Playwright Rida Bilal has distanced herself from the drama serial Behroopia, raising serious concerns about the creative liberties taken with her script and the integrity of the project.
The writer claimed that the final version of the drama deviated so drastically from her original vision that she no longer wants to be associated with it, states and entertainment portal.
According to Galaxy Lollywood, Rida Bilal stated that neither the characters, nor their tones, dialogue, or even wardrobe choices, reflect her writing. The changes, she said, were so extensive that she feels the story no longer belongs to her.
“Nothing in the drama Behroopia is portrayed how I wrote it, from the characters to their tones and dressing,” she was quoted as saying.
What triggered even more concern was an added sequence in the drama that appears to bear a disturbing resemblance to the Noor Mukaddam case, a real-life incident that shocked the country in 2021.
“There is an entire sequence in the drama which replicates the Noor Mukaddam incident, which was not written by me,” Rida stated.
She added despite the misuse of her script, the production team had taken the step to remove her name from the credits, something she now considers a relief.
“They’ve even removed my name from the project’s credits, which I'm relieved about,” she added.
Rida Bilal’s statement has sparked a widespread conversation. Many have condemned the script modification without proper regard for the writer’s vision or consent.
“The topic was great, but dragging tarnished the plot,” one user commented and another added: “Nothing makes sense in it. You're lucky they removed your name from credits.”
A netizen remarked: “How difficult must it be for her to watch her creation altered beyond recognition to a level that she had to come out and say that she doesn't want any recognition for it… didn't expect this from a Green project.”
The critics questioned the direction in which production houses and TV channels are taking dramas in recent years. “So that’s why PTV scripts are so bad these days. The production houses and directors have taken over and changed everything to fit their own style.”
Another viewer who had stopped watching the drama commented: “I stopped watching a long time ago. It didn’t make sense and felt like a total khichri of random events.”
One social media user wrote: “She deserves to work with better directors and producers next time. The industry needs to stop treating writers like disposable tools.”
Another added: “If a channel or director plans to change everything, they might as well hire someone to write what they want. Why mislead the audience under someone else’s name?”
Rida Bilal rose to prominence with projects like Khudgarz and Aik Jhooti Love Story, gaining praise for her strong female characters and socially relevant themes. Her scripts often balance emotional complexity with realism.