Pakistani films show women as vulnerable and in need of saving: Mehwish Hayat

Mehwish Hayat is one of the most versatile actors in Pakistan. From starring in high-grossing comedies such as London Nahi Jaunga and Actor in Law to her debut in Hollywood with the much-acclaimed series Ms. Marvel, Hayat has cultivated herself as a brilliant talent in the entertainment fraternity.

Ms. Marvel's third episode, Time and Again, helmed by Pakistan's Oscar-winning filmmaker Sharmeen Obaid Chinoy was dubbed one of the Best TV episodes of 2022. And, of course, The Mirza Malik Show hosts Sania Mirza and Shoaib Malik did not shy away from asking Hayat about her entry to the Hollywood world.

Speaking about her experience working on such a massive project, Hayat said, "Oh, It was such a wonderful experience! First of all, being a girl from Karachi and going all the way to Hollywood was unimaginable. I always knew I was capable of it and when I was offered the role, I was really overwhelmed because for us Pakistanis, getting such a huge representation on such a massive platform is a big deal! I think it was a great honour and privilege."

She then went on to highlight the difference between production ethics in Pakistan and Hollywood. "The way everyone in Hollywood is so professional from start to finish, and the scale of production in Ms. Marvel was insane! Honestly, I wished it never ended and I just wanted to live there on the set. Everything used to be on time there in comparison to Pakistan, where actors are punctual but the shoot starts two hours later," detailed the Na Maloom Afraad star.

Hayat also expressed her admiration for the superstar Fawad Khan. Upon being asked about her co-star, she said, "So Fawad and I had never worked together before Ms.Marvel. Our fans always used to ask, why am I not pairing up with Fawad and vice versa and it took us a Hollywood project to work with each other! And the fact that everyone around the world loved our chemistry and honestly he's so professional and good to work with, it did not take time to build up a connection onscreen."

Moving on, Mirza mentioned Punjab Nahi Jaungi was the first Pakistani film she watched in a cinema. She also pointed out how Hayat's transition from playing the damsel in distress role in films to Aisha in Ms.Marvel was quite remarkable. Responding to this, the Load Wedding actor said, "It's quite unfortunate that Pakistani films show women as vulnerable and in need of saving. They are only present in the story to add glamour and aesthetic but mostly their characters won't be substantial or different. I think Aisha's character in Ms. Marvel as Kamal Khan's great-grandmother had a lot to add to the story."

Hayat further added, "If a South Korean show can be the most-watched series on Netflix, I think South Asians can also take the chance too. We have so many stories to offer the world."

Up close and personal

During the interview, Hayat also mentioned how she does not believe in sharing everything on public profiles. "People extensively post on social media from where they are travelling to their food and what gym they go to and I have nothing against this, but I prefer keeping my private life behind the curtain and continuing to have a proper professional image. However, you can't escape it so at one point you have to be part of social media too. So, I try to post about issues I really believe should be voiced out in public," revealed the star.

She also emphasised the massive influence of social media following. "I think celebrities like myself have such a big platform that can have a massive impact on viewers so I think we all should use it wisely. We have so much respect and honour in this world which we should take notice of and spread more positivity through our words and actions," advised Hayat.

Moving onto a lighter topic, Hayat then revealed how she wasn't always a feminine icon. "I was definitely a tomboy while growing up. I have two older brothers and one who's younger, so I have only grown up around men," she said.

Before concluding the conversation, Hayat then mentioned how, unlike most stars, she cannot hold strict diet regimes. "I cannot diet, it's one of the major things I struggle with as I love food, especially desi cuisine and that's a huge problem when I have a project signed up," said the Unsuni actor.

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