Khareema — A desire to glitter

Saturday, May 1, 2010 (Pg 3)

By Rebecca Kwei
If you have seen Shirley Frimpong-Manso’s newest movie, Checkmate, then you have an idea of how vilely some people can guide their pals but actress Khareema Aguiar would not have been there playing the part of the ignoble friend to Nadia Buari if she had not ‘accidentally’ landed in the All That Glitters series on television five years ago.
She accompanied a friend to audition for a role in the series. Little did she know she would be persuaded by the producers to audition as well and eventually land the lead part in the project.
Khareema gained some attention when she played Angela in the All That Glitters lead role series on TV 3 in 2005. It was also shown in Jamaica, the United Kingdom and Nigeria.
“I was not keen on acting. I only accompanied a friend to try her luck for a role but one thing led to another and I had to audition as well. I guess I impressed the panel and eventually got the role,” she recalled in an interview with The Mirror.
According to Khareema, she tremendously enjoyed herself during the production of All That Glitters as the cast and crew were very well taken care of. That being her first acting role, she says she was really ‘spoiled’ on the set.
After that pampering on All That Glitters, Khareema said she was offered a few other movie roles but did not fancy them because she felt she wouldn’t get the same pleasant treatment she had while filming All That Glitters. But then, she made up her mind at some point to get back into acting and Checkmate came along with the role of Jessica for her.
In both All That Glitters and Checkmate, Khareema played a malevolent character very well but says she is not like that in real life.
“I’m just a normal young lady who wants things to happen for her. I’m friendly and the homely type,” she said as she fidgeted with her i-phone during the interview.
Sporting a knee-length flowered dress, the big-framed Khareema said since being in Checkmate, she has also shot two more movies — Love Game which starred Jim Iyke, a Nigerian actor and Yvonne Nelson and Wrong Line which had Ini Edo, also from Nigeria.
The two movies, which were produced by David Owusu of Media 5, will be released later this year.
Khareema who is in her twenties, attended St Theresa’s School at North Kaneshie in Accra and then to St Mary’s Secondary School, also in Accra, where she offered Home Economics because she loved to cook.
She continued her education at the Central University College up to Level 300 but deferred her course to take care of her sick mother and also give birth to a baby boy, Zini, who is about two years old. She plans on going back to complete her university education.
Although, she never planned to go into acting, Khareema said her interest in showbiz sprung out of her involvement with journalism and radio presenting. Right after completing St Mary’s, she landed a job at Happy FM in Accra where she read the news with Gideon Aryeequaye.
She then moved to Hitz FM where she read the entertainment news on The Scoop and also presented Shout the Hits with Michael Quayson on Saturdays where people called in to request songs.
Aside acting, Khareema is also business-minded. While at the university, she started an events organising company, Divarheema, which introduced the first ‘Akwaaba Night’ on campus.
She also owns a cold store, High Scales Butchery and Foods in Osu, Accra, and has plans to open a boutique soon.
Khareema says one of the challenges she faces now is how to effectively juggle between acting and being a mother.
Asked if she is not ‘harrassed’ by fans of the opposite sex, she said “these things are bound to happen but you will have to be matured about it and know how to deal with it.”
Khareema says she is very grateful to her family, especially George Wayne and Gibril Aguiar who have been very supportive.
She takes inspiration from Oprah Winfrey, the popular US talk show hostess whom she describes as ‘the voice of the voiceless.’
When not acting or taking care of her businesses, Khareema loves to spend time with her son, Zini.
Though initially not too keen on acting, Khareema is now all out for it and strongly believes she is the next big star to glitter on our screens.