Pakistani Twitter is angry at actor Mahira Khan for choosing roles and dramas that glorify staying in toxic relationships.

The discussion was sparked after Kanwal Ahmed, talk show host and founder of Facebook group Soul Sisters Pakistan, took to Twitter and said, ““Mummy aap Kya keh rahi hain” se “Aswad aap kya keh rahain hain” ka suffer (pun fully intended).”

Ahmed is referring to a dialogue spoken by Khan’s character Khirad from mega hit tv serial Humsafar, when she is accused of infidelity by her mother-in-law. “Mummy what are you saying,” she said in an episode where she’s being turned away from her house.

The second time Mahira says a similar dialogue, it’s in the drama serial Hum Kahan Ke Sacahy Thay, where she said, “Aswad what are you saying” to her emotionally abusive husband.

“10 years of promoting how to STAY “patiently” in (violently) emotionally abusive marriages on the top drama channel with the highest ratings,” wrote Ahmed.

In another tweet, Ahmed said that Mahira repeatedly takes on roles that strengthen a problematic narrative when she knows and acknowledges the damage caused “regressive content that romanticizes abuse.”

The tweet includes a clip of the actress from a BBC interview where she said, “we have to change the narrative, we can’t just show a woman being assaulted and then the woman fall in love with that guy and show him to be a hero.” “A hero can not be someone who’s abusive,” she added.

Replying to the tweet, a user said, “Stopped watching dramas a while ago due to the repetitive plots as it just got too much. They have glorified all the horrible things which should be condemned and its just unbearable at this point. Our media needs to be redefined and should start producing meaningful shows.”

Twitter user sarahdaram tweeted, “Renowned television and film actress Mahira Khan was appointed National Goodwill Ambassador for UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency in November 2019. Mahira skilfully leverages her influence to support social causes." Except on television dramas...”

One user came to Khan’s defence and said it’s the “writers and makers who should be catching the heat” not the actors who are just playing a character.

“Mahira Khan consistently chooses the same problematic roles but in different fonts each time. She knows better than this and STILL does such roles that bring nothing to the table,” tweeted user A.