Veteran actress Atiqa Odho has sparked conversation after taking a humorous yet pointed jab at actor Ali Raza’s appearance in the drama Dastak.
During a recent appearance alongside Nadia Khan and Marina Khan, Atiqa questioned the actor’s styling choices—particularly his tendency to leave his shirt unbuttoned low enough to reveal his chest hair.
Expressing her thoughts candidly, Atiqa said, “Women are constantly instructed to wear long sleeves and follow strict wardrobe rules. Why shouldn’t the same standards apply to men?”
She clarified that she isn’t against modern or bold fashion but believes there should be boundaries, especially in family-oriented dramas.
“What really bothers me in Dastak is Ali Raza’s partially unbuttoned shirt,” she said. “It’s not necessary to show a hairy chest on screen.”
Her remarks, while serious in tone, quickly turned lighthearted. With a smile, she joked, “Please, do wax your chest. Hairy chests are the biggest put-off. I can even take you to the salon! He’s a good actor, good-looking and all, but this is a big no-no.”
Marina Khan echoed Atiqa’s sentiments, noting that Ali Raza isn’t the first actor to sport a revealing look on TV. She mentioned Shamoon Abbasi as another example of male actors opting for similarly bold wardrobe choices.
Despite the humorous delivery, Atiqa’s comments reignited an ongoing discussion about double standards in the entertainment industry. Many viewers agreed with her broader point—that male actors are often not held to the same visual and cultural expectations as their female counterparts.
One viewer commented online: “I don’t understand why men in Pakistani dramas often have their shirts unbuttoned halfway down. Even if the chest is waxed, it still looks cheap.”
