Mehrbano 'Juggun' Kazim on finding fame and faith

Express Tribune

29-04-2025

In a refreshingly candid interview on Ahmed Fozan's podcast released this Saturday, actor and host Juggun Kazim began by pulling back the curtain on something deeply personal: her real name. Born Syeda Mehrbano Kazim, she shared how "Juggun", a childhood nickname, eventually became her public identity.
"I remember when I did my first play, Sitam, someone said, 'You're Juggun!' and I had to tell them, 'Actually, my name is Mehrbano.' But the name Juggun stuck," she recalled warmly. While the stage name gave her a recognisable brand, Juggun confessed she sometimes missed the gravity and tradition attached to her real name. "It's not an industry name for me. It's my family name."
Tracing her career path, Juggun emphasised that success didn't land easily. From starring in early TV dramas like Mano Salwa to hosting major morning shows, her journey has been stitched together by hard work, resilience, and a refusal to lose her sense of self.
She joked about her initial projects, calling one a "very useless film" in which she had a dance number, but said such experiences were necessary learning curves. The Gunah actor credited discipline as her saving grace, particularly regarding health. She urged young listeners to prioritise routines: "Drink water, walk 10,000 steps a day, sleep 6-8 hours on time. It's not rocket science." Her remarks reflected a recurring theme in her career: progress built on discipline rather than viral fame.
Speaking of mental health
Perhaps the most stirring part of the conversation came when Juggun discussed mental health, a topic still considered taboo by many in Pakistan. "I realised much later that I am bipolar and have ADHD, moderate to high," she shared. "If I had known this younger, I could've avoided so much pain."
For her, understanding mental health became a professional necessity. "Your brain is your CPU. If your mental engine fails, nothing else runs," she explained passionately. She urged young people to normalise therapy and mental health conversations: "Going to therapy doesn't mean you're crazy. It means you're taking care of yourself."
On the state of TV today, Juggun had a pragmatic view. She acknowledged that while traditional television viewership is declining, TV content is thriving online. "People are not physically watching TV like before. But they're still watching, on mobiles, on YouTube," she explained. Platforms like PTV's digital channels are performing better than ever because of this shift.
Importantly, she differentiated between mindless virality and meaningful content: "Viral content is like a viral disease," she quipped, "Sometimes you survive it, sometimes you don't. Good content lasts."
Juggun stressed that her preference has always been for infotainment over mindless entertainment, ensuring that her morning shows combined health, education, and entrepreneurship rather than just "songs and spectacle."
The Hadsa star also spoke candidly about the challenges of maintaining personal boundaries as a public figure. "If I have to wear a mic, I do it myself. I don't let a man do it," she revealed. She emphasised how sometimes fans unknowingly invade personal spaces, saying, "I took my kids to a mall, wore a mask to avoid recognition, just to be their mother."
Ending on a personal note, the actor reflected on the cost of fame. "Fame robs you of your privacy. When I am with my kids or my mother, I'm not 'Juggun Kazim.' I'm just a mother or a daughter," she said. Still, she holds no bitterness, only a grounded sense of gratitude. "Celebrity status is for the public. If they give you love, it's a blessing. But you must stay anchored to who you are."