When the first reports of Gia Ali starting her project, 'Gia's Cafe', trickled in, the popular impression was that the dusky damsel was about to open her Cafe - as in, 'restaurant' - like so many actors in Hollywood as well as Bollywood were doing. Some even saw this as a publicity stunt on the part of the model-turned-actress who had flopped in both films and TV. But, the never-say-die Gia kept on with her new project, which "is a talk show of its own kind, since it combines a sitcom going on in the background," she told showbiz.com.pk, in an exclusive interview, Friday.

Gia has been working on her show for a good while now, and finally it seems the show is on its way to hit the small screens. When asked why had it taken her so long, Gia said, "Our target is 52 episodes, which is quite tough to achieve. Besides, there were some problems regarding our contract with a private channel. Hopefully, things will work out soon, and our first programme will go on air." Talking about the style of 'Gia's Cafe', she said, "It's very unique, in the sense that we have merged a kind of a sitcom in our show. It's like, as the interview goes on, the camera will keep shifting off and on to the waiters, the manager and the bar-tender in the background, as they talk about the celebrities invited over to the Cafe. I am proud of being part of such a different concept."

She further said that her show was different also since "it discounts the concept of the anchor-person." About her other preoccupations, Gia said that she was also doing "modeling and fashion shows, but I am basically involved in my first TV show these days." Gia revealed that she was looking forward to playing "a very powerful role in the debut film project by Asghar Bilal, who is the producer of my show.

"But, as far as Lollywood is concerned, I have definitely had enough of that," she said, with a tinge of bitterness, "It's definitely not my scene, considering the kind of dirty business this entire film industry has become. "I could only work on my own terms," she went on, "You know, even for my very first film, Diwaney Tere Pyar Ke, I had made this clear to producer Sajjad Gul that I wanted Nabila as my hairstylist, and such-and-such person for my dresses. How could these people expect me to take all the nonsense that goes behind the scenes?

--Yasir Nisar