You lose out on work if you raise your voice: Ayesha Omar

Renowned Pakistani actor, Ayesha Omar, recently opened up about the challenges faced by artists in Pakistan's entertainment industry when addressing "taboo" issues such as abuse and harassment. In an exclusive interview with Arab News, Omar discussed the potential consequences of speaking out, including the risk of losing work opportunities.

Despite the limitations, she remains committed to raising awareness and advocating for women's rights. Known for her role in the popular sitcom Bulbulay and her involvement in films, such as Kukri and Money Back Guarantee, Omar has been vocal about important social issues, including abuse, harassment, and women's rights. However, Omar revealed that there are limitations in the Pakistani entertainment industry, and raising one's voice on taboo subjects often comes at a cost.

“There are a lot of limitations, you do lose out on work if you start raising your voice about things which are either taboo or will lead to a controversy,” shared the actor. The Kukri star also shared an incident where she was in talks with a major brand for a two-year campaign. When she disclosed her experience with abuse by someone in the industry, the brand expressed concern about potential controversies and the impact on its image. Omar revealed, “And the brand said, ‘Because if you do [name], we’ll not be able to sign you. We don’t want any controversies attached to anybody who’s representing our brand.’”

Furthermore, Omar emphasised that the purpose of films like Kukri is to create awareness about such characters and the importance of protecting oneself and children from potential harm. Despite the editing and compromises made, she expressed gratitude that the film finally reached Pakistani cinemas, even if the uncensored version was available worldwide. “Our intention was to create awareness about characters like this [Iqbal]. People like this exist around us, [so] how to protect yourself and your children, how to empower your children to protect their own selves because you can’t be around them all the time,” said Omar.

The actor continued, "Even if it’s edited and cut and chopped up and yes, a lot of the sentiment is not there anymore, but at least people are getting to watch a part of it,” Omar said. “And the rest of the world has watched the uncensored version.” The film in question explores the chilling story of Javed Iqbal, a Pakistani serial killer who sexually abused and murdered over 100 children in Lahore during the 1990s. The film faced initial bans but was eventually released with edits approved by the censor board.

Omar also opened up about her upcoming film, Taxali Gate, which further exemplifies her dedication to shedding light on sensitive subjects. Omar explained, “It is shot in the inner city [of Lahore] in the Shahi Mohalla which was known as Heera Mandi [red light district] before, and my character is based there ... It is around a rape incident… It is sort of shedding light on our judicial system.”

Moreover, balancing her acting career, modelling, running campaigns, managing social media accounts, and overseeing her organic skincare brand, Omar admitted to experiencing exhaustion and burnout. To address these challenges, she recently announced a two-week digital detox where she disconnected from social media and travelled to the Barberyn Reef Ayurveda Resort in Sri Lanka.

Omar explained that constant availability to others can be taxing on individuals, both physically and mentally. “And this availability is very taxing on human beings, we are not meant to be constantly at everyone’s beck and call, right?” she said. “So, I needed a break from that. And I also wanted a break from talking to people … I wanted to just be in a space where I don’t need to wear makeup, where I don’t need to dress up every day, where I can get up and roam around and just be me, a person who is not recognised.”

The digital detox proved fruitful for Omar, allowing her to disconnect from the anxiety-inducing effects of social media and recharge. “Social media is probably the one thing that is creating the most amount of anxiety in people,” the actor alleged. “And I just wanted to disconnect, and it was lovely. And I wish I could do it for longer.”

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