Durefishan Saleem filmed without consent

Viral video shows the actor vacationing in London with friends and family

Khaie actor Durefishan Saleem has found herself at the epicentre of a social media storm. A covertly filmed video of Durefishan, currently on a family holiday in London, has gone viral, sparking a tidal wave of outrage from her dedicated fanbase.

The clandestine clip, now making its rounds on Instagram, shows the beloved star in casual wear, pausing to savour a street busker’s rendition of the Ishq Murshid title track: Ishq Murshid Mera. Durefishan’s genuine appreciation, as she records the performance on her phone, stands in stark contrast to the underhanded act of the person filming her without consent.

Adding fuel to the fire, the intrusive recorder trailed Durefishan, capturing her private moments with friends. This blatant invasion of privacy has not only infuriated her fans but also ignited a broader conversation about respecting celebrities’ personal space.

While an overwhelming majority of social media users have rallied behind Durefishan, condemning the breach of her privacy, a few critics have seized the opportunity to body-shame and criticise her attire. Despite rumours suggesting the video was staged to amplify her already-superhit drama Ishq Murshid, Durefishan’s candid demeanour in the footage suggests otherwise.

Still riding the high of her beloved chemistry with Bilal Abbas, the Farooq Rind directorial gained rapid popularity with its title track, performed by Ahmed Jahanzeb. As for Durefishan, the young actor is steadily carving her path to full-fledged stardom.

The star, who debuted with Dil Ruba, has gone on to sign numerous projects in recent years that have absolutely blown up, propelling Durefishan into the beaming limelight. In 2022, she essayed Mehak Shamsher opposite Danish Taimoor, who played Nawabzaada Shamsher Dilawar in the highly divisive and mind-bogglingly successful Kaisi Teri Khudgarzi.

Despite the controversies, the show not only captivated audiences but also achieved a remarkable milestone by crossing the unprecedented 1 billion views mark while still being broadcasted. By the time the spell of the show began spreading like wildfire, the audience’s love affair with Durefishan had already begun in earnest.

Striking while the iron was hot, Durefishan signed on to Jaisay Aapki Marzi as Alizeh opposite Mikaal Zulfiqar who essayed Sherry. The 2023 show showcased the importance of consent, and the young star did not shy away from fielding questions regarding the same. While speaking about the show, Durefishan said, “I can’t wait for you all to see us talk about marzi/consent as loudly as we could have on screen.”