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Acting, especially in Pakistan, is no easy job. Long work days, social stigma, cutthroat competition and, of course, crazy beauty standards. It seems there’s a mould somewhere out there, and if you’re an inch off in any of the three spatial dimensions, you’re out. Your skin also needs to be fair and spotless enough to put Snow White to shame. Suffice to say, it’s not easy to get into the field.

Actor Nadia Afgan, who sees this happening around her all the time, posted a video on Instagram to challenge these practices and maybe talk some sense into people driving themselves and others mad in the pursuit of ‘perfection’.

Barefaced, with morning tea in hand, she boldly faced the camera to show what she looked like without makeup. She said her hands are “wrinkled” and “have spots on them”, one of her eyebrows “has a few grey strands”, and she’s got wrinkles under her eyes. Despite all of this, she said, “I think I am very beautiful, I am very confident with my skin and my face.”

Coming to today’s beauty standards, Afgan said, “the most beautiful, intelligent, talented young girls are made to worry about their looks. About extra fat on their cheeks [and] on their bodies”. She told the camera how newcomers are made to worry “about their height…their skin, their faces, their hair” and told, “If you want to become a heroine, if you want to land a lead role, you need to look a certain way.”

The actor said there was a need to relieve newbies of this “unnecessary pressure” and have them focus on their talent and acting ability. She told the young actors to “be comfortable in your own skin”, adding that nobody on TV has perfect skin, “there are tonnes of makeup, filters, great lighting”.

Afgan said she had gone through the same thing and would often complain to her husband about it. He asked her if she “wanted to look like everyone else” and gave her more strength to love herself. She said she tries to look after her physical and mental health by sleeping better and eating well.

The Sharpasand star said she’d gotten fillers under her eyes at one point, but later found out the bags under her eyes were a sign of Iron deficiency; supplements were all she really needed to make them go away. She also said that she tried to lose weight recently after gaining a bit during menopause, but not “because I wanted to look slender and dance around trees wearing a sari, I was genuinely worried for my joints and the threat of diabetes.”

Afgan said there was a need to “improve our beauty standards”. Adding that, “People are different and still beautiful. Everyone’s journey, surroundings, circumstances, experiences are different and that shapes them.” She asked viewers to accept themselves and others as they are and “not make a world where people say ‘oh, she’s pretty and she’s not’.”

For young stars, her parting words were, “Sure, look good, dress nice, just don’t starve yourself for the perfect figure.”