Who could forget the whirlwind, messy breakup of Pakistani singer Aima Baig and actor Shehbaz Shigri? While there has been a disproportionate amount of backlash and trolling projected towards Baig making her the bad guy, the Rent Free singer is finally letting her side of the story give the internet a full picture of the fiasco.
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For a quick recap, Baig and Shigri were dating since 2019 and announced their engagement in July 2021. In September of 2022, Baig confirmed their separation. Post her announcement, british model Taloulah Mair claimed that Baig cheated on Shigri with Qes Ahmed while she was engaged to him.
While the internet assumed that the cheating allegations were the last straw that broke the relationship, Baig suggested that it was her decision to call off the engagement.
The Kaif O Suroor singer recently made a guest appearance on actor Ahmed Ali Butt’s podcast, Excuse me, for an interview where she navigated through the messy episode through her lens. The Kalabaz Dil singer dived into depths of the entire saga and shared how her family was equally affected by the severe backlash.
Despite their own hurting, her family, as Baig suggested, “pampered” her during the period. The Hone Do crooner also made the gut wrenching revelation of her mental health deteriorating to the point where she had suicidal thoughts and almost gave up on her life.
Citing personal issues as the basis of the former couple’s separation, Baig revealed that she doesn’t want to give out major details because there were some people involved in the matter and that she is on talking terms with them.
The Sadqa singer, on a lighter note, suggested that the former couple is on enjoys a “civil relationship” and “check up on each other regularly”.
“Our vibe together was too good, even today,” Baig added, hinting at the reason why the former celebrity couple is civil towards each other.
The Pyar Hua Tha singer opined that it was the unprecedented limelight that pushed everything to go south. Baig expressed her regret on “sharing too much” of her private matters that led to tabloids spinning the narratives that gained negative attend.
“Everything got too public. Everybody cared way too much. It wasn’t that important, there were lots of other things happening in the world, but that matter was too important for everyone,” Baig said.
As for the engagement, Baig revealed that it was a mutual decision. “It was both of our decisions but it was mainly my decision to not do it right now, that’s what my decision was but I think that just flipped in the wrong way.”
Expresing her resentment that she was on the recieving end of criticism post breakup, Baig said, “One thing I haven’t forgotten to this day for which I still carry some resentment is that it was a mutual decision but only one person, one gender was singled out.”
But it wasn’t just the Pyar Wyar singer who was affected, her family was also roped in. The singer recalled how her siblings would try to deviate her attention despite their own hurting. “But I grew up with them so I could tell there was definitely something fishy,” Baig added, pointing out how she somehow knew what the tabloids were doing.
“I had my phone and when I would see what was happening, I am not going to lie, I was so adamant that I was going to give up my life, like that’s it. I have lived enough. I felt that that was the end. I didn’t want to live anymore,” she made the heartbreaking revelation.
Highlighting the fact that she was quite distressed by her family’s pain in tandem with her own, Baig reflected on having thoughts about going from becoming the villain in her own story. “I only ever wanted to sing. How did I go from being this bubbly girl to a villain? People don’t even know what type of a person I am.”
Actor and host, Anoushey Ashraf commented on the situation and opined that people, regardless of the situation Baig is going through, would find ways to troll her. Ashraf also added that trolls project their own insecurities and frustrations on a public figure and their life choices.
“People will find an explanation and reason to troll her on this even. I can read in the comments section,” Ashraf began.
She then stated that being a public figure doesn’t mean that you would “character assassinate” someone for their decisions.
“I also understand how frustrated and sad trolls live must actually be. To be so highly offended by another’s choices in life. And then say, hey you signed up for this public life, so take public hate. Hey, they signed up to sing for the world and for you to like it or not is your discretion. They didn’t sign up for character assassination.”
Ashraf called “trolling” a “cheap therapy” and suggested that it helps the troll get “rid” of some of their “own anger, hatred and frustration hidden behind a screen for free.”
“I take providing trolls a space to be mean to me as community service. It’s my way of helping them get their hate out. Feel free to abuse me. You’re welcome,” she concluded the comment.
