Loving every minute of the fame and fortunes that have come so early to her in life, Anoushey Ashraf is geared to meet new challenges and make her mark in the world of show-biz. The youngest presenter to have been selected for the Lux Style Awards held in Dubai last year, she is going places with her bubbly personality and touch of panache. She shares her glories and dreams with Fashion Collection.

How did it feel being the youngest presenter at the LSA last year?

It was quite an honor for me being there with the cream of the industry, and I had a great time.

Whether you know her as Nida Pasha or Nida Yasir, there is no denying that this young starlet has made a name for herself not because of her illustrious show biz background but by dint of her own talent and hard work. Fashion Collection chats with her about her transition from a budding TV artiste during her carefree days as a single woman to her present position of celebrity married to a colleague.

Do you feel being Kazim Pasha’s daughter facilitated you in joining the acting profession?

I hardly think so. I had never thought of acting, but my friends were after me that I am photogenic and should try my luck in plays. So, I finally took part in one directed by my father, in which I had just two scenes where all I was expected to do was cry. My father was quite impressed with my crying abilities, but didn’t want me to pursue a career at that point as I was still studying. After I graduated he caste me in another play, ‘Daji’ but after that he gave me no more breaks as he felt people would think he was promoting me. He wanted me to make a name for myself on my own merit, without his support. It did bother me initially, especially because I know he gives other girls such opportunities that they become famous after a serial, where as I had to make it on my own. So it was more a disadvantage having parents in showbiz. It was only after I worked with Yasir Akhter in ‘Mera ghar aik whirlpool’ that I gained recognition and after that got a lot of offers for commercials and dramas. I started comparing and modeling too, after that.

It appears as if the floodgates have been opened for foreign entertainment and news channels. The last couple of years have seen an invasion by cable channels, which can be seen wherever you go, from restaurants and homes to shops. This is all part of the phenomenon called ‘globalisation’. Pakistani viewers, noticeably, are losing interest in local channels because of the glitz and glamor of the foreign media. It is easy to see that the majority of images beaming out of television sets are of foreign films and shows. Viewers countrywide prefer Indian music, films and Hollywood flicks and this has resulted in the local channels being relegated to the background.