THE HEART of the Family

To celebrate the joyous Mother's Day this May, Radio Shadhin and The Daily Star's Showbiz got together to organize a 'Star Showbiz Hangout'. We have the privilege of speaking to not just Sara Zaker, but also her two children Iresh Zaker and Sriya Sharbojoya on this special episode of Mother's Day.

What meaning does the word 'Ma (Mother)' carry for you?
Iresh Zaker: When I think of the word 'mother', I think of my best friend, a shelter. We are very lucky that we have everything in one package- protecting us and giving us peace of mind. The idea of friendship is very important for me between me and my mother.
Sriya Sharbojoya: I would say Ma is someone who is always taken for granted apart from being a friend. Every expectation from mother seems very usual - whether it is fair or not, starting from going somewhere to maintaining a saree. To me, she is the closest person in the world.
[To Sara Zaker] Since there is a generation gap between you and your children, do you find any difference in the meaning of 'Ma'?
Sara Zaker: There is no generation gap. Maintaining a friendly relation with our parents came to my family like a tradition. I still look forward to spending time with my mother, especially in the morning. I can share anything with her without any hesitation. My mother is in her early nineties, but she still does the crosswords and it seems she is still hard working than me. I express my gratitude to God for my mother and my children.
Not many people maintain a friendly relation with their mother. Why do you think that is?
Sara Zaker: I think it is very important to maintain a regular communication with the children, to understand their minds and demands and address them accordingly. What I do is I focus on their problems and try to solve them. Even if I fail in cases, I try to cover up somewhere else.
Iresh and Sriya, how has it been possible to become so friendly with your mother? What is the secret?
Iresh: My grandma and grandpa were very friendly with my mother. I think it is from them that we saw how friendly children can be with their mother. My grandma and grandpa always maintained mutual understanding with their children and acted as guides, rather than supervisors. If you are afraid of you parents, you cannot think of them as friends. We were close and informal from a young age.
 

Sriya: To add to this, we were most crazy and informal. As a family, we are crazy and informal. This passion and tendency to stick to our family helps us in being friendly.
You are watching your mother playing the roles of actress, corporate woman and mother simultaneously. Which role do you think she is most successful at?
Sriya: The role of mother is unique. I can't ever compare her other roles with this! If I place her three identities at the same time, I would say the role of mother is totally different from other roles. I think the role of mother is her best form. From my early life through our teenage tantrums she played her role of mother very well.
Iresh: The fact is I never thought of my mom as a celebrity or a corporate woman. I was abroad for a long time and when I came back, I found them as friendly as before. I think the idea of parenthood should not be compared with anything else.
Sriya, what does 'family' mean to you?
Sriya: To me, family is a comfort zone where you can express yourself without any hesitation.  
 [To Sara Zaker] You have grown up nurturing some philosophical ground in life and brought up your children from that perspective. How much of your thoughts are reflected in your children?
Sara Zaker: I actually did not expect from my children really that they would nurture my thoughts. My father gave us much freedom during the time when we were growing up. I did not give my children that much freedom! I focused on their education and creative impulses. I never directed them consciously to be a creative artist or social as we understand it now, but they have done it successfully I think. I am very lucky that they have grown so well as a family.
 

People are often indecisive about marriage these days. In your opinion, why is that happening?
Iresh: To be frank, the sixty decade-long idea of marriage and our idea of marriage at the present time is totally different. Therefore, the approach has changed a lot.
Sara Zaker: The idea has changed a lot in the present time. In fact, our society is also going through a rapid change. People need to cope with the speed of life in modern times.
Sriya: Actually the definition of family is changing over time. Therefore, if we consider the family as having a particular shape and form is no more a truth everywhere. There can be different types of families. It is all about the feeling of a family rather than its exact structure Problem arises when we shape family within a particular preset structure.
Sriya, do you have any plan to enter the world of acting?
Sriya: Umm, let's see what life has in store for me. I like acting and watch a lot of movies and television dramas. I can only say that I love acting and enjoy it a lot.
Sara Zaker: In response to your question, I think she would be very good at acting. She is a bit camera shy, but once she is in the frame she never looks back and gives her best. Truly speaking, Sriya is very good at giving different kinds of expression naturally from her childhood. Even today, she is very good at that. Iresh, on the other hand, has a natural talent of acting which I think he acquired from his father.
Iresh is a popular actor of this time. Did he begin on his own accord?
Sara Zaker: Yes, he did. One day, while I was lying in my bed, Iresh came to me and said he would like to start acting. I was surprised and said you never acted; where is this coming from all of a sudden? He said that he wanted screen test. I took on the role of a mother and mentor at the same time. Then Ratan Paul, the sound engineer, convinced me all the way up. In his first drama 'Batasher Khacha' of Dr. Mohammad Zafar Iqbal, he did very well as a new actor with all his natural expressions.
Iresh, can you name five things you love and five things you don't like about your mother?
Iresh: I think my mother is honest. She is hard working too. She does not run after fame. She is generous for people and tolerant at the same time. She shows respect towards people and their diversity of life. On the other hand, she is not confident about herself in some cases. Again, she has a tendency to panic even for petty things. Her ultra sense of tolerance sometimes brings problems along with it. She is sometimes over sensitive to criticism.
From now on, listen to our centerfold cover stories at Radio Shadhin every Saturday.