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As the curtain closes on Geo TV’s Mannat Murad, Talha Chahour, who played the titular character of Murad, has posted a long Instagram caption about how both parties have to adjust in a marriage.

Chahour explained that he chose to play this character to “address an issue that does not let peace enter our homes” and urged men to “learn to balance and alter their ways to maintain balance in their relationships despite their conditioning that tells them otherwise”.

According to the actor, “it gets hard for only sons to fight the influence of their immediate families on their married lives, but with clear communication, a willingness to observe/accept the realities, and giving due importance (not more, not less) to each of the relationships, a boy can navigate through life’s problems”.

We think this is a unique outlook, that is not usually discussed by people. Of course, it is arguably more difficult for women to adjust in a marriage, especially as South Asian culture dictates that the woman move in with her husband and/or his family.

However, Chahour highlighted the interesting perspective that marriage can also be an adjustment for men at times. There are certain obstacles and pressures that they also face during or after getting married.

While Chahour may have chosen this drama to address the issue, netizens seem to firmly believe that Murad was the drama’s villain because of the way he handled everything.

One person pointed out that men do often face obstacles similar to the ones in the show but “completely fail” to do justice to the women in their lives.

So, while Chahour’s comment holds true, perhaps Murad is an example of men failing to overcome the issues they face during married life. Some people believe Murad is the blueprint of men women should avoid.

Other watchers of the show are pointing out the double standard of how men’s actions have fewer consequences than those of women.

Even though men face several challenges during their married lives, they often face comparatively less pressure and are given greater leeway in comparison to their female counterparts. Yes, marriage is difficult for everyone, but women often get the shorter end of the stick.

However, Chahour is absolutely right when he writes “maybe by giving a little space and focusing on our individual lives, we can all play our due part to make happy homes”. We’re glad he’s aware of the issue and chose to accept the role to bring awareness to it — even if it was through people recognising toxic behaviours in his character and seeing him as the red flag he was.