Dawn Images

Actors Faysal Quraishi and Madiha Imam opened up about how the Pakistani media industry has evolved over the years and normalised characters and storylines that were once unheard of in an interview with Rabia Mughni of Fuchsia Magazine. They were there to talk about their recent drama Behroopia that premiered on Green TV Entertainment on April 24.

The drama, directed by Shaqielle Khan and produced by Tehreem Chaudhary, revolves around a character with Dissociative Identity Disorder and nine different personalities, played by Quraishi. Even though Pakistani dramas like Zakham have explored themes surrounding mental health before, projects like Behroopia are still new, according to Quraishi.

The actors spoke about challenges in the industry and how single women are subjected to ‘character assassination’ if they interact with male coworkers. Imam, who tied the knot in 2023 with filmmaker Moji Basar, said that even though she has always been confident about herself, getting married made it easier because she got “a friend to fall back on.” Referring to Basar, she said, “If I make a mistake, I have somebody who can take care of me.”

While discussing Behroopia, the actors, who also starred together in Dil-e-Momin, shared that cases resembling the drama’s central character are more common than we realise, but they go undiagnosed due to the stigma surrounding mental health. Quraishi added that a similar pattern is seen with breast cancer diagnoses: if a woman is diagnosed, she’s likely to keep it hidden out of fear and societal pressure. The actors and host reflected on how mental illness doesn’t just affect the individual, but also takes a toll on their partners and close family members.

The conversation shifted to the topic of love-bombing and how certain tropes are romanticised by writers, poets, and films, which shapes the way people perceive love as they grow up. Imam added that she would advise young girls to approach relationships with a practical mindset.

Mughni then brought up the role supportive parents play in helping individuals avoid toxic relationships later in life, to which Quraishi stressed the importance of parents doing their due diligence before agreeing to marry off their daughters in a rishta arrangement.