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At a time when women asking for the bare minimum is seen as ‘too much’, actor Aagha Ali just laid down the requirements he thinks men need to meet before even thinking about falling for someone. In a conversation with podcast host Adnan Faisal, the actor said every woman has the right to financial stability and men need to provide that much at the very least.

Responding to a question on his earlier remarks about women needing luxury more than love, Ali said women don’t marry someone to sacrifice themselves at the altar, their needs must be catered to. He asked men to make something of their own life first, then think about sharing that life with someone else.

Pushed further on the subject, Ali said, “It doesn’t matter if you have a bike, a cycle, a car, an SUV [or] a jet. Are you in debt? Do you keep your wife under your own roof with respect? Do you celebrate her little joys like Eid, Shab-i-Barat, her birthday, your anniversary?”

Faisal tried to equate Ali’s use of the term ‘luxury’ with iPhones, to which the actor said, “The problem is with people [mis]understanding something, I can’t do anything about that…love only looks good in a secure area.”

Speaking about the industry, Ali said veterans need to be more mindful of their critique as it has greater power to wound. Faisal pointed to a recent episode of the show Kya Drama Hai with with Mukarram Kaleem where Marina Khan and Atiqa Odho said Humayun Saeed’s performance and look in Main Manto Nahi Hoon contradicted his character at points. Ali said critiquing an actor’s performance is fine, but making fun of their wardrobe isn’t helping anyone.

On the recent controversy surrounding the death of Humaira Asghar, the Digest Writer star lamented that society had become isolationist and most people were too busy untangling their own messes to care about others. He said families, particularly parents and children, need to be more open with each other to be able to deal with the burdens of life.

When asked about using the term “happily divorced”, the actor replied that Ahmed Ali Butt used it to introduce him on a podcast, but he doesn’t disagree with the sentiment. Ali said he thinks happiness is the most important thing, whether it be in marriage, or in divorce. Speaking about his own divorce with fellow actor Hina Altaf, the actor admitted he was unable to speak about the subject publicly for a year. He said he would’ve continued to struggle had Butt not brought it up.