The journey to independence and joy: Ushna Shah wishes to rewrite narratives surrounding divorce

Pakistani actor Ushna Shah has recently taken to the social media platform X – formerly known as Twitter – in an attempt to reshape the narrative surrounding “risqué” subjects, namely that of the shame and stigma surrounding divorce.

The Parizaad actor has been slightly absent from the television screens as of late and hence takes to the microblogging platform to share her two cents on the “conventions of scriptwriting” in the entertainment unit. Shah expresses her need to undo the shame that is associated with divorcees, expressing her unwillingness to engage in narratives that seem so personal to an actor who herself was raised by a single parent working tirelessly to raise their children.

In the post, Shah states, “Many scripts I work on perpetuate shame around divorce. While I can’t reshape the conventions of scriptwriting or opt for unemployment, I stand by a vision. As the child of a divorcee who hustled with three jobs to raise us, the stigma on divorced characters feels deeply personal."

She goes on to add, "I’m eager to be part of a story that addresses the stigma of divorce and combats the shame of being single after, celebrating the journey to independence and joy. Convincing producers to back such a risqué script, which may face societal backlash, is very challenging.”

This is, however, not the first time the actor has been critical of narratives displayed on television screens, once revealing in an exclusive interview with The Express Tribune. “This idea of two women fighting over a man just irks me to the core! I had so many fights about this in Habs as well. On what planet is that okay? All love stories on our television are the same. It's ridiculous," she had remarked.