Celebrity hairdresser Aalim Hakim has spoken out against the mistreatment of creative professionals and crew members working behind the scenes in the entertainment industry.
In a strongly worded social media post, Hakim emphasised the importance of respecting hairstylists, makeup artists, assistants, stylists and other crew members who contribute to an actor's public image and screen presence.
He shared, "Respect the artists behind the star. Hairdressers. Makeup Artists. Stylists. Assistants. Crew Members. Please don't call them 'just staff.' Behind every public appearance, every red-carpet moment, every film look, every photoshoot, every close-up... there are creative people silently giving their heart, their time, their talent, and their energy to make someone shine."
He added, "Many of these artists leave their homes before sunrise. Stand for endless hours. Miss festivals, birthdays, families, sleep, and peace... Only to make sure the actor they work with looks and feels their absolute best. Creativity is not a small job. And respect should never depend on designation. It is heartbreaking to see managers speaking rudely, humiliating people, throwing attitude, or releasing frustration on innocent crew members - especially for mistakes that are not even theirs."
Opening up about how an actor's behaviour can hamper their reputation, he further shared, "Authority does not give anyone the right to disrespect another human being. The saddest part is... sometimes actors don't even realise how badly their image, reputation, and energy are being damaged outside the vanity van because of the behaviour of the people representing them."
Aalim Hakim concluded, "A truly powerful star never needs people around them who insult others to prove importance. We have decided to step away from working with actors whose teams disrespect, demean, or mistreat any creative professional or crew member. Because talent deserves dignity. Hard work deserves kindness. And every artist deserves respect. Respect is not a favour. Respect is basic humanity. And today, humanity itself has become a luxury. Thank You."
Several members of the film industry reacted to the post in support of Aalim's message. Rajkummar Rao wrote, "Absolutely sir. Respect and Equality two utmost important things." Farah Khan commented, "Well done Aalim."
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