Fahad Sheikh says viral clip taken out of context, apologises to senior actor Mohammed Ahmed

Actor Fahad Sheikh has issued a public apology to veteran actor Mohammed Ahmed, saying viral video circulating on social media that allegedly showed bullying on a drama set was taken out of context and led to widespread misinformation.

In a statement shared on Instagram, Sheikh apologised to Ahmed and announced that he intends to pursue legal action against those who circulated the edited clip, alleging it was deliberately used to mislead the public.

“Half-cooked stories are always dangerous because they create a single narrative. What seems like ‘bullying’ was not the case to begin with. On set, we don’t work as co-actors; we bond like a family that laughs together, eats together and shares grievances,” he wrote.

Screengrab: imfahadsheikh/Instagram

Addressing Ahmed directly, Sheikh added, “If Ahmed sir thinks my personal apology was not enough, then I apologise to him on this platform as well. I hope you don’t hold any grudges against me because I would never think of insulting my seniors under any circumstances.”

The actor stressed that this was not his first collaboration with Ahmed.

“I have worked with Ahmed sir on many projects, and we shared a bond where we laughed and had a good time on set. I don’t know at what point the joke, which he initiated himself, made him feel like we were bullying him because that was never anyone’s intent.”

Screengrab: imfahadsheikh/Instagram

Reiterating his respect for the veteran actor, Sheikh wrote, “He is my senior, and I respect him. I apologised to him long before this entire issue gained attention. He is my elder, and I have no hesitation in apologising publicly as well.”

Reflecting on his career, Sheikh said he had worked with many senior actors over the past 11 years and learned a great deal from them.

Concluding his statement, he announced, “Legal action is being initiated against parties who circulated out-of-context video material to deliberately mislead the public.”

Screengrab: imfahadsheikh/Instagram

The controversy began after Ahmed spoke in a recent interview about what he described as people’s “true colours” in private settings.

Without initially naming anyone, he alleged that a younger co-star had made personal remarks about his appearance while they were filming a drama.

Following the interview, Ahmed received widespread support from colleagues across the entertainment industry.

In a message shared on social media, he thanked fellow artists for reaching out.

 

“I’m truly overwhelmed and touched by all the messages, calls and voice notes I have received from my colleagues in the industry. Thank you to each and every one of you,” he wrote.

Ahmed added, “We often talk about the highs, lows, challenges and frustrations of this industry, but moments like this remind me that I am not just part of a fraternity but a family. Today, I choose to focus on these positive messages instead of that negative experience.”

Actors Nadia Jamil and Aijaz Aslam also weighed in, arguing that the matter should have been resolved privately. Both maintained that the viral video had been shared without Ahmed’s consent.

Meanwhile, actor Faysal Quraishi urged people to let the issue cool down and emphasised the importance of forgiveness.

“We have fun on our sets. There’s banter and there’s tomfoolery. Sometimes issues arise, but they are addressed and resolved on set. We wanted to resolve this matter within our own circles and put it to rest,” he said in a video.

Information Minister Attaullah Tarar also commented on the development, describing the incident as “condemnable” and “highly deplorable.”

He proposed introducing a mentorship programme for young television actors under the guidance of senior artists such as Ahmed and said he would convene a meeting with television actors to seek suggestions.

“What happened with Muhammad Ahmed Sahed, Senior TV Artist on the set of a drama serial is not only condemnable but highly deplorable. I would like to offer a solution in the form of a mentorship program for young TV artists headed by senior TV artists like Ahmed sir or a council on the same format. Would be calling a meeting of TV artists to give suggestions in this regard”, he wrote.

Ahmed has not publicly responded to Sheikh’s apology or his claim that the viral video was taken out of context. Sheikh, however, maintained that he had apologised privately well before the controversy gained traction online and said his latest statement was intended to reiterate that apology publicly.