What happens when a celebrated actress faces a skin disease while shooting a role that demands beauty and perfection? Actress and producer Hareem Farooq’s journey in Bismil reveals not just her character’s complexities, but also her own personal battle with psoriasis.
In a recent interview with BCC Urdu, she discussed her role in the drama.
“I developed a skin condition called ‘Psoriasis’ during the shoot which caused red spots to appear on my face and other part of my body. The scars on my face may not look appealing to everyone, but they will encourage others who suffer from the same condition,” she said.
Psoriasis is a condition where the skin cells grow too quickly, causing red, scaly patches on the skin.
When asked about her physical transformation, the 22 Qadam actress shared that she initially considered losing weight before shooting Bismil.
“Before shooting started, I was going through a difficult phase in my life, which caused me to gain weight. I thought about losing it but eventually gave up. I had the option to delay the shoot by months, but I chose not to, I decided to shoot with the weight I had,” Hareem Farooq stated.
When asked about her work in the industry, Hareem explained, “Pakistan doesn’t have a film industry, so the same actors work in both films and dramas. All the other Pakistan actors, including me, work in films out of passion. If the country had a film industry, we won’t have to work in dramas.”
Earlier, in a recent interview with Something haute hosted by Hassan Choudhary, Hareem Farooq talked about her role in Bismil.
Hareem Farooq said, “When I first discussed the role of ‘Masooma’ in Bismil, my primary focus was to align it with the director’s vision. I always asked the director [Aehsun Talish], ‘How do you see this character?’ I wanted to ensure we were on the same page.”
“The director described Masooma as someone who acts out of innocence, not malice. This resonated with me because I believe people are rarely inherently evil. Their experiences shape their actions. Masooma’s impulsive decisions reflect innocence… where she doesn’t consider long-term consequences… a characteristic I find relatable in real life,” the Bismil actress explained.
Talking about Masooma’s intentions, Hareem shared, “I wouldn’t call her a gold digger because it wasn’t just about money. She was also running after security, wanting power, wanting change in her life. She wanted that lifestyle for herself. It’s a very selfish manner, but she cared about securing her future. Once she has something in her grasp, she won’t let go. I think Masooma’s relationship with TT [Nauman Ijaz] is more than just that of a gold digger… she is a selfish person, but not just running after money.
