Trying to show both the pros and cons of early marriages: Maya Khan opens up on 'Mayi Ri'

Actor spoke in detail about child marriage, impact of the show

In a recent interview with BBC Urdu, Pakistani star Maya Khan opened up about her transformative journey in the world of acting, her role in the drama Mayi Ri, and the show's portrayal of child marriage. The television personality shed light on the challenges of her latest character and the societal impact of the show.

Maya embarked on her latest acting journey in Mayi Ri, a role that challenged her to portray a mother. When asked about her thoughts on this transformation, Maya chuckled and shared her initial apprehensions. She stated, "It was quite difficult for me to accept; I didn't want to become the nation's mother, that was a challenge...But first, I was told about the character, then I was told about the character's journey and that journey hit me. Then, as I've always said, the director has a huge role to play." 

She continued, "If, today, I was to get the role of a young mother, where they've said that I got married at 14, would I have a grown daughter? Scientifically, logically, it is true. That's what is shown [in the drama]. One generation bore the pain, experienced the distress, which is why the generation doesn't want future generations to go through the same pain and distress. That is when I said yes."

Adding on, Maya commented, "It was quite difficult for me to play a mother's character, as I do not have kids myself. It was quite difficult for me to understand. Aina and I would be fighting like kids and then immediately have to be serious. We were scolded too [by our director], saying, 'What two kids have I cast? She doesn't seem like a mother.' To get into that 'motherly' feeling...I would think about my nieces."

Mayi Ri is a drama that addresses the sensitive issue of child marriage. When questioned about the pressure of dealing with such social issues in dramas, Maya acknowledged that there was indeed pressure, especially given the potential repercussions of mishandling such topics. She emphasised the importance of portraying these issues in a balanced and responsible manner to avoid any negative consequences. "There was quite a huge reaction given the topic, which, had it not been dealt with in a balanced way, could backfire," Maya shared.

Regarding concerns that the show might normalise child marriage, Maya clarified, "Showing child marriage is vital, receiving it is the viewer's responsibility. We will show everything. There's a family [in the drama] and sometimes in a family, early marriage happens. But we're trying to show both the pros and cons of early marriages, as a team. Due to that, all the hues are visible. The good hues, the bad hues, the difficult hues - the entire canvas of child marriage."

She also addressed concerns about whether Mayi Ri might inadvertently encourage early marriage among the youth. She defended the idea, saying, "Absolutely, get married. If you see the show, the actor playing Fakhir says that he wants to study. And for the little girl, Annie, education is her passion. If two people think alike, you're talking about young couples, they have the complete right to start their lives. If they believe they can fully take on the responsibility, they're starting their lives due to their own consent. However, it's about freedom as well. Are the kids getting married with their consent? Is it being forced on them? Can the kids consensually take responsibility for the relationship and move forward? There are a lot of variations to this situation."

She reiterated that the purpose of Mayi Ri is not to explicitly promote or discourage child marriage but to present different facets of the issue. She highlighted, "Nowhere in Mayi Ri is it shown that kids should not get married. The various aspects of child marriage are highlighted such as what are the chapters? It is shown that a child is playing and amidst that, a marriage is enforced upon her, which she does not want. If she wanted to, her mindset would be different. She doesn't want to [get married] so her mindset is saying that she's being stopped from pursuing education. She just had one passion - to study. A situation is shown, [it depends] what do you [audience] think about it? What do you understand?"

Discussing the portrayal of mothers in the show, Maya clarified that mothers are not depicted as weak but rather as individuals facing their own challenges and helplessness. "Mothers are not weak, they are helpless. In this story, the mother believes that she's been through a lot of pain, distress, and there is n emotionally unavailable husband. But yes, when she falls weak, the daughter tells her to not cry over such a man. I will help you, I will earn for you. This is a line in the promo too, where (Annie) says she will earn," said Maya.

Maya concluded the interview by highlighting the global appreciation for Pakistani dramas and their ability to address various societal issues. She stated, "Our dramas are loved globally; people all over the world are watching our shows. Kabuli Pulao is being watched. Mayi Ri is being watched - these are good shows and they are being appreciated. It's great fun to see that such work is not restricted to a border. When it's liked, people will strive to make better content, similar to these. When it's disliked, people will make fewer things which the audience doesn't like. It's not closed in a box, where you say, 'Do this, and it will be a hit.' There is no guarantee that anything will be a hit."

When shedding light on Ayesha's character impacting her, she said, "Yes, because Ayesha has many colours. She was a wife, a daughter-in-law, a sister-in-law, a mother, a second wife - she had many varying character. She was also an individual, a woman. There were many aspects of her life and what shaped her in that way."

Have something to add? Share it in the comments