‘It’s just nonsense’: Saheefa Jabbar Khattak questions the way women are represented on TV

The actor took to Instagram to address why she had not been taking on any new scripts

Actor Saheefa Jabbar Khattak, who has had fans and followers wondering due to her absence from the television scene, took to Instagram to clarify why she hasn’t taken on any new scripts recently. The Log Kya Kahenge actor took to her Instagram stories to share a detailed note about her decision to step away from acting until she is offered scripts that she finds good enough.

Khattak started off her note citing a clash between her worldview and the scripts that are being offered to her, “There are no good scripts out there. The scripts which are being offered to me at the moment are not up to the standards of storytelling I feel comfortable endorsing.”

She went on to explain that her reason behind taking to social media to address the issue was born out of the fact that the rumour mill had been churning out false justifications for her absence from acting. She wrote, “I am writing this today because a few rumours have made their way back to me, and it does not feel nice to hear untrue things about yourself. So, I want to categorically address a few concerns.”

The actor shared that while she had been reluctant to take on scripts, she had not quit the acting profession and that she has no shortage of offers. “No, I have not quit acting! I am being offered roles of leading characters in serials,” she said.

Khattak continued, “No, I do not perceive acting as a bad profession. I consider it to be art, and it is an important part of my life. I only hold a positive opinion on the field of drama, and it remains close to my heart.

Speaking about her admiration for her industry peers, she went on, “As I am writing this, I am trying to be excessively sensitive to my fellow professionals in the industry. Artists, producers, writers, technicians, and their collective labour are admirable. Their strife is real, and their struggle has helped us integrate dramatics into our culture, and have the field recognised and respected.”

However, the actor shared that despite her love for the art form, the kind of work she has been offered lately has not been up to the mark. “I do not intend to ignore the work of my fellow hardworking professionals, but sadly, I am not being offered good scripts. There is always a home, a girl trapped inside of it, and marriage her only possibility of escape,” the actor shared. 

She went on to highlight her reservations with this kind of storyline. Khattak wrote, “I am not comfortable endorsing escapism. I am not comfortable endorsing masculinised ideals of female empowerment. I am not comfortable with the lives of the characters I play, with the choices they are offered and the root cause of conflict in their lives. I do not like the homes, the worlds, and the inherent associated oppression of such places in one-liners I read daily. Daily!”

The Teri Meri Kahani actor questioned why women were portrayed in such a way, writing, “Why do our women in dramas remain oppressed? Why did Alia marry her dead sister’s husband? Why is Zubaida’s father hell-bent on ruining her life? Is it love?”

She continued, “Nah, man! It’s just nonsense. It’s irrational and without reason. I am not saying that women don’t struggle with such problems. I know them to be true. All I’m saying is that there are better ways out of difficult instances for women. I know them to be true too.”

The actor concluded, “If there’s a script out there with well-thought-out characters, a coherent plot and intelligent dialogue, please send it to me. I’d love to consider the project!”