Actor Nadia Afgan has defended the portrayal of Abu Bakar and his mother Khushbakht in Dar-e-Nijaat, saying that people who show kindness and patience in relationships exist in real life, drawing on her own experience with her husband and in-laws.
In an Instagram story, Afgan said that she understood why Zaryab, played by Durefishan Saleem, might find it difficult to believe that people could be kind, as she had experienced a similar surprise after her marriage.
“People like Abu Bakar and his mother do exist. When Jodi and I got married, I was as shocked as Zaryab,” Afgan wrote.
The actor stated that her husband and his family remain among the kindest people she had met. She also expressed affection for her mother-in-law, saying that she loved her like her own mother.
In Dar-e-Nijaat, Sheheryar Munawar plays Abu Bakar, while Sania Saeed portrays his mother Khushbakht.
The two characters showed patience and kindness towards Zaryab, whose past continues to affect her even after she marries Abu Bakar. Their behaviour has prompted some viewers to question whether people can be so consistently considerate in real life.
Afgan recalled asking her husband about his family’s behaviour during the early part of their marriage.
“Are you guys really this good? And why do you never fight amongst yourselves, are you aliens?” she asked him.
Afgan said that she could relate to Zaryab’s reaction to the family and maintained that people who display such kindness exist.
Her comments followed remarks by Dar-e-Nijaat writer Umera Ahmed, who questioned why viewers struggled to believe that people could treat one another with kindness and understanding.
Ahmed had said that some viewers described her characters as “out of this world” and “AI-created”, suggesting that people with these qualities did not exist in the real world.
In her post, the writer asked why traits such as kindness, empathy, forgiveness and accepting other people’s flaws appeared to be disappearing from society. She also questioned why viewers considered such behaviour unrealistic when they saw it portrayed in the media.
