Iqra Aziz, Yasir Hussain’s ‘Jhooti’ sparks outrage for trivialising domestic abuse

Iqra Aziz is returning to the silver screen with a new drama titled Jhooti. The drama also features her real-life beau Yasir Hussain as well as Ahmed Ali Butt, with whom she will be sharing the screen for the first time.

The trailer for the drama, directed by Ramish Rizvi, was released during Meray Paas Tum Ho‘s Episode 21 Saturday night. While the first teaser of the drama was intruiging as it showed Iqra playing a strong, resilient woman, the second teaser was the one which was problematic because it showed Iqra playing a woman who fakes being domestically abused. The teaser sparked outrage and drew the irk of netizens who took to social media to voice their frustation.

We've spent decades producing films/dramas which either vilify women or showed them as inferior to men. Entertainmemt media has the power to shape societal values. We need role models & survivors not "ibrat ke nishaans". When you can reach millions, have the right message
— M. Jibran Nasir (@MJibranNasir) January 5, 2020

A society that prefers dead daughters to divorced ones because 'pitti rahay lekin ghar basa rahay', ARY decided to mock all the victims of domestic abuse & made a drame that trivializes domestic violence & reinforces that women simply lie about their abuse.

Great job, assholes! https://t.co/CQPKAJ7Oh1
— ف (@hadhogaye) January 5, 2020

First a drama on only the wife being disloyal which probably never happens here and then a drama on a girl faking abuse which is also a rarity. Pakistani dramas are really going places and so are the artists taking up these projects. Should totally boycott such shit shows https://t.co/aCjQ5c43FM
— Blue on Blue (@razzblues) January 5, 2020

Irresponsible choice from ARY and Iqra Aziz. Such a storyline is not needed in a society where women are already not believed when they say they've been harassed/raped/beaten. I'm hoping there's more to this drama than how it seems right now. Show ka naam bhi 'jhooti' hai??‍♀️ https://t.co/bt7t10W9KD
— Manal Faheem Khan (@ManalFaheemKhan) January 5, 2020

ARY’s Jhooti is not only a representation of deep culturally imbedded attitudes towards women, but it also gives me the feeling that they just ran with whatever script gives them edge and shock value – because presenting real stories of domestic violence is too “boring” right?
— Safa Imran (@notsafaimran) January 5, 2020

Just saw the trailer of #Jhooti which depicts #iqraaziz as a lying woman who fakes her domestic abuse injuries. Seriously concerning. What kind of message are we giving to society? Women are genuinely abused in Pakistan. The trailer is an insult to victims of abuse.
— Mawish Moulvi (@mawish_m) January 5, 2020

Iqra Aziz is phenomenal actor but this is disappointing, hoping there’s more to this drama than just depicting a bruised woman “jhooti”
Also bcz society is fed up with that same storyline of cheating husband & cruel in laws, this is going to sell good…pic.twitter.com/PviSzCEb9h
— Ayesha Khalid (@ayeshakhalid7) January 5, 2020

I believe teasers are meant to tease but this #Jhooti teaser is too problematic. Unless it’s a story of a girl who fakes bruises because no one would believe how abusive her husband/susral is otherwise or is a revenge story bringing abusers to justice, I don’t see any redemption.
— Humeira Ajaz Kazmi (@humeirakazmi) January 5, 2020

While the actors or makers of the drama have not yet responded to the controversy, speaking to a local media outlet earlier, Ahmed had shared that Iqra is playing the role of a compulsive liar and that the plot will focus on her character and how everything and everyone gets affected by her behaviour.