Pakistan’s top actress Reema Khan has been making her latest film Life Is So Beautiful / Kitne Haseen Hai Zindagi in Malaysia with Johnny Lever and Muanmar Rana. “It’s not easy for me to shoot in Pakistan because people recognise me and they stop me and ask for autographs which is fine but there is too much to do when you’re a producer, director and actor,” she explains, “People don’t recognise me so much in Malaysia so I can go ahead and do my work.”
Although not so well known internationally, Reema is often compared to Aishwarya Rai. “It was the Indian press who compared me to Aishwarya Rai when I went over to India,” she says, “We have a lot in common because we’re both leading actresses from our respective countries and I am the face of Pepsi while she is the face of Coca-Cola. She is the face of Lux and so am I.”
Pakistan’s film industry – Lollywood – is increasingly turning to Malaysia for production. Malaysia has its own small film industry which has always struggled to make an impact even domestically, and there is a lot of sense in the two Muslim countries working more closely together. “At least six to seven television serials and several commercials that are shown on our channels were shot in Kuala Lumpur recently,” explained Saeed Rizvi of the Pakistan Film Producers Association, “Malaysia’s strategic location, being easily accessible to Bangkok and Hong Kong, makes it easier for post-production works and less bureaucracy to obtain permits adds to the advantages as well.”
