Veteran actor Firdous Jamal came under fire recently when he passed insensitive remarks about Mahira Khan on Faysal Quraishi’s morning show.

The drama and stage actor, Firdous Jamal was shown Mahira’s picture as part of a game and he criticised the actress, calling her too aged to play the role of a heroine. “Sorry to say and people may not like it, but she is not heroine stuff. She is a mediocre sort of a model, not a good actress and not a heroine,” Firdous said. Not only did he discredit Mahira as an actress, but also went on to age-shame her.

“Women of her age should not be cast as heroines. They should play roles as mothers at this age,” he said.

All of this started when Faysal Quraishi was wishing Mahira the best for her upcoming film. He said that none of Mahira’s films this year have done well. Though we are surprised because none of her films (Parey Hut Love, Superstar and The Legend of Maula Jatt) have released as of yet.

Social media did not like the comments made by the two actors. Both of them faced backlash for their hypocrisy and calling out a woman for her age.

Actor Gohar Rasheed voiced his concern over Firdous Jamal’s remarks in his tweet:

“Everybody is entitled to their opinion true that!! But when a public figure like #FirdousJamal sharing his opinion on national television then the choice of words are very important,

If a legendary actor like you will be so demeaning towards juniors like @TheMahiraKhan then how will we learn? Constructive criticism is very important for the growth and that’s what we seek from you.”

Writer Mahwash Ajaz and Faisal Kapadia also tweeted about the matter.

“Massive eyeroll at people taking potshots at Mahira Khan for airing their own toxic views. She never does this. Never attacks people this way. And yet she’s always in the line of fire, always attacked by people in the industry. What a shameful attitude by some stars,” tweeted Mahwash Ajaz.

Faisal Kapadia took to Twitter and wrote, “I am really appalled that senior and respectable persons like #Firdousjamal sahab still think that a woman has a heroine by date… till when will we continue on this repressive path and pull peers down. @TheMahiraKhan is a star in every sense of the word like her or hate her.