ISLAMABAD, April 20 (Online): Kubbra Sait hit the spotlight as Kukoo in the web series ‘Sacred Games’. Since then, the actress has featured in several films and web series. This year, she has gone on to do something she has never done before – keep roza during Ramzan. She shares, “I must have kept a fast when I was much younger of which I don’t have a vivid memory. But as an adult, I chose to fast for the first time this year.”
She adds, “To be honest, religion wasn’t enforced in my family. As I grew older, I started looking at my life and how it had been improving every day. This decision to fast is a culmination of the gratitude filled in my heart for everything over the years.”
‘I started offering namaz two years ago’
Kubbra’s decision to fast came about while shooting with Mohammed Zeeshan Ayyub in Lucknow. She says, “I think he inspired me a lot in keeping my first fast and I am grateful for that. I was so impressed that I decided to do it, too. I started offering namaz around two years ago and since then I have been doing it regularly. I found myself in a position where I could take 10 minutes to spend with myself. Besides, it was bringing me peace.”
‘I took power naps during lunch breaks on the set’
For a first-timer observing fast during the holy month, Kubbra worked around a way to save up on her energy while shooting. She shares, “I took power naps during lunch breaks on the set. I never felt hungry or tempted to eat. The experience of fasting was like wearing this class monitor badge that left me feeling proud of myself. I would break the fast with khajoor (dates) and fruits. And I realised I was not alone. There were so many people who would break their fast with me. We would sit together and share the food. That community experience is something else.”
Apart from fasting, talking about how food plays a catalyst in bringing people together during such moments, she shares, “I think you can rarely be angry over a meal,” says Kubbra, adding, “It’s the one place where you forget everything and come together. It brings back your memories from childhood. It becomes a binder of sorts for people. It’s something I have learnt to cherish because I travel alone a lot. I would probably be having hot chocolate at a restaurant and not know what to order. I look around and ask people what they are having as it looks scrumptious. You end up speaking to a stranger, getting insights about a dish they are having, which inspires you to explore further. These things can only happen around food, which can be a huge catalyst for good moments.”
‘Keeping roza has made me realise the value of food’
The experience of fasting during Ramzan this year has been life-changing, says Kubbra. “I can’t pinpoint what brought about the change in me this year, but I can say that I am in a secure place. In fact, this is the most secure I have ever been. This experience has been grounding. I know that I have done my best. I have a great line-up of things professionally this year, but I am also happy to look around me, maybe take another break, and do things that make me happy. Keeping roza also makes one understand the true value of something as basic as food and fasting. One bite of a khajoor satiates your hunger,” she shares.
The actress looks forward to celebrating Eid-ul-Fitr, which is around the corner. She says, “After my prayers on Eid, I would like to meet my friends and eat biryani. If no one invites me, I will cook biryani for myself. I will most definitely go pick a pretty kurta for Eid.”
Follow the PNI Facebook page for the latest news and updates.
