A Pakistani court has summoned the creators of a popular television series after they filed a petition seeking an apology for portraying Pakistani women as "greedy, selfish".
In a petition filed in the Sindh High Court last month, the lawyer said that the television series (I Have You) was "mocking a woman who makes good decisions like every other man in the society".
The series follows the story of a married couple whose relationship breaks down when a woman falls in love with a rich man. Which works for him. Pakistani television dramas routinely show women forgiving husbands who cheat on them, but the series raises a fresh question: should a man forgive his unfaithful wife?
This TV series polarized the country. The women turned to Facebook and Twitter to invite the series and author (Qamar)to tell a story based on their insults. As the show gained popularity, riter faced controversy when she was invited to talk shows to justify the script, and made statements such as "If she wants equality", and "Women fight sedition." They can do it, but men can't. "
With 23 episodes, the drama aired on Channel ARY Digital from August 2019 to January 2020, becoming the most watched TV series in Pakistan. The last episode was watched by 80 million viewers and was shown in cinemas across the country, breaking the record of Rs 38 million. on the first day of ticket sales.
a television journalist, said: "These characters are unreal: they look beautiful and modern, but they are also surprisingly stupid. Only a man can write such a script."
However, many viewers have sided with the character of the infidel man, praising him for a particular fight in which he tells his wife's lover that he is "not worthy of his wife." Not 50 million rupees from the trader. She was offered a divorce.
The court has ordered producer Humayun Saeed, who plays the lead role, to appear with lawyers of the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority on Thursday.
Justice Muhammad Ali Mazhar said that if the bench found any immoral talk in the series, legal action would be taken against the producers.
The matter is very important. Although it is not uncommon for people in Pakistan to demand such arbitration from the courts, it is not uncommon for petitioners to demand justice for women. A separate request to stop airing the last episode of the show was dropped.
Sana Saleem said: "The show has affected a lot of people and hurt women. It is the duty of the courts to rectify something that is having a negative impact on society.
In her petition, she also objects to the stories of an unmarried couple living together and begs a six-year-old child to stand up for her father and school teacher.
However, lawyer Reema Omar said the ban on the content, regardless of its "aggressive" nature, was against freedom of expression. "It is not the job of the state to decide what people should and should not watch on television, as long as the content does not violate the clearly defined limits set by law, such as inciting violence. For example."
Omar added that criticizing the show in the media was a "very powerful way" to respond to rather than censorship and court directives to apologize to the actors.
Salman Iqbal, founder and CEO of ARY Digital, defended the series. "For years, Pakistani dramas have shown men abusing and cheating on women, yet no petition has been filed by men against such material. So why now?
"If Tom kills Jerry in the cartoon, should we be forced to start a campaign for animal rights? No, we should just enjoy it. [We] have You just have to be more discriminating with the help you render toward other people. "
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