Karachi:
(Spoiler Alert!)
The Internet has another field day with a Danish taimoor drama. No, it’s not him who hands himself in to a woman as he did in Mann Mast Malang But it is his portrayal of mental illness in the latest episode of Sher It took things to a whole new level.
Let’s rewind: Fajar was going to marry Sher’s younger brother. She saved. Drama followed. Sher was shot or well, his aunt did. And now? Sher is in a full -blown mental health crisis and has been admitted to a psychiatric hospital.
Last night’s episode contained a scene that was so unintentionally funny that it hijacked Tiktok and triggered a thousand memes. In this now-viral clip, sher sits on the floor of his room, surrounded by a wall of scribbles. Among the chaotic scraper are phrases like “shut up, I’m sad”, “Kill me” and bizarre “corona virus” written in Urdu.
For reasons best left to the production team’s imagination, Psych Ward Room is also decorated with stock photos style framed charts over brains presumably to remind every patient that yes, they are actually crazy. Very subtle, very sensitive, very … not how psychiatric care works.
Perhaps the most biting and honestly disturbing aspect of this whole bow is that Sher Zaman appears joined to his hospital bed, as if he were a high-risk prisoner rather than a patient in professional care. It is a sparkling image, one that evokes more of a prison drama than a medical facility.
Social media responds
A user at Tiktok commented, “Me as a small child in my bedroom after being shouted by my parents.” Relatable!
Another user said, “How I feel to try to explain something logical to my desi colleagues.” We’ve all been there!
“It literally said coronavirus.” We really wonder why?
“‘Shut up, I’m sad’ 😠I want to use this everywhere now.” Us too!
While the memes are undoubtedly funny and virality is free promo, this scene raises an important question: When will our dramas start treating mental health with the hue it deserves? Is this our understanding of treatment?
The regression from something layered like Head Abdul Qadir HoonA well thought out and performed drama that explored mental health and personal growth to Sher’s wall-of-Toodles is disappointing.
It is large production houses, veteran writers and star actors in high time, working together to portray mental health with dignity.
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