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Hania Aamir says she faced trauma after being told off by thousands on the internet at such a young age

Hania Aamir says she faced trauma after being told off by thousands on the internet at such a young age

The actor feels she has learnt from her mistakes but at the cost of "being less" herself online.
16 Aug, 2022

Hania Aamir may be a star but she wants to remind people that she is a human being first. The Mere Humsafar actor opened up about her journey in the industry and laid it all bare, something she has stopped herself from doing on the internet after being traumatised at a young age for freely being herself online.

In an interview with Something Haute released on Saturday, Aamir explained that most people looking to become actors are from humble backgrounds who either want to be big stars or support their families. Belonging to the latter, she entered the industry by a stroke of luck, not knowing how to navigate it. “When we don’t get any media training, we don’t know what to say and how much to reveal and where to do it. And especially me, I didn’t know anything at all. I didn’t take it very seriously [either] so I don’t think it’s anyone’s fault, you just don’t know how to go about these things. You don’t know any better and there’s no one in the industry to tell you how to go about it,” she said.

She feels that she had to learn after making a few mistakes. “The time that I came in, I don’t think anyone was using Instagram that much. It was just me going crazy on Instagram, putting up all sorts of things. You can say that you should’ve known better, I’ve understood that after several hits. I never realised that I was popular till I was trending on Twitter for something that I didn’t even remember. Then you realise how much people are looking at you.”

Being in the public eye, the Ishqiya actor has had to mature quickly because she doesn’t get to have the same tolerance a regular young adult does. “You put everything out there like a normal teenager would. If I have a break up, in my university, me not being a celebrity and if I now have a break up, it’s literally the same thing but just because I’m a celebrity, I don’t get to live my 21-year-old life.

“I am 19, 20, 21, 22 — what are you expecting from these 20-year-olds? You cannot expect them to know don’t put up a picture with your boyfriend, don’t talk to this uncle like that, you can’t expect them to know that. And I’m not saying that whatever we do can be dismissed with a hall pass, it’s not like that. But for young actors, there should be some leeway, a margin. If you’re such an empath, you should think with empathy: how would they know any better? Look at how old they are,” she said.

Aamir believes this understanding has come with a price. “I have understood now but at what expense? Being less of myself in front of people. It gives you trauma when people are telling you to stop at such a young age. You’re so impressionable and when thousands of people — and sometimes millions of people — are saying ‘wrong, wrong, wrong’ you start thinking there’s something wrong with you.”

The Parde Mein Rehne Do actor thinks that people who have gone through this should advise young actors, something she herself follows. “They should tell them, ‘please don’t. Be careful.’ I’m very empathetic towards new actors and I always try to keep them close [and say] ‘I’ll tell you I’ve been through this, don’t do this, don’t do that’ because it’s not their fault, they’ve gotten no formal training in this. There are no mentors.” She became aware that she has to “go through consequences” of being herself on the internet and has “become very cautious now”.

In order to be taken more seriously, Aamir had to turn the focus on herself. “I never put myself first — ‘What do I want? What do I like?’ So that translated into the friendships I had, the relationships I had — ‘you first, me later. You first, what do you want? What do you want?’ And I realised at some point what is happening? I don’t feel happy,” the actor explained.

“And after two or three hits, when the internet also declared ‘something is wrong with you’, when it got too much, when the noise got too much, I cut myself off. I sat myself down alone and said ‘you’re going to do something about it. And this hurts as an actor, as an artist that I’m doing so much work, I am still delivering emotions on the camera, I am working for 12 to 13 hours a day, how is it that this is not the conversation people are having on the internet?” she questioned.

Taking responsibility, she has decided to do her best at what she does. “It’s because of me, I didn’t know any better at that point. When all of this happened, I was like it is my responsibility to move away from it. Concentrate on just myself, not even just work. I want to be known for the craft that I put out there.”

Comments

Ziad Aug 16, 2022 01:17pm
.. "at the cost of being less myself online!". What a loss that is. The internet will never be the same again!!! Someone plz tell this lady that she is known for "acting", not being her self!
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M. Saeed Aug 16, 2022 01:20pm
----but a real human being does not dispense it's parent's protection for selfish freedom!
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Ali Sabir Aug 16, 2022 01:21pm
... Less herself online is a good thing.
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Sunshine Aug 16, 2022 01:40pm
Fame and success at such a tender young age comes with a price. Hania is multi-talented and she stood instantly out. We should congratulate her candor and refreshing natural style. She brought LIFE to typical mundane goodie girl dramas. If only her elders and peers should or could have advised her to go slow. It's okay Hania, we all LOVE you the way you are. People who criticize are just jealous!! A little bumps are everywhere in all careers - who ever said it is a smooth road especially when you come from humble non-star backgrounds.
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Moh Tanveer Aug 16, 2022 02:40pm
arrey kehna kya chahtee hou
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bhaRAT© Aug 16, 2022 03:10pm
And your point is? No mention of the actual problems you faced!!
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Zain Aug 16, 2022 03:56pm
I think she's confusing the word trauma with Drama
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NYS Aug 16, 2022 04:16pm
Good for you how early adopt maturity As legend says, "Maturity is achieved when a person postpones his/her immediate pleasure for long term values"
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Bunny Aug 16, 2022 04:30pm
Don;t give too much importance to people and their opinions dear. indirectly you become their slave . always try to impress them. do your own thing as long as its right
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Arden Aug 16, 2022 04:44pm
Online poker
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FAZ Aug 17, 2022 12:13am
What is she talking about actually?
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Syed Aug 17, 2022 06:11am
Nobody teaches young actors!! Do these young actors listen to anybody?
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Hyra Aug 17, 2022 11:56am
They put themselves to public for cheap publicity then can't handle heat of it.
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