Actor Zara Noor Abbas opened up in a candid interview, sharing the realities of motherhood, balancing her acting career with family life, and the support systems essential for a new mother.
Zara, who recently starred in the drama Dil Dhoondta Hai Phir Wohi on Express TV, is married to actor Asad Siddiqui and shares a daughter with him. She opened up about her experience with motherhood and how women are subjected to unnecessary body shaming over weight gain and are expected to “bounce back” immediately after pregnancy.
Sharing her views on the societal and industry pressures faced by working mothers, Zara discussed the misconception that women cannot manage both career and family life. Pushing against these unrealistic standards, the actor called for emotional honesty and open conversations about motherhood in Pakistan, saying that mothers should not feel guilty for being tired, emotional, or imperfect.
Zara said motherhood completely changed her personality and emotional outlook. According to her, it made her calmer, softer, and more empathetic towards people, especially women and mothers. Further, she explained how priorities shift after one has a child and how a mother naturally becomes emotionally connected to her baby in a way that is difficult to describe.
Zara also discussed being body shamed throughout her career and how it affected her emotionally. She said people in the entertainment industry and on social media constantly commented on her weight, body shape, and clothing choices, telling the actor she was “too broad” or “too big” for the industry.
She also revealed that some brands did not want to work with her because she was not considered “petite” enough.
The actor admitted that the criticism genuinely hurt her and affected her confidence, revealing that there were moments when comments about her body made her cry and question her identity. At one point, however, she realised she had to stop letting outside opinions define her, encouraging women to stop apologising for natural body changes caused by pregnancy and motherhood.
The actor stated that society should stop commenting on women’s bodies, especially after they have gone through the intense physical experience of bringing a child into the world.