Dawn Images

Actor Saba Qamar posted a story on Thursday talking about her struggles portraying a rape survivor for her newest drama, Case No. 9. She was responding to a clip of actors Shamoon Abbasi, Nadia Khan and Atiqa Odho praising her performance on the show.

Qamar said the role wasn’t easy and that “emotional scenes take a real toll on the mind and the body.” The actor said she faced some health issues from repeatedly having to work through intense emotions, but that she was learning to take better care of herself and “breathe through” the whole thing.

Qamar’s character, Sehar, is shown as an office maverick who has to step away from a successful career because of her boss, Kamran (Faysal Quraishi), whom she accuses of raping her. The drama then follows Sehar’s journey through a convoluted and less-than-sympathetic judicial system, guided by her lawyer Beenish Ali (Aamina Sheikh).

Written by journalist Shahzeb Khanzada and directed by Syed Wajahat Hussain, the drama aims to take audiences through the legal process, explaining its complexities and all the nuances, rights and precedents that exist for cases of rape and sexual assault. In an interview with Images, Sheikh had said the drama referenced real cases and procedures to give audiences knowledge on how victims are empowered and perpetrators are disempowered in court.

While only a few episodes have aired, Case No. 9 is already being praised for its powerful message and the strong performances delivered by its cast. The show joins a welcome lineup of shows addressing social issues this year like Jama Taqseem and Parwarish.