When did you start writing?
• After getting inspired by my mother. I was around the age of six.
2) What motivates or inspires you to write?
• It depends on what I am writing about and what form of literature... For instance, if it's a poem or prose, the intensity of my sentiments at that moment leads me to write and those emotions can be based on my feelings, people, motives, art, or someone I care about.
For novel writing, I have to kind of rob moments from my life to make time for it, and then like a gentle-paced melody the dark and quiet room allows me to step inside the frantic world I have created and leap from one character to the other as we make it through.
3)How has writing helped you in advocating human rights/women's rights?
• Not as much as I want it to, it can never be enough I think, but I have tried. And I will forever use this passion as a tool to advocate, rummage for strength and muster hope, especially through the inspiring women of Afghanistan and all around the world. By portraying unkind lives, I try to give a sense to those who are unaware and I can only hope it will make them take action for the marginalized communities. The entire purpose of such work is to rip our hearts open and make us feel for the real human version of those characters. Otherwise, there is no point in pitying while being indifferent to Afghanistan, that's hypocrisy.
4) What was the whole idea behind penning down the novel "Life is a movie" Briefly explain the process behind publishing and editing the book?
• Life is a Movie is inspired by the kid I used to see selling cotton candy near my high school. After the covid outbreak, I thought a lot about him, and all the people struggling to find ends meet. As a way to cope with it, I became him and wrote for both of us.
During the quarantine of the pandemic, I had a hard time leaving the house, even after the restrictions eased, and I remember writing from sunset to sunrise, (as haunted, sleep-deprived individuals, hopefully, the placing of the two words made sense to you) and I was dealing with the loss of my grandfather at that time.
After losing count of rejection letters, finally, in May 2021, I received an email that congratulated me. It will always be one of the happiest moments of my life. Then my book was globally available on the 22nd of August.
Unfortunately, things didn't go as planned. I had to cancel my book launch event which was going to take place in Kabul. I canceled interviews, and everything because that's what happens when a group of misogynists takes over your homeland.
5) Did you face any hurdles in the publishing or editing process of the book, as a budding writer?
• Of course, I simply had a dream and a passion for writing that didn't allow me to give up, but that was pretty much it. After the rejection letters with the scripts and the first novel I wrote, I was so scared of the disappointment it might bring to me that I feared sharing the fact that I write books with my family. I didn't until I was done writing two novels and one day was caught off guard by my dad after he just casually asked me what was my biggest dream and I replied getting published and he looked at me in shock as I smacked my forehead lol. So I let it be a solo journey for the most part which had its pros and cons, but eventually, it did happen because of the support I received. It's an interesting journey, and there is so much to learn.
6) Tell us a bit about the present basic rights of women and children in Afghanistan?
• How can I tell you about something non-existent? Currently, we don't have any rights for women and children in Afghanistan. No status, no rights, nothing. The people in Afghanistan are held like hostages and are living in hell on earth.
7) Have you come across a similar character like "Masih" in person?
• Yes, I did share his story in one of the answers given above. There are millions of untold stories like Masih, taking their first breath in houses where their responsibilities are born before them.
8) What are your views regarding humanity?
• I feel like humanity has failed what freedom meant. It has failed to save freedom in Afghanistan. Suffering is no longer seen as it is, but to whom it's happening.
However, I also face the good of humankind who make me believe in humanity as they advocate for the discriminated people to at least lessen the anguish as much as these great human's abilities allow them to.
9) Has UNICEF helped enough in protecting and promoting children's and women's rights in Afghanistan?
• Women, children, and men, one by one have lost their fundamental human rights and freedom since the forceful takeover. Afghanistan has been handed to barbarism, to face the same horror of the 1996-2001 era. It's about time the people accountable take responsibility and questions should be raised on why did this happen? Why weren't women's and children's rights mentioned as a condition in the Doha contract? What is happening in Afghanistan was foreseeable by the appalling decisions of those in authority who are not being questioned, and who are not taking responsibility to deal with the consequences.
Today, it's been about two years now since girls are locked in homes. The female-led families that depended on their mothers, daughters, and wives...are now facing financial instability. Over 90 percent of the families in Afghanistan are in need. And it is such a disappointment to see well-known NGOs not coming up with a system to get funds to them, instead, they just halted functioning, and now the civilians are left to deal with totalitarianism under acute financial instability, joblessness, and mental health crisis.
There's an Afghan woman by the name of Mahnaz Safi. She and her team called "hope" are on the grounds in Afghanistan to help the people in need by simply using "go fund me" you can see the videos and know more about what the people are enduring right now in Afghanistan, and also contribute through her IG handle:
10) Tell us in regards to "Women's rights" in Afghanistan when the Taliban had not taken over the country?
• For most of the recent years (before the fall of Afghanistan) girls topped the list in college entrance exams for their outstanding performance. They paved their way to prestigious universities, graduated, got their dream jobs, and at the same time ran the household as inspiring women/mothers. The young generation in Afghanistan loved and sought education, I witnessed that. There was so much hope, it was just a matter of time before we thrived in even greater ways around the country... Sometimes I think that's why it hurts more because we had it almost.
Fun Questions
a) Your inspiration
• Emotions in need of respite, and honest art
b) Any other hobbies apart from writing
• Reading, music, doodling vague illustrations, watching movies, cooking, hiking in nature, yoga
c) Your favorite holiday spot
• Somewhere in the woods, near water, and quiet. And art museums
d) Your favorite book and film
• Mmm... It's difficult, but I will say "The Alchemist" by Paulo Coelho because I find the hope in that book ineffable. I honestly can't pick one movie but if I have to it would be "Cast Away"
e) Your favorite singer
• I love indie alternative, indie folk, and ambient genres of music, so my favorite artists belong to that field of music. If I had to pick one, I would say Novo Amor.
f) Your favorite writer
• Your fun questions are the most difficult ones lol. I would go with Charlotte Bronet in novel writing and I am kind of torn between Charles Bukowski and Sylvia Plath in poetry.
g) The person you love or trust the most.
• My family and close friends
h) Your Favourite T.V show
• It's been a long time since I saw any to be honest, but I have enjoyed every single one I've watched so far.
I) Your favorite dish
• Bean curry with rice and Persian salad
j) What does life mean to you?
• To be useful
k) One message for everyone around the world.
• What is happening in Afghanistan is a tragedy, don't turn your back on it. As citizens of this world, we are equally responsible, we should act as decent humans do, and care about important matters by opening our hearts. Let the generations to come to look back and get inspired by the unions, not disgusted by indifference.
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