EXCLUSIVE! Sadia Khateeb on meeting and playing Uzma Ahmad in John Abraham starrer The Diplomat: ‘She says she has healed now’

Directed by Shivam Nair with John Abraham and Sadia Khateeb as leads, the movie revolves around the real-life story of Uzma Ahmed’s (Sadia Khateeb) brave escape from Pakistan with the help of JP Singh (John Abraham).

In an interview with Firstpost, Sadia Khateeb talks about her role, meeting the real Uzma Ahmad and more.

Edited excerpts from the interview:

 What did you get to know about Uzma Ahmad ’s life and how did it help?

Actually, my director was pretty sure about the fact that he did not want me to meet the character. He wanted me to become the person, and had seen my audition, and he really wanted me to stick to that. “Just do what you did in the audition,” he said.

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So he made sure that I don’t read about her or even google about her. I met her just this month only during the promotional events. And, that was the first time I met her. I was really surprised to see my director’s vision that how he had described her to me was exactly the way she was in real life.

What was your preparation like?
Honestly, my preparation was majorly about trying to be the person. Like, I had my question and answers and everything ready with the director way before we went on floors. So while I was there, I just made sure that I became the person.

I tried to live as close as possible to the script about Uzma that was given to me, the human emotions were very, very basic human emotions. Anybody, any woman who would go through struggles like these or suffer like this, how would she or he react. So for me, it was very important to first, not look at the character as a second person, but to feel it as if it is my own. Just to feel it here in my heart rather than looking at the person and trying to empathize with them. It’s a collaborative process. My director and my producers and everybody, the art team, the space that we were in, collectively, my co-stars and everything, they all helped me to bring out the best in me.

Did you meet Uzma Ahmad, the role that you play in The Diplomat?

I met her during the promotions only.

How is Uzma now?

When she first came back to India, she was obviously heartbroken and traumatized. But now after all these years have passed, she said, “I’ve healed.” And I’m also happy to see that she has healed. It’s been many years quite many years for a person to heal from that journey and that kind of emotional and physical trauma. I believe she’s truly a very courageous woman.

Has the real character of Uzma inspired you?

I’ll be very honest. It inspired me to be more courageous in life. No matter how difficult the situation is, never give up. And I hope it does the same with everybody who watches the film. Most of the people who are in situations like this would have given up. But the way she thought about the whole incident and her escape, just shows her presence of mind.

But did it traumatize you in any way learning about her and playing her role?
As we are eventually at the end of the day humans. Right? I was traumatized too playing the role of Uzma. We have heard the news before. We have seen it on television, the real Uzma things. But seeing it on screen and living that, going through that life of Uzma and how she struggled to come out of it. I told Uzma when I met her that just playing her role made me feel traumatized, I don’t know how you have gone through the entire situation.

WATCH the trailer of The Diplomat movie here: