Wahaj Ali and Maya Ali's drama Sunn Mere Dil, written by Khalil Ur Rehman Qamar, has faced criticism for depiction of abuse and violence against women throughout the play. The writer repeatedly degrades lead female characters while glorifying and justifying abuse and violence. The depiction contributes to the dangerous misconception that abuse can be romanticized.
Domestic violence remains a highlighted issue in Pakistan, affecting women across all socio-economic backgrounds. According to various researches and reports, a prominent percentage of women in the country experience psychological, emotional and physical abuse by their family members and their partners. Social values, family pressure and cultural norms stop victims from seeking help or taking a firm stand against domestic abuse most of the time. Media platforms have a strong influence regarding public opinion and dramas that show abuse as normal can support negative beliefs.
In the latest episode of Kya Drama Hai with Mukarram Kaleem along with the judges, Marina Khan, Nadia Khan and Atiqa Odho engaged in a thought-provoking debate on the disturbing portrayal of domestic violence in Sunn Mere Dil.
Marina Khan expressed her frustration, saying, “You will have the best marriage in the world if you slap each other. I seriously believe we need to bring the writer to our set and ask him—why? Why would you give such advice? What is the purpose behind writing such dialogues?"
Atiqa carped the writer, calling it "absurd—an idiotic drama with idiotic writing. And not just idiotic, but dangerous."
She said "Our dramas are famous and watched worldwide. What kind of message are we conveying?"
Mukarram pointed out: "In our neighboring country, there has been a sane effort over the last many years to promote the idea that a man should never raise a hand on a woman no matter what. Their TV shows, commercials and movies depict this message clearly. Meanwhile, on our channels, one of our most expensive dramas, featuring the most cherished cast is delivering lines that suggest a man is not a ‘real man’ unless he hits a woman. This is unacceptable."
Atiqa pointed out the issue, stating, "The major issue is with the lines written by Khalil Ur Rehman Qamar. They are insensible.”
She added, "This isn’t just degrading to women; but to men as well, it is giving men a benefit of doubt, as if violence defines masculinity."
Nadia acknowledged: "Yes, of course, these characters exist, but they should be written as villains. Here, the hero himself is promoting these ideas.”
She went on to criticize Khalil ur Rehman Qamar’s writing, stating, "It feels like a deliberate campaign. The writer is making the female characters deliver these lines so the blame doesn’t fall on a man. If a male character had said these things, the backlash would have been much stronger. Instead, they put these words in the mouths of women, to justify the abuse. This entire drama seems to have an agenda. And it’s very obvious."
Mukarram showed his concern, stating, "In the age of social media, clips of our dramas are clipped and shared worldwide. This is how we are being presented in a negative manner that our nation promotes domestic violence. In the past, writers like Haseena Moin empowered women through their writing. Today, we are producing content that normalizes abuse and violence. Why this drama is still on-air?”
The Judges of Kya Drama Hai concluded "This script is a disaster, and we are truly embarrassed. The world is watching, and this is what we are showcasing? So much money was spent on this project, yet it turned into a complete failure. Instead of creating a drama that could have made a positive impact, we got this. In today’s world, this is unacceptable."
Sunn Mere Dil is Not Just a Mistake…It’s a Disgrace