Actor Mamya Shajaffar told BBC Urdu that women in Pakistan's entertainment industry face intense scrutiny over their clothing — judgment that can quickly turn dangerous.
"When what you have worn becomes an answerable thing… it changes a lot in you," she said, describing how the scrutiny erodes a woman's sense of self and safety.
Citing her experience walking a red carpet in Berlin, the actor noted that despite the platform and the work that had taken her there, the conversation around her appearance centred almost entirely on what she wore rather than her accomplishments. This was in contrast, she said, to how global stars such as Dua Lipa were covered at the same kinds of events, where the focus stayed on their work rather than their outfits.
Mamya also drew a sharp comparison to illustrate the imbalance. "If Deepika Padukone comes to Pakistan, they will die to take pictures with her and no one will give her a hard time. But if one of you is on that same platform, that will be a problem," she argued.
Moving to discuss her career journey, the actor shared that she never expected to feel embraced by the industry the way she eventually did. Mamya recalled receiving her first drama offer and being sceptical about how audiences would respond to her, given how often women were judged for their appearance rather than their work.
She said it would have been far simpler to fall in line. "It would be very easy for me to mould myself and hide; it would be a very politically correct way of living for me," Mamya said, adding that conforming would likely have brought her more work, fewer critical comments, and a cleaner public image, even if it meant living dishonestly with herself.
