As unique as her name, Zhalay Sarhadi has proven times and again that she is a force to be reckoned with. The Pakistani actress, who isn’t shy to speak her mind on different subjects, recently discussed women’s health problems, especially those related to reproduction and fertility. Sarhadi, who herself has had a difficult relationship with healthcare, made a guest appearance on TV host Mathira’s talk show to discuss her own experiences and highlight the importance of visiting the doctor regularly.
The Yaar Na Bichray star emphasized discussing women’s health openly in order to break generational and societal taboos that worsen sensitive situations and push women into the dark where they know the least about their health. The 41-year-old actress also busted the myth of a woman’s body only serving as a vessel to carry the lineage and stressed the fact that there lies a greater purpose ahead.
In order to make her millions of fans and followers aware of the crucial aspects of women’s fertility issues, Sarhadi revealed going through miscarriages herself, detailed the health problems that followed, and answered the curiosity-filled questions of people.
The Rang Laaga star revealed that she had three “really bad” miscarriages that she ironically had to justify wasn’t caused by negligence on her part.
“When I tell people that I have a daughter, they ask me why did I not have more children. How am I supposed to explain to them that I’ve had three really bad miscarriages in my life, due to which I have hypothyroid now and they were not because I diet or exercise, they just happened to me,” the Nazo star said. Sarhadi added that she is rather uncomfortable sharing her traumatic story with everyone.
While working on her 2015 film, Jalaibee, Sarhadi revealed that she went through a miscarriage amidst shooting. Recounting the mental, physical, and emotional trauma that came along, the star added, “My second last miscarriage gave me another kind of stress and trauma. At the time of Jalaibee, I was pregnant followed by a miscarriage and after the surgery, my body felt swollen up as well because of the hypothyroid – that I didn’t know about at that time. I thought it was high blood pressure since my mom has it. The fitness freak in me got it checked, otherwise, women don’t know of such after-effects.”
While the Sartaj Mera Tu Raaj Mera star discussed her own story with raw emotions, she did not forget about her fellow women and complained about the social pressure that takes a toll on millions of women every day. Sarhadi added that women, from a young age, are brainwashed into thinking about marriage and the stress of being objectified.
“From childhood to adulthood, everything about a woman is about her marriage. People judge us over our skin color, our features, and even our weight, be it losing or gaining it. It’s important for artists to talk about issues that are usually swept under the rug,” the Deemak actress said.
The Aks star also revealed suffering from body dysmorphia and explained how society turns everything taboo. Sarhadi claimed that people should seek help for mental health problems as there is no shame in it rather it is equally important as one’s physical health.
“Going to a psychologist or psychiatrist is a taboo. Your mental health is as important as your physical health, and for your physical health, you need a doctor. Similarly, for your mental health, you have other specialists like psychologists and psychiatrists that you need to go to. I have been to a psychiatrist,” the actress concluded.
On the work front, the top-notch actress enjoys an illustrious career contributing many blockbuster drama serials to the Pakistani entertainment fraternity including Chalay Thay Sath, Yaar Na Bichray, Beqadar, Pinjra, Uraan, Aks, Madiha Maliha, Digest Writer, Rang Laaga, and Nazo to name a few.
https://en.dailypakistan.com.pk/07-Nov-2022/zhalay-sarhadi-confirms-her-international-debut
