Stars in the Pakistani entertainment industry have recently begun to raise their voices against stereotypical and problematic content on television. This comes at a time when concerns have been raised about the negative impact of such content on society.
For years, television dramas in Pakistan have portrayed women as victims of domestic violence, based on their color or dowry problems. Furthermore, female actors have been typecast into older roles as they age, while male actors of the same age continue to play the lead roles. This reinforces the idea that women age faster than men and that they cannot play the lead roles once they cross a certain age threshold.Actress Mahnoor Baloch and veteran actress Bushra Ansari have questioned the casting practices and violence on television, respectively.
According to Baloch, the Pakistani drama industry lacks diversity, and a certain type of role is designed for women based on their age. Ansari talked about the repeated occurrences of scenes and storylines filled with domestic abuse and violence towards female characters.Veteran actor Behroz Sabzwari has also questioned the problematic storylines and meaningless scripts that have been prevalent on television for years. He believes that such content is nothing but a drag for the audience.
It is high time that content creators in the Pakistani entertainment industry realize that such representation can have more negative impacts than positive ones. Viewers form opinions based on what they see on television, and it is the responsibility of the industry to bring a positive change and create a constructive society rather than just focusing on TRPs and revenue.It is a positive sign that stars in the industry are starting to question the content that is being produced. This may lead to a more diverse range of roles for women and a reduction in the portrayal of domestic abuse and violence on television. However, it remains to be seen whether these voices will bring about a significant change.
What is clear, however, is that the industry needs to take responsibility for the content it produces and strive to create a more inclusive and positive society. Viewers can play their part by supporting content that breaks away from stereotypes and portrays a more realistic and diverse image of society.