'Never regret following your heart': Yasra Rizvi isn't upset her film SentiAurMental was shelved

Yasra Rizvi's film SentiAurMental may have been laid to rest but that hasn't deterred the writer and director. In fact, she acknowledges the loss gracefully and keeps going because showing up as her authentic self, wins and losses combined, is what she feels matters more.

On Friday, the actor re-shared the remnants of the project — a song called 'Tera Hashtag Ni' — and penned a caption to explain her sentiments after she decided to keep the film as a draft. "I lost a lot of money and hard work shelving this venture probably because it wasn't good enough work or maybe I evolved during all the waiting but either way, to tell you the truth, it didn't upset me as much as one would imagine," she wrote.

"I still get up, dress up (okay I wear clothes) and show up trying to do ME everyday. What's better than becoming more YOU in the process?" the Churails actor questioned, saying that her "broken and defeated" self is her biggest asset because that's what drives her the most to keep at it.

Rizvi said losses in life are inevitable and since we all have to go one day, we must live our best lives. "'Cause I mean, c'mon, what's there to lose really? I have lost plenty in the course of life and then gotten more to lose again. I earned it here, lost it here as well so what's the issue? In the end we all have to die. So live notoriously and never regret following your heart! Just go for it!"

The Manto actor said "a very special thank you" to all the actors that made up the cast and listed them as follows: Irfan Khoosat, Beo Zafar, Nimra Bucha, Laila Wasti, Laila Zuberi, Saifi Hassan, Javed Jamal, Sajeer ud Din Khalifa, Sabiha Hashim, Sohail Sameer, Arez Ahmed, Faryal Mehmood, Zain Afzal, Jenaan Hussain, Faisal Imtiaz, Roha Qazi, Zille Huma, Iman Sumair and Kiran Siddiqui.

Filmmaker Mehreen Jabbar and actor Sarwat Gilani were quick to drop down in the comments and offer to help push the project forward as they saw potential in it. Gilani suggested that she opens a bank account for the film so Pakistanis can "collectively sponsor" the film.

Written and directed by Rizvi, SentiAurMental was produced by Eman Bente Syed. In an earlier conversation with Images, Rizvi commented on the discontinuation of the film and said "a lot changes in three years" and that financing was an issue particularly after Covid struck. "Also, it's hard to find money for films solely on the basis of content and craft," she added.

Produced by Schumaila Rehmat Hussain and Faraz Rizvi, the song features scenes from the film including parts of a mehndi setting where the bride is seen dancing with her family to the upbeat song. 'Tera Hashtag Ni' has an uplifting energy that warrants no requisite of knowing the language — it's one of those feel-good dance songs.

Rizvi called it a "gift to the public". She said the team hoped the song would cheer up people during these difficult times.