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Sharmila Faruqi questions the obsession with portraying violent husbands in TV dramas

Sharmila Faruqi questions the obsession with portraying violent husbands in TV dramas

She highlighted a slap scene in drama Khuda Aur Muhabbat and asked why it was necessary to depict such behaviour at all.
20 Sep, 2021

PPP politician Sharmila Faruqi asked the question we've all asked as viewers from time to time — why can't our dramas portray a healthy conversation between husband and wife sans physical abuse?

Faruqi took to Instagram to criticise a scene from the latest episode of drama Khuda Aur Muhabbat which stars Iqra Aziz, Feroze Khan and others. She posted a still from the drama in which actor Sohail Sameer's character Nazim Shah is seen slapping his wife Sahiba, played by Sunita Marshall. "Why can’t our dramas show a husband having a normal conversation with his wife?" she wrote in the post.

"Why do our women have to [face] violence and physical abuse at the drop of a hat? What you show in these dramas is what most of our people will emulate. In the last episode of Khuda Aur Muhabbat, Nazim Shah slaps his wife Sahiba while questioning her about her visit to the mazaar with Mahi."

"This could have been a very normal conversation between the couple but unfortunately our writers revel in the fact that once a man is angry he will resort to violence towards the women in his life," she added. "Can we show some decent man who do believe in respecting a woman?"

This isn't the first time Faruqi has been critical of the entertainment industry's take on violence against women. She recently called out actor Mirza Gohar Rasheed for his views on domestic violence after he implied that oppression is a choice. Faruqi pointed out that women face oppression not because they choose to but because "they don't have the choice to hit back or leave".

Gohar had posted his views to address the viral scene from an episode of drama Laapatain which his character Daniyal is on the receiving end of a slap from Falak, played by Sarah khan.

Comments

M. Saeed Sep 20, 2021 02:27pm
Drama is not a drama, if it has no dramatisation of ordinary occurrences.
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sher singham Sep 20, 2021 02:29pm
Because that's reality in most low income Pakistani households.
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Dr. Salaria, Aamir Ahmad Sep 20, 2021 02:53pm
Unfortunately, violence in households has been dating back to centuries in South Asian nations wherein, in countries like India, Nepal, Bhutan and Burma etc. women are considered as second or third class entities and often forced and coerced to get themselves burnt as alive with their husbands during their funeral in a horrific, mind-boggling, nerve-wrecking and horrible practice called "Satti."
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Alishba Sep 20, 2021 03:09pm
Domestic violence is reality of many homes in Pakistan. Women tolerate it because they dont want to hear those "3 words" that will ruin their life. Sugar coating will not solve the issue, rather focus on upbringing of male child in every houshold in a good way, so that they become good husbands.
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Ramay Sep 20, 2021 03:15pm
True domestic violence is a curse inherited from indian culture.It needs to be eradicated from the society,while 60% cardiac and brain stroke/infarction/haemorrhage deaths in men age 50 years & above,in Pakistan are due to,women agressive inhuman unfaithful,behavoiurs, towards her husband and in laws. Islam has taught in Gulf to have a private ressidence of the couple after marriage,so they don't have premature deaths of men age 50 and above.This may lead to at least 50% decrease in domestic violence and young deaths,in the country.
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NYS Sep 20, 2021 03:36pm
Sharmila F is becoming narrator critique just for the past few hours
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Justice LoCorruptionHi Sep 20, 2021 04:24pm
We have been seeing dramas since TV was introduced first time but yet seen any changes in the society. This shows how much impact they have on society. I watch Turkish dramas at least I gain something apart from entertainment.
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funnyman Sep 20, 2021 04:53pm
@sher singham Noor Mukhdoom was not of the low income. Low income does not explain the brutality common in South Asia
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Zak Sep 20, 2021 04:55pm
PPP politician Sharmila Faruqi asked the question we've all asked as viewers from time to time — why can't our dramas portray a healthy conversation between husband and wife sans physical abuse? A very pertinent correct question.
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Scary Sep 20, 2021 06:38pm
She is absolutely right. We should condemn violence against women in all forms. There is no religious or cultural reason to this stupid behavior.
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Sana Sep 20, 2021 07:31pm
@Dr. Salaria, Aamir Ahmad Incorrect . It started after Mughal rule, widows didnt want to be taken as slaves .
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Anonymouseee Sep 20, 2021 08:28pm
The effects of the feminist movement.
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Zeeshan Ahmed Sep 20, 2021 08:47pm
Being a public servant, she is completely out of touch with reality.
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Jamshed Hashwani Sep 20, 2021 09:07pm
Violence against women should stop in dramas. TV programs should have programs that highlight that this is wrong and that people need to educate their sons on how to treat women. There should be more women empowerment programs.
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Jamshed Hashwani Sep 20, 2021 09:08pm
There should be laws against domestic violence that protect women from abuse.
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Khalid Sep 20, 2021 10:17pm
Please focus on miseries the people of Sindh are facing rather than tv shows
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Sane Mind1st Sep 20, 2021 11:45pm
With all due resect to all and none, what is the status and standing of Pakistani Women? Nothing. And surprise surprise these women don't mind being second third wife too. Hence they are treated as such and deservingly too. Hard words but true, Agree?
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Parvez Sep 21, 2021 12:16am
Although Sharmila Faruqi has made a fair point....it also needs to be understood that such behavior is prevalent in our society and the best way to address it is to speak about it and show it up as something not acceptable.
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Chacha Sep 21, 2021 06:28am
True, it should not be shown on TV Drama
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Uyghyr ahmadi Sep 21, 2021 07:24am
What is portrayed is the correct representation of our society
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Samsam Sep 21, 2021 03:12pm
She is right. Portrayal in dramas depicts reality but what is missing is how this male abuse and patriarchal values should be discouraged and condemned. Parents should be punished for improper upbringing of males which makes them such arrogant and menace for society,
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Fayyaz Sep 21, 2021 04:56pm
Point is valid..... but it's fact, though bitter. But another extremely deplorable thing is that the police officers are depicted like as their servents not only this time (episode 33) but also in last episodes when the newly wedded groom of 'Mahee' was killed by the enmity of Nazim Shah'
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