'I'm not the first or the last': Sahar Hashmi on backlash over hugging scenes

Actor discusses Emraan Hashmi comparisons, says criticism made her cautious

Actor Sahar Hashmi opened up about recent criticism over her on-screen hugging scenes in dramas and being compared to Indian actor Emraan Hashmi, saying the backlash left her hurt and confused.

Sahar sat down for an interview, where she revealed that while criticism has helped her grow as an actor, she has found certain remarks — particularly the comparisons to Hashmi — absurd. "I find it ridiculous. I’ll be honest, I’m not the first actor or the last actor who has hugged somebody on-screen," she said.

Social media users recently dubbed Sahar "Pakistan's Emraan Hashmi" because of her frequent hugging scenes in the dramas Zanjeerain and Shaidai.

Sahar questioned why actors are blamed for following a script, saying, "These are situational things. It's a requirement and you have to understand that." She also stated, "My director told me with full conviction to do it if I'm comfortable."

She also emphasised that such moments are written into the script and only included when the director believes they are necessary. "I get that it is not accepted by many in our culture, but hugging someone of the opposite gender is something that happens. Can we just stop lying to ourselves? In some parts of Pakistan it might be uncommon, but in others it isn’t," she noted.

When asked why she was targeted while male actors largely escaped criticism, Sahar joked, "Because of the Hashmi-Hashmi connection." However, she admitted that the backlash had made her reconsider such scenes going forward. "I’ll be honest, I'll be more cautious of this because if we are making dramas for the audience, if you don't like it then we won't do it but just don't put me at gunpoint," Sahar stated.

The actor also spoke about how online hate affected her, saying, "I think when there are good things, people will always find bad things." She added, "Not everyone wants to see you grow, and that does make me feel bad."

The actor shared that she used to cry herself to sleep. Despite the criticism, however, Sahar shared that she found support in her colleagues and friends. "Shehzad Sheikh was a very nice support for me. He was my first hero, so he really helped me. Even my director did. Recently, when I was stuck in this dilemma, my co-star Nawal Saeed and even Feroze Khan reached out and said, 'Kid, don’t worry. It’ll be okay,'" she stated.

The actor noted, "Where people will critique you, there will also be people who tell you everything’s fine."

Meanwhile, discussing her career, Sahar reflected on her role in Zanjeerain. She shared that one of the biggest reasons she accepted the project was the opportunity to work alongside Sajal Aly. "It was an opportunity to work with Sajal Aly herself — one of our industry’s biggest stars, not just in Pakistan but internationally as well, even in India. I wanted to do that and learn from her," she said. Sahar added that even though the two didn’t share much screen time, "every scene we did together was a pleasure."

Further, Sahar revealed that she had initially rejected the role because the character’s death reminded her of the trauma of losing her mother. "At first, I declined Zanjeerain. The reason I initially said no was because I was going through the trauma of my mother’s passing," she said.

The actor shared that she had felt as though her purpose in life had ended after her mother passed away, as she'd spent her whole life caring for her. "When she passed away, I kept wondering, 'Now what?' I started having panic attacks about dying. I thought I would die too because my purpose had been served. So I didn’t want to play a character who dies," she said.

However, Sahar revealed that she eventually changed her mind after receiving a call from producer Momina Duraid. "I thought, if someone so senior is asking me personally, I should do it out of respect. I told myself, 'You know what? I should.' I was fearful, but that’s okay," the actor stated.

Sahar is a rising actor known for her lead roles in popular television serials including Zulm, Ishq Hua, Mann Mast Malang and telefilms like Deewani.