Actress Saba Azad, who is known for ‘Mujhse Fraaandship Karoge’, ‘Rocket Boys’ and ‘Ladies Room’, slammed “patriarchal mindset” for not being able to do the work she loves the most for two years — voice-overs.

Recently, the actress took to the Stories section of her Instagram and shared a series of videos and pictures.

The first picture is of her from a recording studio, on which she wrote: “Back in my natural habitat – recording a VO…after more than 2 yrs!!!???”

In other Instagram Stories, she shared that she has been a voice-over artist for over 15 years and called it one of the “most rewarding” careers creatively and monetarily. Later, she also gave a glimpse of the ads that she has lent her voice to and admitted that she was confused when she stopped receiving work.

She then spoke about a very good director friend without mentioning the name and shared that she directly spoke to him and asked him about the matter.

His reply shocked the actress, she recalled: “Oh we just thought you wouldn’t like to do something like a voice-over anymore.”

Saba wrote: “Well you can imagine what was implied. It’s important for me to share that this director in the business, super progressive and chill and just like the kind of peeps I like to hang with so this is the last thing I expected him to say – in short he said he didn’t think I would do a job like a VO given where you are in life or who I am dating.”

The actress questioned the mindset of people in the current times as she wrote: “Are we really still living in the dark ages where we assume a woman in a relationship with a successful partner no longer has to put food on her own table?? Or pay her rent and bills? Or take pride in her work and take care of herself and her family??? What kind of an archaic assumption to make!!!?”

She further mentioned: “So I basically lost a whole career that I absolutely loved and appreciated because people thought I didn’t need to work anymore!!????? This is sadly a one-dimensional patriarchal and regressive mindset.”

The actress said in conclusion that when two strong independent individuals come together, they don’t give up their identities or their lives and careers to do so.

“They hold on to their individuality and share from a place of freedom and strength. I still gotta put food on my table guys. So, losing a whole career because of someone else’s presumptuous ignorance really hurts. So again, no I haven’t quit, all ye makers of ads – I still do VOs. So pls for the love of God undo your assumptions and let’s get recording already,” she added.