Mohar Basu (MID-DAY; October 24, 2017)

"I'm still a teenager; there’s so much that I still have to explore,” says Zaira Wasim, who turned 17 yesterday. Like most girls her age, Wasim is certain her future is promising. But, unlike her peers, she has a resume that can make anyone take note.

With a dream debut alongside Aamir Khan as the young Geeta Phogat in Dangal (2016), Wasim is currently riding high on the success of Secret Superstar. The actor says the love that she has received is among her most celebrated birthday gifts. “It’s hard to articulate what I feel. It is overwhelming. I had anticipated this reception because the film is emotional and has a soul-stirring quality. It was exhausting to play the character.”

While a stint in Bollywood is a learning experience for every artiste, Wasim had the added opportunity of working with Khan. The young artiste is noticeably grateful when she talks about learning from Khan. “I have imbibed his aesthetic sense. What people see as his compulsiveness for perfection, is actually sheer passion for cinema.”

Her most valuable learning while working with Khan has been her understanding of the importance of “questioning your work, over and over again, to create the perfect product.” Like the young protagonist she plays in the film, Wasim says she is always attempting to discover herself in her personal life too. “I was 13 when I started Dangal, and now, I’ve turned 17. I have invested four precious teenage years in movies. My focus has always been to discover myself. I don’t dwell over how much my life has changed. I don’t let vanity get to me. While I don’t think the change has been drastic, life does feel like a dream, sometimes.”

In fact, Wasim has even made her peace with the intrusive paparazzi, which, she says, has never breached her privacy. “I don’t live here, so, I have not experienced the pap intervention. I am still getting used to being clicked when I’m around. But, I’ve never seen the harsh side of it.”

While one might assume that Wasim has paved her way for a promising career in the movies, the actor took her fans by surprise when she recently stated that she may revisit her decision to act. Wasim says, her comment had little to do with a bitter experience in Bollywood. It was propelled by her desire to explore her options. “I am too young to decide [what I want in] life. I am a teenager, setting goals, sorting out my priorities and dreaming away. I will take life as it comes. Eventually, destiny plays the biggest role in every story. I know my life will turn out just fine.”