Jannat Mirza, a viral star on the Pakistani version of TikTok, has as many or more viewers and subscribers as the country’s last prime minister, Imran Khan. “I might have a little more followers than him,” she claimed on the Talk Talk Show on Express TV.
Splitting her time between Islamabad and Tokyo, Mirza discussed her feuds with the drama industry, her foray into television, and advice for young people hoping to break through on TikTok.
Debut on the small screen
Mirza announced on the chat show that she will soon make her television debut in a series. The actress has earlier starred in a film with the catchy title Tere Bajra De Rakhi. I’m about to become a working actor. She said, “I have a few scripts here, and I intend to accept some of them.”
“I don’t have to work in this field for the money, so that’s something people should know going in. What brings me here is a desire to take action. I’ve always wanted to make my acting debut as either Geet from Jab We Met or Hania Aamir’s role, Rumi, from Ishqiya. The vivacious one. After that, I take a peek at the characters and plot. My major concern right now is leaving for six months to live in Karachi,” she continued.
When questioned about why she only managed to get half of her TikTok followers to see her first film, Mirza pointed the finger at the film’s promotion and reception. Insufficient information prevents me from promoting the film effectively on my channel. The final product of my first film likewise left me feeling disheartened. But let’s assume for the moment that this is the start. She promised that there would be plenty of future dramatic flicks.
They wanted me to come to Karachi, and that was about it. In retrospect, I realize it was a mistake to visit Japan. She said, “I doubt I could have done it as well as they did, but I would have tried anyway, and who knows, maybe people would have liked me.”
She went on to say, “I wish I had made my debut in a drama alongside Mahira Khan. But I was unable to visit Karachi, and for that, I am eternally sorry.
She has family in Japan, so Mirza joked that she’s like the star Ahsan Khan and “lives here and there.” However, she now chooses to spend six months out of the year there to protect her privacy. In Pakistan, I feel as though my personal life has been compromised. I always have to put on my best appearance. “Then it’s very upsetting,” she remarked.
Arguments between actors and actresses
Mirza had previously said in an interview that some people in the theatre profession have a problem with her. Both seasoned actor Bushra Ansari and makeup-averse actor Aiman Khan have publicly blasted Mirza on social media.
When asked about their relationship, she said that everything is fine between them at the moment. Recently, I had the pleasure of meeting and hugging Bushra Ansari. She was really mature and contrite when she apologised to me for the misunderstanding. I told her that I completely forgot about it,” she recalled saying. However, she elaborated by saying that others are free to offer constructive criticism and suggestions, provided they do it in a courteous manner.
No one can be called illiterate on social media. She argued that there were more appropriate methods to put her point across. Maybe from a financial standpoint, but if a brand approaches me, I’m not going to encourage them to go with an actor instead. We may all be young people on TikTok, but competition is fierce. We’re more popular, get more pageviews, and run busy social media profiles. The market for this product is growing.
The celebrity reacted modestly when asked if she thought she should have influence because of her large social media following. My education continues. Although I am a source of motivation, there are others who have been in this field for much longer than I have. I’m not ready to compete with them just yet, but I’m training hard because I believe that someday my story will serve as an example to those who want to strike out on their own.
The host probed her on how she handles the sneering reaction many of her elders have to her popularity on TikTok. People definitely tend to look down on it; that much is true. Mirza said that she tries to always take the high road, but that it’s important to recognize that there is both negativity and good in any system.
“How you, as an individual, choose to experience TikTok is entirely up to you. The algorithm will only show you religious videos if that’s what you’re interested in. You should expect to see cricket-related videos pop up when you visit the site. Similarly, if you seek out obscene or otherwise offensive videos, that is exactly what you will find. She screamed, “There are a lot of people who like that around here!”
Mirza frequently posts sponsored content, skits, lip-sync battles, and vlogs about his travels and adventures. When asked how she got her start on TikTok, she said that she had only submitted three or four videos before deleting her account. She spent the following six months in Japan, and it wasn’t until then that she started amassing her 600,000-plus Instagram followers. Despite her meteoric rise to stardom, she was embroiled in a scandal involving her very public breakup with ex-boyfriend Umer Fayyaz Butt.
Many assume I hide my private life, but that’s not the case. They saw nothing but what I showed them. We discontinued mutually respectful relationships when they weren’t functioning. There is no reason to change it. Next time, though, she plans to have her husband chosen for her, and she’ll wait to post wedding photos until after the nikkah has been performed.
Mirza responded to online trolls by saying, “I have my own self-set boundaries.” No one should point a finger at me; that’s my line. Things are still being said. However, I value honesty and integrity more than fame and fortune. My reputation is out of my hands, but I should be aware of my own integrity. For now, I’m satisfied, and my parents are here to support me.
