Five episodes in, drama serial Udaari has been served with a show-cause notice by PEMRA in a rather shocking move. The serial that is being lauded for daring to speak about child sexual abuse, showed antagonist Ahsan Khan attempting a sexual advance towards a young Urwa Hocane, who eventually managed to escape, in the last episode that aired on May 8. Earlier episodes also saw Khan looking at his step-daughter with similar,
TVTalk
The authority has held the makers accountable for projecting a negative image of our culture.
Five episodes in, drama serial Udaari has been served with a show-cause notice by PEMRA in a rather shocking move. The serial that is being lauded for daring to speak about child sexual abuse, showed antagonist Ahsan Khan attempting a sexual advance towards a young Urwa Hocane, who eventually managed to escape, in the last episode that aired on May 8. Earlier episodes also saw Khan looking at his step-daughter with similar, dubious intentions. This blatant, but realistic, depiction of events is what has forced PEMRA into action.
According to the notice, the media regulating authority has received innumerable complaints from concerned parents that the serial is promoting immorality and may play a role in tempting evil minds. The notice also states that psychologists are of the opinion that such character sketches will only evoke perpetrators further into committing these sinful acts. The production house is therefore answerable for showing such controversial content on television and must justify its case.
It’s important to note that television has long been criticized for showing content that has little to offer in terms of benefitting the society and one that serves the dumbing down of audiences in general. Earlier, the play Sangat came under fire for glorifying a rapist and airbrushing the brutality and trauma of rape. And while social media bashing in this case was widespread, the play was largely overlooked by the authorities.
Episode 4 of the drama saw Ahsan Khan eyeing his step daughter with dubious intentions.
In that, the notice to Udaari comes across as ironic. The serial, which stars notable actors like Ahsan Khan, Samiya Mumtaz, Bushra Ansari and singer Farhan Saeed, has made a conscious effort towards raising awareness and taking up a social issue that plagues our society by and large but is usually brushed under the carpet. Given its wide reach, television has all the potential to not only influence masses but also educate them. And so to censor content that aims of doing so may not prove helpful in the long run.
“Television is an integral part of every household. In a country like Pakistan where literacy is low, a visual medium plays a significant role in shaping the society and educating the masses,” producer Momina Duraid told Instep. “Moreover, a social message with strong and responsible content backed by a big star cast will always have a huge and positive impact. We should, as a nation, support all efforts like these (Udaari) to eradicate social evils from our society.”
The makers have been asked to respond to the notice by May 25 and believe that PEMRA may have been misled into assumption. “We feel that Pemra might have been misled by a group of people who would never want our society to raise and flourish and we will explain our viewpoint and present with evidence the huge positive public response for the play. We are hopeful that once they understand the positive social impact of the play they will also support us,” Duraid added.
