Alizeh Shah, a name that has been a regular fixture in headlines for the past few years, shared a series of Instagram stories on Monday in what she described as a final attempt to reclaim her narrative. The Ehd-e-Wafa actor publicly called out alleged harassment by seniors, media bullying, exploitative production houses, and false accusations by her peers.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m going to expose every single person who did me wrong\u2026I\u2019m done with people trolling me, making fun of me, and making memes out of me. You guys have no idea how difficult an actor\u2019s life already is,\u201d she said in the series of confessional clips.<\/p>\n
Ramp ridicule and public humiliation<\/p>\n Shah began her video confessions by revisiting an incident from a fashion show that initially went viral. At the 2021 Bridal Couture Week<\/a>, Shah appeared to stumble on the ramp with playback singer and veteran artist Shazia Manzoor by her side \u2014 an incident she claims was deliberately orchestrated. \u201cWe had to go right. This lady pulled me and dragged me on the floor,\u201d Shah said, while replaying the video of the moment on her stories for her followers to see.<\/p>\n \u201cAnd then look at what she\u2019s trying to do, why are you picking me up, lady? Leave me alone!\u201d she said. \u201cThroughout this whole show, she had her hands on my hip, and she kept trying that somehow I would fall,\u201d Shah alleged.<\/p>\n \u201cThe weirdest thing is, this aunty would go on every other show and would make other celebrities trip just to mock me,\u201d Shah said. She added that TikTok star Jannat Mirza and host Juggan Kazim had also allegedly mocked her following the incident, despite her past respect for the latter.<\/p>\n She then replayed clips of Manzoor meeting Mirza, with Mirza recreating Shah\u2019s fall for the camera, and another moment of the singer going on Kazim\u2019s morning show and Kazim recreating the same fall and Manzoor playing the role of the hero.<\/p>\n Following her dramatic slip<\/a> while walking the ramp for designer Nisa Hussain at the BCW 2021, Shah had expressed sincere gratitude toward Manzoor. At the time, she had said the fall was a simple mix\u2011up \u2014 she \u201cwas going towards the left and Manzoor thought that we had to go to the right side and I slipped.\u201d<\/p>\n She had praised Manzoor\u2019s swift support, calling her \u201ca fireball of energy\u201d who \u201cpicked me back up with so much love.\u201d Reflecting on the broader experience, she said the evening was \u201ca rollercoaster full of emotions and a fall,\u201d yet, she drew strength from being surrounded by \u201cpowerful and strong women\u201d like Manzoor, Hussain, and Amar Khan. \u201cLife is full of ups and downs, and some falls too, but never think that it\u2019s over. Together we can and we will make a positive difference,\u201d she added.<\/p>\n That post is no longer available on her Instagram.<\/p>\n \u2018I don\u2019t want to work where I\u2019m not respected\u2019<\/p>\n A major chunk of Shah\u2019s confessional was directed at the television and drama industry\u2019s toxic culture, where actors are allegedly forced to beg for their dues. \u201cWe get cheques after three months \u2014 that too, after begging people for our own money. And when we\u2019re finally handed the cheque, we\u2019re made to feel like it\u2019s a huge favour, this is why I stopped working,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n Shah is the latest in a series of actors<\/a> who have recently spoken up about delayed payments in showbiz.<\/p>\n The actor revealed that her decision to demand payments and respect led to her being blacklisted. \u201cPages were paid to troll me. When I\u2019d go into meetings, directors would tell me, \u2018Apke tou humne baray kissay sunay hain [we\u2019ve heard many things about you],\u2019 \u2014 my hands are shaking, speaking about it right now. They would say, \u2018Your image is so bad, why would we cast you?\u2019 Whether you want to cast me or not, why would you call me in a meeting if you don\u2019t want to cast me, and then ask me about my \u2018image\u2019?\u201d she asked, her voice shaking. \u201cWho are you to ask me about my image?\u201d<\/p>\n Her refusal to \u201cplay the game\u201d the way others expected her to has come at a cost, Shah claimed. \u201cPeople say I have too many issues. One time in a whole year, I requested a separate room because I smoke cigarettes and didn\u2019t want to bother others,\u201d she said, clarifying that she never smoked while shooting. \u201cI want respect and my payment on time \u2014 if you can\u2019t do that, then there isn\u2019t a bigger beggar than you in this industry.\u201d<\/p>\n Allegations of assault \u2014 and her version of events<\/p>\n