Actress Durefishan Saleem, who is currently one of the most celebrated faces in the entertainment industry, has found herself in the middle of controversy. The discussion began after senior actress Erum Akhtar made some strong remarks about Durefishan during an appearance on a show. Interestingly, Erum had previously worked with her in the drama Saanwal Yaar Piya, where she played the step and adoptive mother of Durefishan’s character, Piya.
During the interview, Erum Akhtar opened up about her experience on set, calling it “painful” and alleging that the production faced major delays due to unprofessional behavior from the lead actors.
According to her, what was initially planned as a four to five-month shoot extended to nearly a year. She revealed that her own 40-day schedule stretched across months, affecting her ability to take on other projects.
Erum further claimed that repeated disruptions occurred for various reasons from Durefishan, including schedule cancellations, religious commitments like Umrah, and even external circumstances such as Ramazan. She specifically pointed towards both Feroze Khan and Durefishan Saleem, alleging that their lack of discipline contributed to the delays. Her statements went viral sparking widespread debate online. While some netizens questioned the situation, many fans and industry insiders came forward in support of Durefishan, calling her grounded, professional and easy to work with.
Soon after, the production house 7th Sky Entertainment publicly defended the actress. Producers Abdullah Kadwani and Asad Qureshi, along with director Danish Nawaz, vouched for her professionalism. In their statement, they described Durefishan Saleem as “extremely professional,” adding that she was committed to the schedule she had agreed upon and was a positive presence on set.