Actor talks patriarchy, being unapologetic
In an interview with Madeha Naqvi, actor Mariyam Nafees dropped some truth bombs. “I don’t know how this will be interpreted, but I will genuinely say that our society is very patriarchal,” she said. “People do not like women who are confident.”
Mariyam related her insights to her own experiences, noting that society can’t stomach a woman who speaks her mind. “Even some of the people watching us right now would have a problem with us having a conversation so early in the morning. They’d want us to stay inside our kitchens and take care of our children. It’s so unfortunate because people say things like, “Girls like this don’t attract boys. They don’t like dominant, opinionated women.'”
She observed that often women feed into the narrative. “I get to hear this so many times, that I’m too opinionated. And this is something women say to me, even the ones who live abroad and have access to education.”
Unapologetic about how she carries herself, she added, “I’m entitled to my opinion. Why can I not be opinionated? People can’t digest this.”
The Yaqeen Ka Safar actor believes that his mindset is extended to those who work in the entertainment industry at large. She feels that people have uninformed, biased perceptions of how celebrities and media personalities act, which stem from a general sense of contempt towards showbiz professions.
“People don’t like women in the industry, and we come from a variety of different backgrounds. They pour scorn on our work,” she said. “What are we doing wrong? We offer prayers diligently at our sets, we have our meals together, and we make the most of the 12 hours we are required to spend with each other. No one at our sets and studios considers other people and professions to be beneath them.”
Meaningful bonds
Seated opposite to Mariyam, Rabab Hashim chimed in, adding that it’s impractical to imagine crew members isolating themselves when working so closely. “We spend most of the week working together for six to eight months. So it’s impossible to be that person all the time. You can’t do it.”
She added, “I’m sure some people might still do it, as there are always exceptions. But for the majority of us, we live, breathe, and eat together. Everything’s happening all at once.”
The two actors took the opportunity to look back on how their friendship blossomed on set. Mariyam began by sharing that she doesn’t have many close friends in the industry, but having shared a lot of screentime with Rabab brought the two closer in a way Mariyam didn’t expect.
“[Rabab] takes time to open up to people, but when does, she unravels all at once,” the Neem actor enthused. “Because I’m originally from Islamabad, she would bring homemade curry and bhindi for me. And I’d think, ‘Yes, this girl! I’m going to keep her with me.”
Rabab agreed that she’s an introvert who gets comfortable with people at her own pace. Voicing her admiration of Mariyam, the Meray Mohsin actor said, “She’s amazing. We became friends fairly quickly and the set was also a fun place to be. We had lovely co-stars, so our days would be spent well and we would hang out often.”
Sharing her honest first impression of Mariyam, Rabab said with a laugh, “I found her very overwhelming. I kept wondering, ‘Is she actually like this?’ But as I got to know her, I realised that you need at least one friend in your life who’s this energetic.”
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