Daily Times

Renowned Pakistani television and film actor Mahnoor Baloch has opened up about her decision to take a break from the media industry.

Baloch, who has been part of the industry for many years and gained fame through popular dramas such as Marvi, Yeh Zindagi Hai, Chandni Raatain and Kabhi Kabhi Pyaar Main, cited the limitations placed on women’s roles as the reason behind her hiatus.

In a recent interview, Baloch spoke candidly about the state of the Pakistani media industry, saying, “Being honest, unfortunately, our industry is still evolving. It is very unfortunate that a certain type of roles has been designed and fixed for women. They will be cast in the same roles and there is an age limitation for such roles as well.”

Baloch went on to compare the Pakistani media industry to international media industries, highlighting the diversity of roles available in the latter. “If you see international media industries, there are different genres. They tell stories about different age groups, they show different phases of lives, their actors portray characters as per their age group. For example, Nicole Kidman is still working. They write special roles for their actors.”

In contrast, Baloch criticised the Pakistani media industry for its limited scope, saying, “In our industry, they only show love stories, and the hero is not turning old even at the age of 55. It might look good to them, but when you see from normal people’s perspective, it doesn’t work anymore because people are evolving and they can’t accept such things.”

Baloch’s decision to take a break from the media industry has been met with mixed reactions from fans and industry insiders. Some have praised her for speaking out against the limitations placed on women’s roles, while others have expressed disappointment at the loss of such a talented actor. Regardless, Baloch’s remarks have shone a spotlight on the need for greater diversity and representation in the Pakistani media industry.