Pakistani television and film actor Sohail Sameer has issued a public apology after an intimate scene from one of his old projects surfaced online and attracted criticism.
Sohail is known for appearing in several popular Pakistani dramas, including Suno Chanda, Tere Bin, Guddu, Ashk, Ishq Hua and Dayan. Throughout his career, he has taken on comedic, romantic and antagonistic characters. His performances in Dayan and Ishq Hua earned attention for their negative shades, while his comic role in Suno Chanda was also appreciated by viewers.
The actor recently became the subject of online discussion after a scene from the suspense-thriller short film Doosri Aurat went viral. The clip showed Sohail sharing an intimate moment with a female co-star.
The scene received backlash from some social media users, who questioned the actor’s decision to participate in such content. A number of critics also referred to his appearances on morning shows, where he has spoken about morality and social values. Others called for content of this nature to be restricted.
Following the criticism, Sohail addressed the controversy in a detailed statement. He clarified that the project was filmed nearly a decade ago, even though the clip had only recently gained widespread attention.
He wrote, “A heartfelt apology, I sincerely apologize from the depth of my heart to all those who felt hurt, pain, or disappointment because of this viral clip. This clip is almost 10 years old. At that time, perhaps I did not realize that an old action of mine could surface like this in the future. But today, when this clip went viral again, I realized that I also have a mother, sisters, and daughters in my home, and I think about how I would feel if such content surfaced about a member of my own family. I am truly embarrassed and sorry that I should not have created/done such content at that time, no matter what the circumstances were. It takes years to build respect, but it takes only a moment for it to end. I admit my mistake and am sincerely ashamed of it. I request everyone to forgive me. I hope that you will not judge me solely by one mistake from my past, but see me as a person who learns from his mistakes. Apologies from the heart… and I seek forgiveness from you all. Moving forward and hoping for a second chance.”
His apology drew supportive responses from several social media users. Some praised him for publicly accepting responsibility, while a number of his industry colleagues also offered words of encouragement. They noted that people can make mistakes and said acknowledging them openly requires courage.
