Pakistani actress Sahar Hashmi has responded to the criticism she faced over on-screen hugging scenes in her television dramas, saying the backlash left her hurt and confused. She also dismissed comparisons with Indian actor Emraan Hashmi as “ridiculous”.
Speaking in a recent interview, Sahar said criticism had helped her grow as an actress, but the constant comparisons crossed the line, reported ARY News.
“I find it ridiculous. I’ll be honest, I’m not the first actor or the last actor who has hugged somebody on-screen,” she said.
The actress recently drew attention on social media after viewers nicknamed her “Pakistan’s Emraan Hashmi” because of her hugging scenes in the dramas Zanjeerain and Shaidai.
Sahar defended the scenes, saying actors simply perform what the script demands. She said such moments are based on the story and filmed only when directors consider them necessary.
“These are situational things. It’s a requirement and you have to understand that,” she said, adding that her director encouraged her to perform the scenes only if she felt comfortable.
She acknowledged that such portrayals are not widely accepted in parts of Pakistani society, but argued that they reflect reality in many places.
“I get that it is not accepted by many in our culture, but hugging someone of the opposite gender is something that happens. Can we just stop lying to ourselves? In some parts of Pakistan it might be uncommon, but in others it isn’t,” she said.
Asked why she appeared to receive more criticism than her male co-stars, Sahar jokingly replied, “Because of the Hashmi-Hashmi connection.”
She admitted, however, that the reaction had made her rethink similar scenes in future projects.
“I’ll be honest, I’ll be more cautious of this because if we are making dramas for the audience, if you don’t like it then we won’t do it but just don’t put me at gunpoint,” she said.
The actress also spoke candidly about the emotional toll of online criticism. She said negative comments often overshadow positive feedback and admitted that she sometimes cried herself to sleep.
“I think when there are good things, people will always find bad things,” she said. “Not everyone wants to see you grow, and that does make me feel bad.”
Sahar said she found strength through the support of fellow actors and directors. She credited Shehzad Sheikh, her first on-screen co-star, for helping her through the difficult period. She also thanked her director, as well as actors Nawal Saeed and Feroze Khan, for encouraging her.
“Where people will critique you, there will also be people who tell you everything’s fine,” she said.
Reflecting on her career, Sahar said one of the main reasons she accepted Zanjeerain was the opportunity to work with acclaimed actress Sajal Aly.
“It was an opportunity to work with Sajal Aly herself — one of our industry’s biggest stars, not just in Pakistan but internationally as well, even in India. I wanted to do that and learn from her,” she said.
Although they shared limited screen time, Sahar described every scene with Sajal as “a pleasure”.
The actress also revealed that she initially turned down Zanjeerain because the storyline, which involved her character’s death, reminded her of the trauma of losing her mother.
“At first, I declined Zanjeerain. The reason I initially said no was because I was going through the trauma of my mother’s passing,” she said.
Sahar said her mother’s death left her feeling as though she had lost her purpose in life. She also experienced panic attacks and feared her own death, making it difficult to accept a role centred on loss.
She eventually changed her mind after producer Momina Duraid personally contacted her.
“I thought, if someone so senior is asking me personally, I should do it out of respect. I told myself, ‘You know what? I should.’ I was fearful, but that’s okay,” she said.
Sahar Hashmi has established herself as one of Pakistan’s emerging television stars through leading roles in dramas including Zulm, Ishq Hua, Mann Mast Malang, as well as several television films, including Deewani.
