We have written a lot in the past about people who are willing to do anything to achieve the image of their dreams.
Suffice it to say that Sahar Tabar from Tehran has taken it a step further.
The Iranian Instagrammer, who goes by the name Shahar Tabar, has gained widespread fame online and caused quite a stir after she posted some photos of herself in 2017. The photos that Shahar shared were drastically different from what is usually seen online and shocked many people.
According to Turkish media, she had more than 50 plastic surgeries and lost 90 kilograms of weight to achieve her desired look.
Soon, more than 400,000 people started following Sahar’s transformation on Instagram, and she made sure that everyone was aware of her progress.
When she became world-famous, a local newspaper wrote that Sahar Tabar had only one dream for her transformation: to become like actress Angelina Jolie.
But according to Sahar, whose real name is Fatema Hishwand, that was never her goal. The rumours about Angelina are untrue and she had no intention of looking like the Hollywood megastar. Others thought Sahar looked like Emily, a character in Tim Burton’s film Corpse Bride.
‘I didn’t want to be like Angelina Jolie at all, and I didn’t want to be like the character in Corpse Bride. I realise I have some similarities to them, but I’m my own muse and I didn’t want to look like anyone else. That was not my goal,’ Sahar told Sputnik News in an interview in 2017.
Sahar also said that her photographs are an art form and that she enjoys playing with make-up and photomontage. Over the years, she has had rhinoplasty, lip botox and liposuction.
Iran has a thriving plastic surgery industry – the country has the highest rate of nose jobs in the world. It has been very popular among young Iranians for decades, and it was easy for Sahar, who dreamed of becoming famous, to turn to cosmetic surgery to get attention. Even though her mum hated her, Sahar persevered and continued to build her Instagram fame.
‘I don’t see anything wrong with it. It’s simple, and many people around the world are doing it. Here in Tehran, the cost of one operation is 10 million Iranian rials ($283),’ Sahar said.
She posted one extreme photo after another, and her fan base grew. Eventually her story was picked up by some of the world’s most famous newspapers, and Sahar became well known in her home country.
‘People react normally when I turn up in town. They recognise me, call my name, talk to me and hug me. They support me and I don’t feel any negativity from their side,’ she said in 2017.
Of course, some felt that Sahar had gone too far in changing her appearance. Many felt that she looked much better before all these surgeries.
‘For me, the most important thing is to be recognised by my family and God. I have them and that is enough for me.’ The opinions of the rest of the world are not important, I don’t pay attention to their negativity,’ Sahar explained.
But it seems the Iranian regime and lawmakers weren’t too happy with Sahar and her newfound celebrity status.
In October 2019, she was arrested and put on trial. Her Instagram account was deleted and she herself was charged with ‘corruption’ and ‘blasphemy.’ In December 2020, she was sentenced to 10 years in prison.
Afterwards, Iranian human rights activist Masih Alinejad turned to her for help.
Her mother cries every day for her innocent daughter to be set free.’ Dear Angelina Jolie, we need your voice. Help us.’
Then something unexpected happened. After only 14 months, Sahar was released from prison. It’s a turbulent time in Iran right now, with widespread protests sparked by the death of Mahsa Amini. Perhaps this is what prompted the regime to release Sahar early. According to Sahar, the judge agreed to convert the arrest order into a bail order.
Sahar’s official Instagram account, @sahartabar_official, is still deactivated, but other social media accounts continue to post her old and new photos.
After her release from prison, Sahar made a television appearance and showed off her natural face. She revealed that she had undergone several cosmetic procedures, but admitted and said that many of the infamous pictures that made her famous were the result of make-up and Photoshop editing.
I’m not one to judge others. People are free to be who they want to be and look the way they want to look.
In Sahar’s case, there seems to be more than just the photos causing surprise, and I really hope she doesn’t get in trouble for them now!
