accepted for their brains and talent.”
Tahira Wasti — “True, I got my break because of my features. But it has always been a hindrance. I could not get challenging roles because they did not go with my appearance.”
**Sana **— “Right now, I’m just crazy about being a film luminary. I don’t know whether I’ll succumb to the demands of the producers.”
**Shafi Mohammad **— “Basically, I’m a villager who has always wanted to do something big. I was determined to become someone.”
Resham — “I neither fit in the Anjuman slot nor in the Reema category. If I am successful, it will mark the beginning of another genre of heroines.”
**Babra Sharif **— “With arrogant people I can be very arrogant, but with the sweet, humble ones, I am twice as humble.”
Mishi Khan — “I am willing to do any shair, hathi, kutta, but not Billi anymore. As far as I’m concerned, Syed Noor can don a wig, put on blue lenses and play the role of Billi himself.”
**Fatima Surayya Bajia **— “In this time of unrest and ugliness, of distrust and mayhem, I want to point out the good in society.”
**Zeba Bakhtiar **— “I have nothing against films with dances. I just think they don’t suit me. Anjuman looks great dancing while wearing feathers, but I personally would look like an idiot doing it.”
Iraj — “Modelling is a world where people are waiting to push you down, and the scary thing is that they do it so sweetly.”
**Reema **— “I have tolerated enough nonsense from people. If I don’t react, it doesn’t mean I don’t feel. No one can use me anymore. If they try, I’ll raise hell. So they had better be careful.”
**Saima **— “The Saima of then was just a prop; the one today has an identity of her own.”
Meera — “I know some people are jealous of my success. I am like the moon overshadowing the stars. I’m up there. When they can’t reach me, they try to make up stories.”
Vaneeza Ahmed — “I could lie about it and say I’m in this field for the love of art. But I admit that I’m doing it for money.”
Zainab Qayyum — “I think I’d like to retire gracefully before people start throwing stones.”
