Nida Manzoor on directing Malala and Meera in ‘We Are Lady Parts’: I think I’ve peaked
One of the major highlights of the new season was an appearance from the Nobel Peace Prize winner Malala Yousafzai and a guest starring role for BAFTA-winning British actress Meera Syal.
Created and directed by Nida Manzoor, the second season of We Are Lady Parts has turned out to be an instant success on Channel 4 in the UK and Peacock in the U.S.
One of the major highlights of the new season was an appearance from the Nobel Peace Prize winner Malala Yousafzai and a guest starring role for BAFTA-winning British actress Meera Syal.
Sharing her experience of working with Malala, Nida said, “She has done such important work for girls’ and women’s education and made a real and meaningful impact, but just getting to honour her sense of humour was really fun, because she is funny, she has got a really dark sense of humour and is really witty.”
Acknowledges both Meera’s craft and the fact she blazed a trail in the industry, Nida said, “I remember watching Goodness Gracious Me and it was the first thing I had seen of South Asian people being funny but also subversive on TV. It was so radical, and Meera’s so much at the heart of it and so hilarious. Seeing her work since then, she’s been a trailblazer.”
She added, “She’s has genuinely been the kind of creative that had to open the doors for someone like me to come through and for a show like We Are Lady Parts to exist. I fully went after her, wrote her a letter and it was just really lucky that she was a fan of the show. Between having her and Malala, honestly, I think I’ve peaked.”
In an interview with British Vogue, Malala had said that she 'never expected to be in a show'. Further asked about how she landed We Are Lady Parts – which follows Amina (Anjana Vasan), Saira (Sarah Kameela Impey), Ayesha (Juliette Motamed), Momtaz (Lucie Shorthouse) and Bisma (Faith Omole), the members of an all-female Muslim punk band hellbent on making it big – Malala said, "I went to the premiere of Polite Society, and I saw her speak there. That film is a masterpiece. It broke all the stereotypes."
She added, "I thanked Nida for making it, and for making We Are Lady Parts. They’re so important and reach so many people. They aren’t just for brown people – there’s so much in them that everyone can relate to, from friendship and family dynamics to having the confidence to follow your passions. That’s why I wanted to get into the entertainment world, too, because I want young people and women to get a chance to reflect the world as they see it, and through those stories, we can all connect with each other. But, I’ve always been behind the scenes – I never expected to be in a show myself. Now, I’m finally showing my hidden talent."
The actress defended her claim that acting demands more than desk jobs in a recent interview.
She said office workers can "chill out" during work hours, unlike film stars.
Fans and working professionals called her comments privileged and out of touch.
The backlash started after her appearance on Amazon Prime's Two Much with Kajol & Twinkle.
Critics pointed out the financial gap and support systems actors have compared to regular employees.
Kajol probably didn't expect this reaction when she sat down with Twinkle Khanna on Two Much. But her comments about actors working harder than people with 9-to-5 jobs have blown up, and not in a good way.
Fans slam Kajol after she says actors work harder than regular employees sparking online outrage Getty Images
The comments that started it all
Kajol was speaking out about her earlier comments on Two Much with Kajol & Twinkle on Amazon Prime, where she said actors work harder than most people. This time she was explaining why she thinks that.
She told The Hollywood Reporter India that her days are full of shoots, events, and very early flights. One day involved waking at 5 AM to catch a flight to Jaipur for a 3 PM event.
But it was her take on regular jobs that got people talking. She claimed desk workers don't need to be "100% present" and can take breaks, "chill out," and relax while working. She kept coming back to the unending scrutiny actors face like the feeling of always being watched or something as simple as how you cross your legs or who's snapping a picture in the background becomes a constant calculation. You have to be switched on, she insisted, all the time.
The internet, frankly, was having none of it. YouTube and Reddit exploded with responses. "For the kind of remuneration actors are paid, they shouldn't have a problem working 12 hours a day for 4 days a week," one user wrote. Another pointed out that films typically take 3-4 months to shoot, while regular jobs run year-round.
The responses got more pointed. "Vanity mein naps or massages bhi toh hum lete hain," a Reddit user commented, referencing the comfort of vanity vans. Someone else joked: "If you work poorly, you get fired. If you act poorly, you get a Filmfare award."
The bluntest response yet? "Respectfully, Kajol, shut up."
Nobody denies acting is demanding. Long hours, public pressure, and constant judgement are very real. But comparing it to regular employment ignores some major differences.
Most people work 12 months a year with two weeks' holiday if they're lucky. They don't have spot boys fetching drinks or vanity vans for rest breaks. One netizen nailed it: "A working parent's schedule is continuous, every single day, with no wrap-up party or off-season."
Online erupts as Kajol defends claim that acting demands more than everyday 9-to-5 workGetty Images
There's also the money. While her fee for a single film is probably more than most people earn in a year, she says that doesn’t make the work easy. Still, it does provide a comfort that regular employees don’t have. Kajol has not yet replied to the backlash.
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