People don't want women in showbiz: Nausheen Shah

It may be 2025, but that has not stopped a large majority of the Pakistani population from frowning upon the women in their family taking up a career in showbiz – or at least, that is how established actor Nausheen Shah feels about this thorny subject.

"People are still worried about being associated with women who are in showbiz," remarked the Jaane Jahan actor during a recent appearance on a local talk show. "Or rather, they are not worried about just knowing them; they are worried about being related to them. Let me be clear on that!"

Nausheen remains convinced that despite a thriving showbiz industry that churns out dramas like clockwork, societal norms still dictate that it is unacceptable for a woman's image to be so readily available for public consumption, making it difficult for an aspiring female actor to break into the field.

"The reason behind it is people's behaviour and our mindset," continued the actor. "The nature of our job is to be in the public eye. To be in the public eye so much – especially for women – is something that people just don't accept."

Elaborating on a widespread desire to preserve a woman's modesty and shield her from the public gaze, Nausheen added, "[People] don't want the daughter or the daughter-in-law of the family coming on TV with 200,000 people watching her. Lots of people think this way. Your own families can sometimes disown you. Your chachas and tayas can end up saying, 'What is this? Why are you doing this?'"

Opening up about how not even she was spared her family's censure before embarking on a career in acting, Nausheen revealed, "For instance, when I started acting, my mother was absolutely against it. She was absolutely devastated. This happens everywhere, and this is normal."

One reason Nausheen, whose career transitioned from modelling to acting, was able to progress in her career and overcome such biases, is her stance on boundaries and how to stick by them. "It is extremely important," declared the Mera Pehla Pyar actor. "If you don't know this, then how will you survive? You need to make sure that people understand. If someone is not listening to you, you need to do something about it!"

Despite the overarching prejudice against women taking up a career in the media and balancing motherhood in the mix, Nausheen remains convinced that both men and women have their own battles to fight in any career path, without one having it any harder than the other.

"A woman is naturally more inclined to care for her children, and a father's way of showing love is different," mused the actor. "But I think that in today's day and age, both men and women have their own struggles equally."