In an interview with Hina Niazi, seasoned actor Iffat Umar expressed her opinion on the clash between content creators and showbiz professionals. “I’m not the kind of person who lives in the past. I’ve always changed myself according to the times. I have nothing against anyone,” she said. “Whatever someone wants to do to attain fame, I feel that we should let them.”
Iffat believes that actors, especially someone as high up in the industry as Fahad Mustafa, should not be too critical of vloggers like Rajab Butt. “Don’t criticise everyone,” she stressed. “‘Don’t do this, don’t do that.’ I mean, why must it be a competition between Fahad and him?”
The film-and-TV star has voiced his distaste for content creators on multiple occasions in the past. In an interview with Shoaib Akhtar, he disapproved of the idea of sharing the screen with a TikToker, asking whether his peers would do the same. Condemning the process of content creation, he said, “‘Content’ is the most overrated word in this country. There is no such thing as content. Everyone is selling their families.”
The Na Maloom Afraad actor has also been critical of the influence of YouTubers on the entertainment industry in the past. He pointed out that, in his opinion, celebrities exercise great caution when giving interviews, as some content creators tend to focus on sensationalising and misrepresenting their statements to generate content for their platforms.
Fahad’s firm views caught the attention of YouTuber Rajab Butt, who in turn criticised the actor for accusing content creators of exploiting their families. While defending himself and his craft, Rajab also stated that a senior doesn’t get respect by default but must earn it through their actions.
Addressing Fahad in reference to this feud, Iffat said in her interview, “You’ve worked hard yourself, Fahad. You are the pride of Pakistan. Measure your hard work with dignity, not with your financial status. And again, you are the highest paid actor in this country. Tend to your own business. Get out of the clutches of frequent criticism. Live and let live.”
Differences aside, Iffat went on to say that things have changed for the better in the entertainment industry. Speaking of her juniors, she said, “I’m very happy for these kids, who are able to build a grand lifestyle with the help of their hard work and talent. This wasn’t the case in my time. I’d tell people I’m an actor, and they’d ask me what my real profession was.”
She believes that younger actors no longer need to deal with these conversations. “Now nobody asks Fahad or these other kids what they actually do.”
