Trigger warning: discussions of abuse and gaslighting
“Hum Kahan Kay Sachay Thay” was in hot water for the past few weeks because of how Aswad crossed all pre-conceived notions about what an abuser looks like to become the face of it all. It was never because of the fact that he out rightly physically abused Mehreen in the episodes, but it was the trauma and taunts he inflicted on her, the gaslighting and then refusing to believe that she did not have anything to do with Mashal’s death.
In this recent episode, the show brought forward a therapist who had the courage to bluntly remind Aswad and the rest of the audience that he was an abuser. More people still refuse to accept this fact because commonly, an abuser is considered as someone who beats and screams obscenities at others. But this therapist reminded its audience that there are many forms of abuse that are not acknowledged and they can traumatize victims.
This episode showed us Mehreen having a nervous breakdown and Aswad finally sitting down with a therapist who asked him about what his relationship was like with his wife, and whether he considers himself to be abusive. When Aswad retaliates that he isn’t because he has never hit Mehreen or called her abusive words, the therapist reminds him that abuse has many forms. She bluntly tells him that abuse can also be with holding a person from meeting their family members or friends, not giving them the liberty to go to places without permission, and even taunting them verbally, all of which Aswad has done in the past few episodes.
It really felt like this therapist was playing the reflecting the audiences perspective when by the end of the conversation, she tells Aswad that he was the sole person responsible for bringing Mehreen to the broken emotional state she has come to today, and he also needs therapy to change his abusive behavior towards others.
The most important conversation which every husband and wife should listen.#humkahankesachaythay@rabiamughni @Shaz004
Fantastic episode of #humkahankesachaythay
Now u should get answer why Mahira has gone through all this n what made her sign this drama. Super proud Mahira ❤️ pic.twitter.com/DTNdvJlx5W— Naylasays (@NaylaAmir) December 5, 2021
We’re glad that the show is finally listening to the audience by choosing not to brush off Aswad’s abusive behavior by painting him as misunderstood or expressing love for his wife, because their relationship is nothing short from being categorized as abusive. We also hope that this further encourages our television audiences to stop romanticizing abusive male leads and point out that love never means demeaning or encouraging the other person to make themselves smaller!
