It can’t be easy, being a successful actress in Pakistani society. Our entertainment industry is nothing but fetal, with shallow roots that are only beginning to gain momentum and keeping up with such a frivolous platform comes with its withering demons. Actress Mehwish Hayat is a wonder; she’s got demons on all fronts but she miraculously breaks down their barricade with such poise and grace. She’s defiant in her stance when she’s criticized, and never holds back; Mehwish is as fiercely unapologetic as she is gritty – the actress is the manifestation of success for all of us to aspire to, and with just having received the latest recipient of the prestigious ‘Tamgha-e-Imtiaz,’ she really is the poster child for female empowerment.
Here are 11 quotes from the actress that demand YO RESPECT!
1. “Let’s grow up and accept that a few words are not going to corrupt the nation! Thank you, next.”
2. “No, I ain’t Cinderella, I don’t need no glass slippers when I can rock them boots all night!”
3. “I feel the added weight of responsibility that comes with an award (‘Tamgha-e-Imtiaz’) like this. Many girls have seen me and the characters I played as role models and I always believed in setting a good example. I hope that this inspires those girls and shows them that, through hard work and determination, anything is possible. I am living proof of that!”
4. “Film-making is a collaborative effort and in my view, everyone who brings these dreams to the screen is worthy of recognition. Even the spot boys.”
5. “I like to stay mysterious as I like to surprise people.”
6. “I have always maintained that if I get a role like Saba’s in Hindi Medium or something along the lines of Queen, Heroine or Jab We Met, I will accept it.”
7. “Why is it that the moment a woman, especially from our industry, wins something or is recognised for her achievements they are overlooked and doubts are cast on her character?”
8. “Are women in Pakistan any less capable of contributing to the betterment of the country? I have stood for women empowerment on many platforms and this has shown that we have a long way to go.”
9. “Women are beautiful and should feel blessed but it is our society and men who reduce them to items. It is an actor’s job is to perform, no matter what the role and I’ve done nothing wrong. As beauty lies in the eyes of the beholder, so does lechery. I love dancing!”
10. “If I ever do an Indian film, it will be on my terms and conditions and not theirs, because I have made a place for myself in Pakistan with honesty and dedication. I don’t want to be cast as a showpiece or an object of desire in a film on either side of the border.”
11. “I would love to represent my country with dignity.”
