Pakistani actors Gohar Rasheed and Sarah Khan have recently made it all over to the headlines for their vial ‘slap-scene’ in their latest TV drama serial Laapata.
Addressing the issue of domestic violence in the scene, Khan, who portrays Falak in the serial, is seen slapping her husband (played by Rasheed) in response of being physically abused by him.
The viral scene has taken the internet by storm as netizens have come forward to share their views on the latest depiction of domestic abuse. Taking to social media, the Ishqiya actor addressed his take on the scene as how he took on the character for this particular scene in an attempt to prove how “oppression is a choice” and encouraging women to “make the choice that Falak did, without any fear.”
“One tight slap back from a brave woman to such weak man in our society WOULD be a giant leap for women kind. We NEED such examples to be made by such women of strength.. to empower women for their own safety.. their well being.. self respect,” shared Rasheed in his Instagram post.
Reacting to Rasheed’s stance, Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) leader Sharmila Faruqi shared her disagreement over the actor’s reflections on violence against women and the assertion that “oppression is a choice.”
Faruqi replied to the Digest Writer actor’s post, saying that oppression is “not a choice”. “It’s a hard reality,” she wrote.
“Thousands of women are oppressed daily not because they chose to be oppressed but because they don’t have the choice to hit back or leave. Marital rapes, domestic violence, acid victims, child marriages are rampant because the victims are helpless physically and financially. They suffer in silence and those who do muster the courage to fight back are either silenced, murdered or divorced with no where to go. The victim blaming never ends, it’s a vicious cycle.”
The response turned into a heated debate on the internet as the Raaz-e-Ulfat actor replied to Faruqi’s statement via a social media post. “With all due respect ma’am. Then how can we break this vicious cycle? If thousands of women are being oppressed daily, how can we change that reality?” he asked.
“The ‘slap scene’ depicts a woman standing up for herself and saying no to violence which is a step towards breaking that vicious circle. Oppression is a choice, an idea for the generation to come where no woman should accept being abused or oppressed due to the society norms and if she does tolerate being oppressed then that is her choice not a mindset anymore,” he wrote.
Meanwhile, actress Kubra Khan also supported his fellow co-star and agreed with the Mann Mayal actor, supporting his stance.