BY J.M.LEE
Aliza is an Ismaili Muslim woman born and raised in Vancouver, BC, from Gujarati Tanzanian Immigrants. She began acting at 9, but her first job was at age 14 on Little Mosque On The Prairie on CBC.
“It’s been a lifelong journey ever since”, from a young age, Aliza knew that she always wanted to be a storyteller. And as her career grew, she became drawn to the many stories of others, around her.
As a kid, Aliza wished to be dancing in Bollywood. She loved Dil To Pagal Hai and the Spice Girls and always danced throughout her childhood.
Aliza joined acting class with one of her friends at summer camp. She always loved playing pretend and dancing but didn’t think she could be a professional actor. Until the day came when an agent saw her at a camp showcase and asked to be her agent.
As a South Asian Canadian award-winning actor and podcast producer, Aliza gets a lot of support from her family and friends. “It’s easy to say that it was all hard work, but without the love and care of the people closest to me, I would not have been able to persevere in this industry.”
Aliza’s most recent role is as Rani Singh in Netflix’s “Sweet Tooth,” a smash hit with its third season coming soon—a post-apocalyptic fairytale about a half-human, half-deer boy named Gus and all the humans he meets along his journey as he learns more about the Great Crumble and where he came from. The character of Rani Singh is the wife of Dr. Singh, who is trying to find a cure for her as she has been living with the Doomsday Strain of the H5G9 virus (known as “The Sick”) for some years in secret. “We filmed in New Zealand with an incredible cast and crew—a show filled with hope, love, coming of age, and adventure. Season 2 gets a little darker, but the adventure remains.”
Regarding Aliza’s multicultural representation on TV, she became a household name for viewers at a young age. “Oh, my goodness!” she said in surprise. “I’m unsure if I have been in this industry long enough to earn such a grand title. Truly, I am humbled and grateful to have the career I have. The characters I played, I hope, have inspired other young women of color in as many ways as possible, whether to become like the characters I have played or an actor themselves.”
Aliza is passionate about many social issues, but most of them revolve around creating change within her community. Whether working with VMW, working within UBCP/ACTRA, or staying informed on our Canadian policies and issues, she believes finding how to change her community is the best way to affect the most people.
The ethics and values that have gotten Aliza to where she is now are the work ethic her parents instilled in her at a young age and but she also has a firm belief in work-life balance. “When I take on a new project, I commit 110%, but I have learned to create a space where I am not thinking about work. It’s difficult to do that in the entertainment industry. My husband and I always ensure quality time in nature with our dog, tend to our vegetable garden, and embrace the simple joys of life.”
The traits that are key to one’s success are growth, compassion, kindness, and attention to detail, Aliza believes. “I am drawn to every detail when I watch a performance, and I have realized that every detail matters in my own performances. It has allowed me to learn so much from the incredible performers I have had the privilege to work with.”
The biggest challenge for Aliza is herself. “It’s fairly common for actors to be filled with self-doubt,” she said. “Sometimes I wonder if a role or an audition will be my last. I wonder if I should quit and get a 9-5 job. But I know deep down that I am a storyteller through and through, and nothing will change that, no matter how much I may try to convince myself otherwise.”
Meeting her husband, Jamshed is one experience that influenced her life in a big way. “This may sound corny,” she said with a teasing smile, “but as much as falling in love is a magical experience, finding a partner who supports you and becomes your teammate is life-changing. It has brought me so much happiness, and I could not have created the work I have today without him.” She has also been surrounded with many inspirational brown women in her life. “I have a powerhouse Scientist for a mom, my first acting job was created by a Muslim woman Zarqa Nawaz, I also had an incredible English teacher, Tanya Boteju, who influenced my storytelling journey. I have so many people who have inspired me, but these have been the few that made the most significant impact in my early years.”
Outside of acting, Aliza loved working with several local Film Festivals (WIFTV, VAFF) and Non-Profit organizations like VMW (Voices of Muslim Women). “Many of my other charitable pursuits have been
influenced by supporting the arts in as many mediums as possible. I always focus on how I can immediately impact future artists and facilitate better inclusion in the space.”
For the next generation of leaders, in particular, those who may wish to follow in Aliza’s footsteps, this is what she has to say:
“Take chances! Make mistakes earlier so you can fully own and learn from those mistakes. It allows us to become better storytellers and future leaders. No one is perfect, and we are all learning as we go in this industry.”
Aliza is terrible at favorites—food, celebrity, sports person, and TV show but when pressed she says, “Currently, Ramen is in the top spot for food. My favorite sport has recently become Formula 1, which I wouldn’t have expected for myself a few years ago, but I love it! And my favorite TV show, I couldn’t possibly choose! There are so many incredible stories out there right now. If I had to pick a recent favorite that wasn’t Sweet Tooth, it would be a toss between The Bear or Daisy Jones and The Six.”
And her favorite book?
“Oh no! Another favorite! You know what? I will pick a favorite author and highlight my favorite teacher, Tanya Boteju, author of Kings, Queens, And In-Betweens and Bruised.”
How about balancing work and life responsibilities?“I’m a big lists person. If I write everything down, the tasks become less daunting. And providing myself with a routine in life has helped create a sense of calm. For me, it’s walking the dog daily or entering a fitness class during the week.”
Anything else you wish to share with the Drishti readers?
“I’ve recently started producing, and it has been an incredible experience. This year I Executive Produced a podcast, Super Domestique, a cycling podcast with my husband, Jamshed Colah, as host talking to the many Pros and Weekend Warriors about the BC cycling community. You can check us out on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube.”
Aliza wanted to thank everyone who has loved and supported Sweet Tooth throughout its journey. It’s meant the world to her.
How would she describe herself in three words?
Creative, Dedicated, Loving.
