Overview
- Social media users nicknamed Sahar Hashmi “Pakistan’s Emraan Hashmi” after hugging scenes in the dramas Zanjeerain and Shaidai, triggering widespread criticism.
- Hashmi told interviewers that the scenes were written into the script and shot with director approval and that actors follow the creative vision set by producers and directors.
- She said the online attacks left her hurt and confused, that she often cried herself to sleep, and that colleagues including Shehzad Sheikh, Nawal Saeed and Feroze Khan offered personal support.
- Hashmi said the backlash has made her more selective about future roles and recalled that she initially declined Zanjeerain because of grief over her mother’s death before accepting after a personal call from producer Momina Duraid.
- The interviews have reopened public debate about creative freedom, cultural norms and gendered scrutiny of performers on Pakistani television, though no formal industry changes have been reported.