Sanam Jung visited Karachi after moving to Houston in July 2023. She talked openly about her “real rukhsati” on the show ‘Shan e Suhoor’, sharing details about everything from learning to cook from scratch without making a mess in the kitchen to the sadness of leaving her family behind.
“Life in Pakistan is great,” firmly stated the ‘Pyari Mona’ star. “Even after getting married and living here, I never felt far from my parents. We’re really close. None of us ever imagined I’d move so far away.”
Sanam explained that she and her husband, Qassam Jafri, had planned to be in a long-distance relationship when he moved to the US for work. But when Sanam got her green card, she decided to move to Texas with their daughter so they could all be together. While they were happy to be reunited, Sanam felt the absence of the support system she had in Pakistan.
“I used to take life for granted here,” the actor reflected with a hint of humor. “You don’t realize it until you move away. If you run out of tomatoes, there’s no one you can ask to get them for you. And if you spill something, there’s no one to clean up after you. You have to do everything yourself.”
For Sanam, it wasn’t just cleaning up spills that made her realize things. It was everything about the kitchen. In Karachi, she always ate at her parents’ or her husband’s parents’ homes. Sanam shared how her try at making haleem was a disaster, not hiding the fact that she was still learning how to cook.
“I had haleem all over the kitchen cabinets and the wall,” she remembered, chuckling. “I thought I was being smart using a masala packet. But I added too much water, and instead of taking one hour, it took three!”
Sanam praised Qassam, who suggested outsourcing the cooking. But Sanam, who was used to being busy in her personal and professional life, wanted to take on the challenge herself, even if it meant facing consequences. Those consequences included jelly that turned too hard and koftay that ended up too runny.
“I don’t know how anyone can mess up jelly, but I did,” admitted the former VJ. “And my koftay were so wet that I had to ask Qassam’s friend’s mother to fix them.”
Sanam faced other challenges too, like re-learning how to drive. “In Karachi, you get used to being cautious at a green light in case someone zooms past, but you can’t do that here in Houston!” she cautioned.
Sanam found it easier to deal with her challenges by laughing at herself. She also mentioned that her daughter quickly adjusted to her new school, even though she missed her grandparents in Karachi.
“Alaya always tells me we need a bigger house so her grandparents can move here,” said Sanam. “But she’s really happy at school. It took her a while to get used to the longer hours here – school ends at 3:30, while in Pakistan it used to end at 1:30. But now she loves it.”
Sanam praised Alaya’s teachers, who helped her adjust. “They really care about the kids, and she loves her teachers.”
Even though Sanam is an MBA, she tried to find work in Houston but decided to focus on her own business instead. “I thought about doing another course or MBA, but Qassam suggested I focus on my own business. We’ve just launched a new perfume, and things are going well!”
With her busy schedule and her daughter not liking her cooking, Sanam stopped trying to cook after her rocky start. However, she claimed to be an expert at biryani, daal, and aloo murghi. She’s also accepted that housework is never-ending but supports her husband, who has made their move easier.
“Sometimes, I hear him vacuuming while I’m asleep,” Sanam shared. “I must have done something right to have such a good husband.”
Now, with new skills, Sanam’s journey in Texas shows how leaving Pakistan’s comforts behind is a big change for everyone, even for showbiz stars.
