Daily Times

After serving 25 years in theatre, stage actress Sadia Sheikh has established her own barbeque point and has set an example of inspiration for many others including the artists who are worried due to financial reasons.

In an exclusive interview, Sadia says that she left the theatre and established her own food point as she was getting very low wages for the work she was doing at the theatre. “I gave my life to theatre and worked with prominent actors like Moeen Akhtar, Shabana Sheikh, Sheeba Hassan and Babu Braal but could not continue with it due to financial factors,” says Sadia Sheikh who now runs her on BBQ point in Gharhi Shahu area.

The actress has not lost hope and showed great determination to continue her life in a very respectable way to survive through the difficult and tough circumstances in theatre industry, setting an example for the rest of the artists in the same industry.

She states: “I started acting in 1995 and worked for 25 years but the circumstances brought me here to set up my own food point,”. The actress adds that nobody knows except Allah that what will happen to him or her in future. She says her colleagues loved her and mentioned Sohail Ahmad, Naseem Vicky and Sakhi Sarwar for their support during her difficult times. She complaints that the government never supported the artists as there was no merit and no policy for the artists.

Answering to a question about what she made in her life, Sadia Sheikh says that she worked on very meager wages throughout her career, citing it the very reason to quit that profession of art. She further says that she pays Rs 10,000 rent for her food point.

“I daily work till 3:00 am late night,” she says while showing determination to live a respectable life.

She also made an appeal to Prime Minister Imran Khan to do something good for the poor as the marginalized and resource-less persons were suffering a lot. “The rich are getting richer and the poor are getting poorer in this country and If Imran Khan wants to do something he should do that for the poor,” she argues.

She advised Prime Minister Imran Khan to launch any scheme for the artists and the people who are associated with this field.

On Thursday, Abida Baig-another stage actress-lost her daughter due to poverty as she could not get her treatment due to financial reasons. The actress who worked whole her life on theater said that she could not buy “stunts” for heart surgery of her ailing daughter who finally breathed her last on Thursday.

Taking to Facebook account, known journalist Marwa Ch Tarar wrote: “Daughter of Abid Baig-the stage actress-died of cardiac arrest. She needed two stunts for treatment but she could not afford it due to severe poverty.,”. The reporter quoted the mother of the deceased girl saying that she wanted her treatment but could not and she died today. “Everybody knew that my daughter was suffering from heart problem and everybody knew my financial condition but no body came to help us,” she was quoted by Mrs. Ansar as saying.

Abid Baig is known stage actress who perform in different threaters in the city. She worked with renowned artists like Babu Braal, Nargis and many others.