In a recent podcast interview with her sister Fatemah, actress Alina Abbas, renowned for her role as Safeena in the hit serial Noor Jahan, opened up about her experiences with height and age-shaming prior to her acting career.
Abbas, who stands at 6 feet tall and began her career at age 29, clarified, “I am currently 32 years old.” Reflecting on her past, she shared, “I’ve faced height-shaming since childhood due to my tall stature, which Pakistani society often finds unusual. I vividly recall a teacher commenting, ‘You look like a 5th-grader but are still in 2nd grade.’ It’s frustrating when my height is blamed for such comments.”
Regarding age-shaming, Alina Abbas stated, “I’ve never let it bother me. I will keep working as long as there is an audience for me. Their opinions won’t deter me.” The actress, who recently made her debut in Kuch Ankahi, described her role as Safeena in Noor Jahan as her “toughest yet most rewarding” performance. She expressed mixed feelings about the character, noting, “It’s rewarding because many women relate to Safeena’s struggles, but it saddens me that so many women find it relatable—I wish that weren’t the case.”
Noor Jahan features a stellar cast, including Saba Hamid, Kubra Khan, Hajra Yamin, Ali Rehman Khan, Noor Hassan, Zoya Nasir, Ali Raza, Yousuf Bashir Qureshi, and Mahmood Aslam. The series, directed by Musaddiq Malek and penned by renowned playwright Zanjabeel Asim Shah, airs on ARY Digital every Friday and Saturday in prime time.
