Photographs rarely stay quiet these days. One minute they live on a phone, the next they’re plastered across Instagram explore pages. That’s exactly what happened when actress Alizeh Shah posted two holiday shots from Los Angeles. Black sleeveless dress, white sneakers, nothing scandalous for Santa Monica. Social media in Pakistan thought otherwise.
First came the usual comments:
- “Where’s our culture gone?”
- “Is this what fame means?”
Within hours the screenshots hopped from fan pages to influencer reels and finally into prime-time chatter. That’s when Shah answered back—plain text on a dark Insta Story:
“Public figure, yes. Public property? No. My clothes, my call.”
She also called the outrage “selective.” Viewers cheer item numbers in films, she argued, yet roast an actress for dressing the same way off-camera. “Pick a lane,”
The split was predictable. Fellow actors such as Ushna Shah applauded the clap-back, tweeting, “Tired of wardrobe policing. Let artists breathe.” Conservative commentators countered that celebrities shape teenage norms and should “keep limits in mind.”
Most telling reaction came from marketing analyst Mariam Malik: “Every few months a wardrobe story dominates timelines. Good for clicks, bad for nuance.” She points out the pattern—viral photo, moral outrage, defiant response, repeat.
Context matters
Alizeh’s career has always run parallel to controversy. A backless gown at the 2021 Hum Style Awards drew similar fire. Last year she dyed her hair electric purple and trended for forty-eight hours. Her defenders say the criticism tells more about collective anxiety than about a piece of fabric.
The numbers behind the noise
- Instagram followers gained in the 24 hours after the post: +32,000
- Negative comments flagged by her team (according to a source close to the actress): over 1,100
- TV talk-show segments devoted to the photos: 3 in one evening
What’s next?
Shah starts shooting a new drama in July. Producers, speaking off-record, say the fuss won’t change casting plans. Viewers tune in for star power, and controversy, ironically, keeps that wattage high.
As for the actress, she wrapped up her response with a line equal parts fatigue and defiance:
“I’m here to act, not audition for approval.”
The timeline will move on—another celebrity, another “debate.” Until then, the dress hangs in her wardrobe, the internet keeps the receipts, and Pakistan’s culture war scrolls ever onward.
