Images

‘Do we not have such body types?’: Hareem Farooq on why she decided to ditch the diet for Bismil

‘Do we not have such body types?’: Hareem Farooq on why she decided to ditch the diet for Bismil

The actor opened up about prioritising her mental health over the need to conform to unrealistic beauty standards for a show.
28 Nov, 2024

Actor Hareem Farooq recently opened up about body shaming and societal pressures while promoting her new TV drama Bismil in a conversation with BBC Urdu.

Discussing how her portrayal of Masooma in the TV serial became an opportunity to challenge beauty standards and normalise diverse body types, she recalled her decision not to go on a crash diet.

Crash diets are incredibly unhealthy ways of losing weight that involve restricting calories and/or excluding certain foods or food groups from your diet with the goal of losing a large amount of weight very fast. They have been linked to a host of health conditions, including weakening your immune system and triggering heart problems.

Farooq also spoke about the constant criticism women face in Pakistan, saying, “Women get to face a lot of criticism here, and I’m not saying the men don’t, but for women — be it your body, your hair, your life, your decisions, your career, or motherhood — everything is criticised.”

The actor highlighted how societal expectations often place women under scrutiny for their physical appearance and personal choices, creating immense pressure to conform.

Before shooting Bismil, Farooq considered a crash diet to quickly lose weight for the role. However, she soon realised the impact it was having on her mental health. She explained that while she had the option to delay the shoot to meet conventional beauty standards, she chose not to.

“Why? Do we not have such body types in our society? In our country? Then why not celebrate different body types?” she asked, questioning the need for media to perpetuate unrealistic ideals.

During the shoot, Farooq also recalled developing psoriasis, which left visible marks on her arms and face. Initially self conscious, she considered covering them up but eventually decided against it.

“I thought, I’m not the only one going through this. Where 50 people would look at my face and complain about my marks, 100 others suffering from the same might regain their confidence knowing that this is very common and happens to the best of us,” she shared.

Recently, Kabhi Main Kabhi Tum star Hania Aamir also spoke about her refusal to cover up her blemishes on screen, unless they were very prominent and distracting from the scene or dialogues. Her intention was also to normalise blemishes and texture instead of perpetuating harmful stereotypes about what real skin looks like.

Farooq’s experience with Bismil also highlights the importance of representation and inclusivity in media. By choosing to show herself as she was she brought attention to the pressures faced by women in the entertainment industry and beyond.

Comments

Taj Ahmad Nov 28, 2024 06:11pm
The beauty of Islam, gives equal rights both for women and men and there is no second thought about it. Let’s be respectful to one another and make our world a better place to live in.
Recommend
Laila Nov 29, 2024 02:25am
Body shaming, weight shaming, skin color shaming are norms of Pakistani culture (for women only though. Rarely do men get scrutinized and shamed. In Pakistani that is). It will take generations to change those superficial and wrong perceptions. Every body is different and as long as ones body is healthy, one should embrace it.
Recommend
Ron Nov 29, 2024 03:37am
amazing acting by hareem gee...Super actress and should be more visible on screen....
Recommend
Sth Nov 29, 2024 05:07am
If a male actor said or did the same and for that matter if any man in general made such statement most of the females would be making fun of the individual or calling him unprofessional and here she is turning her slobbish attitude into a victory lap . While it's perfectly fine for women to bash men about their waistline, but men should appreciate women being lazy and unprofessional wow what a comic times we live in these days
Recommend
Dr Imran Ahmed Nov 29, 2024 08:53am
Excellent. One has to accept and love oneself before one can love others.
Recommend
Zeeshan shahnawaz Nov 29, 2024 08:59am
Hareem Farooq lovely
Recommend
Laila Nov 29, 2024 02:00pm
@STH It's absolutely not ok to bash anybody about. Whether men or women. So kindly do not base every woman off of your perception of an actress and her statements.
Recommend