Hareem Farooq refuses to let body shaming dictate her career choices

Actor and producer Hareem Farooq has spoken out against the criticism she faces over her weight and appearance, saying she refuses to let public opinion dictate how she lives or pursues her career. She also addressed the pressure women face to meet societal beauty standards, how mothers can inadvertently pass those expectations on to their daughters, and the impact of hurtful comments on mental health.

In a recent interview with Aamna Haider Isani, Farooq questioned why she should have to compromise her comfort simply because some people disapproved of her appearance. “Why should I be suffering because there are a few hundred who are like, ‘She doesn’t look good, what is she wearing?’” she said.

The actor made it clear that she was no longer willing to make herself uncomfortable to meet other people’s expectations. “It’s okay. You can get uncomfortable if you want to. I refuse to do that to myself,” she added.

Farooq also spoke about the religious and personal significance she attaches to her body. “This body is given to us by Allah and it’ll be given back to Him. I refuse to abuse my body in order to make a few people comfortable,” she said.

Reflecting on her early years in mainstream media, Farooq said the scrutiny surrounding her weight had been a longstanding issue. When she first entered the industry, she recalled, there were few actresses with broader body types, leaving her particularly exposed to public commentary.

“This hasn’t happened in one day. It was a shock when I initially started in mainstream media. At that time, there weren’t many broad girls in the fraternity. I got a lot of public reactions about how big my weight was, but I had a pretty face,” she said.

She also highlighted what she sees as a contradiction in public reactions to her appearance: while some people criticise her weight, they continue to watch her dramas. “At the same time, people are still watching my dramas, which is the reason why I’m sitting here. Because I do get that love,” she said.

Despite the scrutiny, Farooq said she had never allowed comments about her body to cost her a professional opportunity. “There’s never been an instance where I have let a project go,” she said.

She distinguished between changing her appearance to satisfy public expectations and undergoing a physical transformation for a role, explaining that she remained willing to do the latter when required. “At the end of the day, as an actor, I know there might be a margin where I need to cut down weight for a character or gain. I’ll do that. I’ll even cut my hair short,” she said.

However, Farooq noted that actors had a degree of flexibility when it came to changing their appearance that ordinary people might not enjoy. “But as an actor, I get that pass, and normal women who aren’t actors don’t get that pass,” she added.

Farooq also reflected on how societal expectations surrounding appearance could be passed from one generation of women to the next, with mothers sometimes reinforcing the same standards they had struggled with themselves.

“It’s so interesting that fathers never say much, but mothers do. They just worry about you. Women are the ones who have to listen to everything because they bear the responsibility to make everyone happy,” she said.

She explained that when mothers hear criticism about their daughters’ weight, skin tone or height, they may instinctively try to protect them by encouraging them to change their appearance. However, the emotional consequences of such advice can go unrecognised.

“When someone says to a mother that your daughter is fat, or dark-skinned, or her height is short, she wants to protect her, which is why she tells her to work on herself,” Farooq said.

Recalling the advice young girls sometimes receive, she said she had seen mothers encourage their daughters to try anything that might help them grow taller, including hanging from objects. “I have seen this around. So many things young girls have to face because their mothers also face the same from society,” she said.

Farooq acknowledged that such responses often stem from a desire to shield daughters from judgment, but stressed that the impact of these comments on young girls is frequently overlooked. “I feel the first instinct is to protect the daughter, but the impact of saying that to the daughter isn’t really recognised. We also need to take note of that,” she said.

Although the conversation often centres on women, Farooq emphasised that men also face appearance-based criticism, including comments about their height, skin tone and facial features.

“As much as this conversation is important for women, it’s also for men. Men are also suffering. They’re short, dark, or don’t have nice faces, receiving those kinds of comments,” she said.

Turning to her own experience of changing her weight, Farooq explained that the motivation behind her transformation had eventually become more personal.

“There was a time I realised that it doesn’t matter. When I lost weight, it was for me. Maybe I did take pressure somewhere, but when I started, I realised that I never knew I had this much willpower,” she said.

However, the reaction to her weight loss reinforced her belief that public opinion was difficult to satisfy. “When I started to transform, people were then commenting on how much weight I lost, so the comments will always be there. I can be a size two and a fourteen,” she said.

For Farooq, the experience underscored the importance of developing a healthier relationship with oneself rather than constantly trying to meet shifting expectations. “You have to love yourself. If you don’t love yourself, you can’t love anyone else,” she said.

She also urged people to be more mindful of the language they use, highlighting the connection between hurtful remarks and mental well-being.

“Words are very powerful, and we need to be careful about it,” she said, adding that society had become accustomed to complaining and making negative remarks. “Each person doesn’t have the ability to keep listening to complaints. As a nation, we’re so used to complaining and making bad comments,” she said.

Farooq further reflected on the importance of recognising personal limits, acknowledging that she, too, had regrets about how she had managed her body and responsibilities.

“I also have regrets, such as letting myself get to this point or my body. You have to manage yourself and draw a line. I was going all in with everything I had,” she said.

She recalled reaching a point when she realised that her way of living was no longer sustainable, emphasising the importance of recognising one's limitations. “That time I realised that my life isn’t sustainable,” she said.

Farooq also stressed that making mistakes was part of being human. “You have to realise you’re human, and we all make mistakes,” she said.

Speaking about the practices that help her maintain a more positive outlook, Farooq said she had developed a habit of beginning each day with gratitude, particularly towards her body and what it allowed her to do. “I see myself with gratitude. Before I even get out of bed, when I open my eyes, I have a few rituals I do,” she said.

“The most important, I tell myself I’m grateful for my body and say thank you for the ability to walk and move around. I start my day by thanking my body,” she added, explaining that the practice helped her recognise and challenge moments when she became negative about herself.

Farooq has previously spoken about body image and unrealistic beauty standards. In a 2024 interview, she discussed playing Masooma in the drama Bismil and the pressure on actresses to conform to conventional standards of beauty.

She questioned why different body types should not be represented and celebrated on screen, challenging the assumption that actresses must fit a particular physical ideal.

Alongside her acting career, Farooq has continued to expand her work as a producer. Her latest film, Mango Jutt, pairs her with Faysal Quraishi in a Punjabi-language action comedy blending romance, humour and action.

The film marks her return to the big screen after Heer Maan Ja (2019) and her debut in a Punjabi-language production.