Pakistani actress Saba Hameed's contrasting on-screen roles opposite Faran Tahir have sparked widespread discussion across social media.
The veteran actress appears as Faran Tahir's wife in one drama and his mother in another, a casting choice that has divided viewers and prompted celebrities, including Atiqa Odho, Zhalay Sarhadi, and Juggan Kazim, to share contrasting views.
Veteran actress Atiqa Odho was among the first to comment on the debate. Speaking about Dar-e-Nijaat, she praised the overall casting but admitted she struggled to accept Saba Hameed as Faran Tahir's on-screen mother. According to Atiqa, the issue was not Saba's performance but the fact that the actress still has a stylish, elegant, and youthful appearance in real life.
Atiqa explained that seeing the same actors play husband and wife in one drama while appearing as mother and son in another made the transition difficult for her as a viewer.
She added that Saba looked too chic and graceful for the heavily aged appearance created for the role, saying the elderly makeover felt forced rather than completely believable. At the same time, she acknowledged that actors have the ability to portray a wide variety of characters regardless of their age.
Actress Zhalay Sarhadi viewed the situation from a different perspective, arguing that the debate reflects a much larger issue within the entertainment industry. In an Instagram post, she said women are expected to age on screen far more quickly than men, while male actors continue to be cast in younger roles for much longer.
She described this as a long-standing industry mindset and called for more realistic, age-appropriate casting and stronger roles for women. Zhalay also noted that similar conversations have taken place in neighbouring entertainment industries, urging creators to move towards more balanced representation.
Television host and actress Juggan Kazim, however, strongly defended Saba Hameed's casting. She said audiences should see the contrasting roles as proof of Saba's extraordinary talent rather than a source of confusion.
According to Juggan, Saba has the rare ability to make viewers forget the actor and completely believe the character she is portraying. She added that Pakistan is fortunate to have performers with such remarkable versatility.
The debate continues to trend across social media, with netizens remaining divided over the casting choice. While some agree with Atiqa Odho that the transformation was difficult to accept, others support Juggan Kazim's view that a strong performance matters more than previous on-screen pairings.
Meanwhile, Zhalay Sarhadi's comments have shifted the conversation beyond a single drama, encouraging a broader discussion about age, gender and casting practices in the entertainment industry.