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It’s a satisfying feeling for an actor when their work is appreciated, but it must be extra special when the praise comes from the people whose world the actor is trying to capture.

Kinza Hashmi got a taste of that this week when parliamentarians Jamal Khan Raisani and Romina Khurshid Alam commended her onscreen performance as political scion Rubab in Leader.

Raisani reposted a post from Hashmi’s Instagram on Thursday with a message saying he was “proud to see [her] portray the strength, courage and leadership of women in politics so powerfully in Leader”.

He said, “Women do not just belong in parliament, they belong at the forefront of leadership”.

Hashmi thanked Raisani for his kind words and reshared his story on her account.

Alam, who serves as the coordinator to the prime minister on climate change, also reshared the actor’s post, calling her performance “iconic”.

“This isn’t acting. This is ownership,” said the three-time MNA. She said Hashmi “stepped into the shoes of leadership and made the whole room listen”.

Alam praised the actor’s “skill, her fire [and] her character”, calling the performance “absolutely phenomenal”.

“More power to you,” the MNA said.

Hashmi’s onscreen persona in Leader, Rubab, is the daughter of a shrewd politician with a feudal background. In later episodes, she takes the reins of her father’s political empire, coming into her own as an iron-willed party leader.