Cartoonists need to have a streak of humour and wit in their craftsmanship: Nigar Nazar

Nigar Nazar is the chief executive officer of Gogi Studios and Pakistan’s first female cartoonist. A strong believer in the power of humour as a tool for behavioural change, Ms Nazar has worked on countless comics she terms ‘Cartoons for a Cause’.

Her main character, Gogi, has been a popular comic strip character in newspapers worldwide.

Gogi is a modern Pakistani Muslim woman with short hair and long eyelashes, usually seen wearing a polka dot dress. Dawn caught up with Nigar Nazar and asked her about her work.

What got you interested in cartoons? What was the greatest challenge you faced breaking into the field?

I was an avid comic book reader in my school days. My challenge of breaking into the field was finding no place, academy or department to learn comic art.

Sadly those facilities are not available to this day, unlike in other advanced countries where comic art is very much part of culture. In many countries they have a syndicate system where agents promote and get the work of comic artists placed.

What is a typical day in your life? Do you draw daily or is your work deadline oriented?

A: On a typical day I get up before Fajr; my mind is fresh with ideas at that time to write and draw. With the Azaan I offer prayers, go to sleep to get up after an hour for exercise. After breakfast and taking stock of domestic follow ups I work on emails and messages.

Then I go to my office to work with my coordinator and IT support and check the calendar for any event I may have committed to. The women’s month for instance was packed with meetings and seminars – in that month I collected six shields in one week!

Depending on the engagements I try to be home by 4:30 or 5pm to be with family, sometimes even at 3.00. My work on Gogi comics is deadline oriented unless I am driven by the state of affairs; I then whip up an instant comic for my official Facebook page. Gogi does get shelved from time to time. It is inevitable unless one is a staff cartoonist.

Do you see a distinction between artists and cartoonists, and how do you identify yourself?

In my opinion there is a clear distinction - cartoonists need to have a streak of humour and wit, exaggeration in their craftsmanship and a punch in their expression. I try to be the latter, which is my calling.

My trial testing comes in my presentations at universities or [before] audiences. Audience laughter for any cartoonist is like music to the ears. Thankfully I get plenty of that on such occasions. I give presentations to all sections of society, from slum dwellers to begums and university students. I screened the animated Gogi spots addressing social issues and it was heartening to see women from katchi abadis cracking up. Wish I could do more of those to bring cheer to all segments of society.

What is next on the cards for Gogi Studios and for you?

After the education campaign of ‘Cartoons for a cause via Awareness comic books’, through which 17,000 kids have already received a set of seven each, I am now envisioning a mass media health awareness campaign with emphasis on women’s health. It’s appalling to see the female mortality statistics. I shall of course try to stay buoyant all the while with Gogi comic strips from time to time.

Originally published in Dawn, June 15th, 2017