Sahar Tabar, born Fatemah Khishvand, burst onto the internet scene in 2017 with a series of bizarre, altered photos on Instagram. Her images portrayed her as a “zombified” version of Angelina Jolie, quickly going viral due to her extreme and eerie appearance, which was achieved through heavy makeup, photo editing, and possibly some cosmetic surgeries.
Despite gaining fame, Tabar faced significant backlash. While some were fascinated by her drastic look, others heavily criticized her. In October 2019, Iranian authorities arrested her as part of a crackdown on social media influencers. According to BBC News, she was charged with several offenses, including blasphemy, inciting violence, gaining income through inappropriate means, and corrupting the youth. Iran’s strict moral and censorship laws often target those promoting Western or non-Islamic values, as reported by Al Jazeera.
Tabar’s situation worsened in December 2020, when she was sentenced to ten years in prison. However, after serving 14 months, she received a conditional release, as noted by The Guardian. Following her release, she made an appearance on the state-run television channel Rokna, revealing her true appearance for the first time. The reveal shocked the internet and elicited a mix of empathy and reflection from viewers.
One person remarked, “It’s amazing how many people put so much thought into what other people are doing to be comfortable in their own skin. Maybe if bad-mouthing and judging others wasn’t so common, fewer people would feel the need to alter their appearance.” Another stated, “Prayers for her,” while yet another pointed out, “Wow! It’s so sad what lengths people would go to for fame… they should have tackled her body dysmorphia rather than an uncalled-for prison sentence.”
For a long time, there was speculation that Tabar’s unsettling Instagram appearance was a result of botched plastic surgeries. However, she quickly clarified that most of her look was due to makeup and Photoshop. She explained, “What you saw on Instagram was the computer effects I used to create the image. Cyberspace was an easy way. It was much easier than becoming an actor.”
Tabar did admit to undergoing some cosmetic procedures, including a nose job and lip fillers. Despite the exaggerated images, she insisted that her fans understood it wasn’t her real face. Speaking to Sputnik, a Russian news outlet, she stated that her Instagram posts were intended for fun and that she never aimed to truly resemble Angelina Jolie. “Now I can see that I have something in common with [Angelina Jolie], but I amuse myself, and to look like someone is not my goal,” she shared. “Over time I post a photo, I make my face more fun and funny; it is a form of self-expression, a kind of art.”
However, the drama surrounding her online persona continued. In 2019, her Instagram profile was deleted, likely due to mounting scrutiny from Iranian authorities. She reflected, “Sometimes the words of a stranger or a friend can be more important than those of a parent,” and acknowledged that her posts, which she referred to as “vulgarity,” had ultimately brought her fame.
