Hustle, heart and healing

Mawra Hocane is all about empowerment - financial, emotional and communal. The actor recently opened up in two heartfelt Instagram posts, reflecting both on her own upbringing and the need for compassion in the wake of tragedies in the entertainment fraternity.

"I was taught at a very young age that for girls, financial independence is very important," she said in one video. "You don't understand that in your childhood," she added, recalling how her mother instilled a work ethic early on.

"Urwa and I were school going girls when mama pushed us to do theatre. It helped us build a work ethic. It becomes ingrained in you from a young age to make yourself useful, to work hard."

The Sanam Teri Kasam lead admitted she was willing to make small sacrifices. "You can lose a little less sleep and it's okay, hustle is important," she said. "So I think this is our parent's effect on us."

Hocane had a clear message for her young followers. "To all the girls watching, I would say there is nothing better than financial independence," she said. For her, it was about more than comfort - it was about self-worth.

"No matter how good your family is. How rich your family is. Or your in-laws or your husband. I think the money you earn with your hard work gives you a different kind of confidence."

The actor, who tied the knot with co-star Ameer Gilani in February, reflected briefly on her own journey. In Instagram posts from her wedding, she shared photographs of the two in their wedding attire with the caption, "And in the middle of chaos, I found you," punctuated with the hashtag #MawraAmeerHogayi. The couple has also starred in projects together, including drama serials Sabaat and Neem.

Hocane has extended her independence into entrepreneurship as well. Alongside her sister Urwa, she launched a clothing and accessories brand in 2022, playfully titled #WHOCAN, derived from their surname. The venture offered casual western wear, festive traditional outfits and chic accessories, translating their bond of sisterhood into something tangible.

But Hocane's recent reflections were not limited to finances. In a separate Instagram story a month ago, she urged friends, colleagues and acquaintances to reach out to her if struggling with mental health challenges. Her message came shortly after the passing of actor and model Humaira Asghar Ali, whose body was found in her Karachi apartment.

"If you're in trouble or caught in spiralling thoughts, if I have known you briefly or extensively, if you're a friend or an acquaintance, if you're from my fraternity and you feel I will understand your pressures, please reach out!" Hocane wrote.

She promised empathy and understanding. "Humans need humans, luckily I have a few golden ones in my life, inside and outside of [the] fraternity, but pressure is real, especially if you're in your impressionable years. If you're reading this and going through something, I am sorry, but most importantly, I'll try to be there, InshaAllah," she added.

Hocane underlined that nothing was more precious than life itself. "Please don't be ashamed to be vulnerable. We all are, we have all had our highs and lows. You're not alone!"

The actor later shared that she had received "kind and warm" messages in response to her post, emphasising that "few words of comfort and love can help everyone. All it takes is one person willing to hear out the other. It's not a lot, it's literally the bare minimum." She concluded her reflection with a short prayer: "Praying for all of us meanwhile."

Her words came in a climate of grief for the entertainment fraternity, which had only recently lost veteran actor Ayesha Khan, found dead in her apartment in Karachi. Both deaths have underlined the silent struggles faced by actors away from the spotlight.

In her own way, Hocane has tied her calls for financial autonomy and mental health support into one larger appeal: for young women to stand strong on their own feet, and for society to stand by each other in times of vulnerability.