If she’s walking the ramp, she’s got all eyes on her, if she is acting, she has got your attention when she raises her voice to societal injustice, you can be sure that she will be the loudest in the room. She left no stone unturned in venturing into different opportunities, always steering her own way; be it walking for ace designers or chairing the director’s chair. Model, actress, host and most importantly, a vocal and fearless activist, Iffat Omar is a force of nature to be reckoned with. The model turned actress opens up to MAG about her activism and her recently launched web show ‘Say it all with Iffat Omar.’ Excerpts follow:

Three things people don’t know about you?

I paint. I’m a good cook and I guess only a few people know that I have a Masters in Fine Arts.

Hosting, acting modeling – if you could only pick one thing to do?

At this stage of my life, I think hosting.

What are your plans with the Say it all with Iffat Omar?

My plans are to make Say It All With Iffat Omar as big as possible. And to have all the people I wish to meet as my guests, to have discussions with them. This includes politicians, activists, celebrities, few lawyers, painters, some singers and more.

What do you plan on doing on your web show that is different or unseen?

I think I’m already doing it. I’m saying it all about issues that people don’t talk about openly, I try to address them. My show is not an interview-based program, it is a discussion based program and that, I think is my forte.

According to you, what are the most important qualities for a show host?

After making a few mistakes in the beginning, I have realised that the most important quality is to keep a balance between the guest's opinion and the host’s opinion.

How do you deal with online hate that comes so frequently towards you and your female colleagues?

Honestly speaking, I deal with it as anybody would. I get depressed and I feel anxious but with time you forget, right? So yeah, but no matter how harsh the comments are, I try to explain to them that these comments are unproductive; nothing is going to come out of it. They are just showing their up-bringing and ruining my day. Honestly speaking when I do this, many people apologise in the end. I cannot just ignore, I interact with them.

You were pulled into Ali Zafar’s ongoing sexual harassment case – where do you stand on it?

I support Meesha Shafi, I don’t think she will lie. She doesn’t need to lie. I have known both of them since childhood. I feel disgusted whenever I think about it. Something like this shouldn’t have happened but if it has happened, we should get the results so that it does not happen again in the future.

Three practices you wish Pakistani film and fashion industry would outgrow?

Item numbers, songs and understanding that a good script is more important than good wardrobe, lighting or shoots. Our industry is making better films but when it comes to content, we still need to work. We need solid scripts, good scripts.

You have been a loud voice of activism for many cultural and social standards and issues. You have been recorded saying modeling is a tough career choice for women in Pakistan. Can you expand on that?

In my time, it was very tough. Even taking permission for that was very tough. If you work with male co-workers, people used to say “haw!! She is working with a guy” or “she is with a guy.” We have gone through all this but we have paved a clean way for our new generation. Things have changed. In our time it was tough but I think now people do not have to face such things. Models are getting married, they are stars and they are accepted. I don’t think modeling is an issue anymore.

How would you contrast your life before and after your modeling and acting career?

I actually cannot do that. I started when I was only 15; that is when I did my first shoot. I grew up doing all this. I grew up in all this; it is like a home for me now. Life is great actually. Not everyone who is successful is getting paid for something they like. I think I am privileged and I am grateful.