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Ahsan Khan’s got range as an actor and part of that range is playing a negligent, dismissive husband who may just be having an affair in his latest project, Aap Ki Izzat.

The HUM TV drama, which premiered on Friday, shows Khan’s character dismissing his wife (played by Urwa Hocane) after the magic of their marriage had worn off. The actor is now telling his fans not to do that.

In a story posted on Monday, Khan said, “Ignoring your partner’s needs and still expecting a happy relationship is like ignoring [that] your plants need water and still expecting a beautiful garden.”

The actor acknowledged that his portrayal had been enraging for audiences, even sharing some of the reactions on Instagram. One fan said the episode was so frustrating that she would’ve broken her TV if it was within striking distance. She called the show a “brilliant portrayal of our society”.

Another fan had a message for the world. She said men need to realise that their partners need more than just their money and sometimes a kind gesture or words of appreciation can do much more than money ever will. “Even if you get her a jewellery set worth 1.5 crores (Rs15 million), but don’t appreciate her once when she puts it on, it loses all its value to her.”

For women, she asked them to be independent and invest in themselves. She said there was a lesson to be learnt in Hocane’s character about girls continuing to work on their “education and self-growth”.

A third fan said Khan’s character had “managed to raise the blood pressure of every single woman watching Aap Ki Izzat” and that the drama might soon have to be made part of advice cardiologists give out.

In Aap Ki Izzat, Khan plays Tabish, a wealthy man who is initially a loving husband to his wife Bina. But 14 years and two children later, he has lost all interest in her.

Joining them in the cast is Sania Saeed, who plays Tabish’s doting mother who believes her son can do no wrong. The show has been written by Umera Ahmed and directed by Saife Hassan.