Tehreem soon got started with a shoot for a magazine. “People liked me in the shoot,” she confirms, which resulted in one such shoot after another, continuing for quite some time. Slow and steady wins the race, they say. Slow, her progress has surely been. As for the rest, we'll just have to wait and see.

Once Tehreem stepped into this glitzy world of fashion, it was only a matter of time before her studies took the back seat. "I was so completely submerged in my fashion activities that my studies were being affected, and as an inevitable result, I could no longer attend college." After a lapse of a couple of years she is now making considerable progress in that area as well, and is presently studying privately.

The initial decision to become a model was purely her own. Tehreem has always been aware of the stigma attached to the word 'model', particularly in Pakistan's relatively conservative society. There also exists the awareness that for a girl involved in such a field, it is not the easiest of things to get married. It is indeed true that many have preconceived notions that a girl from the fashion industry is not one who can be respected.

"People tend to have very narrow-minded views about many such issues in life. They do not seem to understand possible reasons for one venturing into the showbiz or fashion industry. I am, in fact, helping to support my family. Besides, I have always wanted to stand on my own two feet and be independent; and today I am."

So we can say that you are in it for the money, then? I pose.
"Money did initially attract me to take up showbiz as a career", Tehreem admits. "It is very paying and much more enjoyable than anything else I could have imagined. If I was on any other job at present, the maximum I could earn would probably be Rs.20,000, and that too for hard work. This, on the other hand is easier work and definitely more enjoyable."

So can you leave modelling whenever you feel like? I ask.
"Why would I leave this in the first place and what will I do if I leave?" is her immediate response, clearly indicating her fondness and commitment to her work. "Once I get married, I suppose, it's a different story. I will give up working altogether."

Why so?
"Because then there are all sorts of other responsibilities to be given attention to. Right now I don't have to worry about all that."

For how long do you plan to be free from such responsibilities?
"Maybe a year or so."

So somebody is already present in your life? I probe.
"Not as yet, but I believe there's an age for everything, especially for marriage. What's the use of marrying at thirty when your teeth have already started withering."

Hey, not at thirty, please!
"Okay, by thirty-five or so, I suppose. Woh acha nahin lagta. Dekho jehan naseeb phootna ho ga wahan phoot jai ga." Que Sera Sera!

"As it is," she adds, "It's tough for a model to get married. The typical Pakistani male will probably give preference to a Christian or a Hindu girl over a Muslim model."

It's true that once people find out that the girl they have seen for their son is from showbiz, they think twice before taking the next step, I concur.
"They think not just twice but a hundred times before proposing to one!" she expresses rather vehemently. "They hold the belief that girls who sit at home are decent and 'shareef', whereas the opposite is true for the working lot. I, in fact, completely reject this notion. In my opinion working girls do not have enough time to concoct schemes and connive, whereas the ones sitting idle at home have all the time in the world to scheme and plan. 'Gandh' (Evil) may exist inside you whether or not you're sitting at home or are outdoors. These are examples of things that did affect me initially, but I have stopped giving them importance anymore.

"After all, do other people consider my likes and dislikes while taking a decision?" she asks rhetorically. "Then why should I?"
Tehreem then goes on further to state, "I believe though, that whoever a woman chooses to marry, the guy should be good."

What makes a guy 'good'?
"I suppose knowing and understanding your partner is one 'good' quality. He should also be able to take care of you and support you."

So money's a prerequisite, then?
"Well, if there is no money you can start detesting the same face you may have once loved."

Exactly how important is money to you? I query.
"When you are a model, moneyseems to become more important," Tehreem explains. "The amount of money that was previously considered a luxury soon becomes a necessity. You find that you need more money for clothes, bags, shoes, facials, make-up and a host of other such things necessary for one’s upkeep as a model."

Moving on to Tehreem's social life, I then ask – since you have embarked upon your modelling career, how have friends' attitudes towards you changed?
"Friends," she says with a smile, almost laughing at their mention. "It seems now as though the thing that interests them most is who you are working with these days, and the very next query following that is as to how much I earn. A while back, I modelled for a fashion segment which was aired on TV. I happened to be at an acquaintance's place when it was showing. She said to me, 'Iss key tumhay ek lakh to miley hoon gey!' I don't understand why they seem to think that you earn by the millions in showbiz. As for my closest 'buddies', their attitude towards me seems to have changed slightly as I'm increasingly at work while they're at home. But I choose not to dwell on all that."

"Initially, acting did not interest me," she claims.

Why not?
"Because I could not really act that well, I didn’t do the work with heart. So I didn't pursue acting. I was also under the delusion that modelling paid you much better than acting."

But it was 'Samjhota' that helped her change her mind. "I was a TB patient in the drama and really enjoyed playing the role. It was then that I started getting quite involved in acting." She cites her working on 'Ek Tasveer Aur' as the best experience so far. "I really enjoyed working with Alia, particularly because of the friendly environment on her sets."

However, this model has yet to discover the magic of the catwalk. "I haven't done any fashion shows yet."

Why not? I ask immediately.
"I really don't know! But now I really feel like doing some."

Have you done anything about it?
"There's really not much I can do," Tehreem says emphatically. "I can't exactly go up to people saying that I want to be part of a fashion show. Although I’m willing to try that too!"

You do realise that modelling is a very short-lived career, I remark. What will happen once you're no longer a model?
Tehreem at once rejects the necessity of my question by stating, "I do not agree with that. I think that it is entirely up to you as to how long you can continue your career as a model."

Tehreem's life style proves itself to be rather laid back. "My average day involves getting up in the morning, watching TV, and if I have a shoot lined up, going for that. If not, then I spend the day sleeping," she says, as I listen with envy.

Wanting to know about her long-term goals, I question Tehreem, – What are your future plans?
“No plans whatsoever. I just want to be surrounded by good people in life. I have already had my affair with acting. What else do I need?"

Does that mean that you have already achieved what you have always wanted in life?
"No, not entirely. I haven't achieved my desire of studying and maybe specialising in some field. It is not in my hands now."

But it is always in your hands how much you achieve academically, I tell her.
"It’s true that for the most part it is upto one’s own initiative, but you can't always have control over everything. I, for one find it difficult in handling my career and education simultaneously." So here she is, presently concentrating on her stay in the arc lights.