Pakistani actor and model Zhalay Sarhadi isn’t mincing words when it comes to the ugly truths lurking behind the glamour of being a celebrity.
Appearing on Excuse Me with Ahmed Ali Butt, Zhalay tackled some of the industry’s most toxic realities, from the age-old casting couch culture to deep-rooted misogyny, all while casually dismantling gender stereotypes one statement at a time.
Zhalay didn’t hold back when addressing the pervasive belief that a woman’s income lacks “blessing.” Responding to the idea that “aurat ki kamayi mein barkat nahi hoti”, she firmly countered: “I’ve funded my own education, my own wedding, and bought my own car. So I don’t see how my earnings are any less abundant than a man’s.”
On a lighter note, when asked if she was the one who proposed to her husband, Zhalay chuckled, “No, I made sure my husband proposed to me. My personality is very intimidating. What can I say?”
But the conversation quickly turned serious when she acknowledged that her intimidating nature might have developed as a defense mechanism in an industry where exploitation is often brushed under the rug.
“Possibly,” she admitted. “I also had to give a shut-up call in the beginning to a couple of people. I faced it. I wouldn’t say that it was a very aggressive proposition. But I got it.”
Recounting one specific incident, she said, “I was told that if I wanted a role of my choice, I’d have to play along with what ‘other women would sleep with someone for’.”
Her response was firm and fearless, “I lost it, which is normal. I told them that I’m just doing this to fund my education, and if anyone approaches me with an offer like this, I would slap them.”
In a sharp follow-up, she added that the man who made the offer had once dismissed her as “too tall.” She didn’t hesitate to point out the irony, “Even though he was the director and had nothing to do with my height.”
When asked if the man was still working in the industry, Zhalay delivered a biting reply, “MashaAllah, yes. Such people remain a part of the industry.”
Zhalay isn’t alone in speaking up. Just weeks earlier, actress Hafsa Butt shared a similarly chilling casting couch encounter on the FHM Podcast. She claimed a producer had propositioned her in exchange for a lead role: “These things are normal in the showbiz industry and happen to everyone,” she said. “Almost all women in the industry face harassment, but very few speak up.”
Revealing details of her experience, Hafsa recalled that after initially being contacted about a role, the producer said: “If you want the lead role, you should give me something in return.”
When she asked for clarification, he said, “You should be in my bed.”
“I was shocked,” she said. Days later, the same producer called to say he was “just joking” and that she shouldn’t take it seriously.
Despite not naming the producer, Hafsa said she shared the story to raise awareness, not for herself, but for every woman facing similar abuse.
Actress Mehar Bano also added her voice to the growing chorus of women exposing the ugly side of showbiz.
On the talk show Hansna Mana Hai, she stated, “Both boys and girls in the Pakistani showbiz industry face harassment frequently, whether in front of the camera or behind it. Such incidents are very common.”
She explained how influential figures pressure actors into compromising situations, “Sometimes artists even receive offers like ‘Do this and you will get work.’ Powerful people in the industry put pressure on actors for work.”
She described the industry as one that thrives on appearances: “Showbiz is a world full of beautiful faces and attractive personalities, which is why its dark side is so prominent and people often fall victim to it.”
In a candid aside, she revealed a surprising (and slightly humorous) detail, “We were working on a project where one co-actor’s body odor was really strong, but I didn’t say anything to him. I usually don’t say anything about such things and handle it all professionally.”
