Pakistani fashion designer Maria B is a household name for her eccentric and chic clothing line, but the fashion creator is also known among the masses for her unfiltered and controversial statements.
Projecting harsh opinions regarding a range of topics, Maria has been involved in numerous public spats due to her problematic point-of-views; with the Pakistani Oscar-shortlisted film Joyland being the recent topic where she even demanded a ban and the alleged that social media figures are promoting LGBTQ+ values in Pakistan.
A few weeks ago, Maria lambasted the ScrapFest and now she’s keeping an eye on the recently aired episode of the drama serial Sar e Rah where actor Muneeb Butt is shown as an intersex child, Sarang, and his father [played by Nabeel Zafar] is being gentle and sensitive to the situations to help his child get through life. The sweet interaction between a father and his intersex son on a beach and their conversation in the latest episode became the center of attention for its tear-jerker and eye-opener scene.
The “progressive” step towards tolerance was lauded by millions of people online, however, Maria B decided to pick the scene apart for highlighting its allegedly “USAID funded” themes to push the agenda of endorsing the LGBTQ+ narrative in Pakistani youth.
Though the series is quite popular among the audience, Maria misconstrued and took meaning out of context assuming that the Bulbulay star taught the child transgender values. Social media users are quite disgruntled with the fashion designer and her homophobic meltdowns which she labels as propaganda.
Taking to Instagram, she posted a screenshot of Nabeel and Muneeb and wrote, “This is how you sell your soul… Well done, Pakistan. So, this kid is intersex? And instead of following sharia and getting corrective help to become male or female, his dad is telling him to be gender fluid, like transgenders. Now, will you wake up Pakistan? Is the agenda still not clear? Laanat on all the people who sold their souls and will contribute to the destruction of our kids.”
Though Maria is critical, netizens have called Sar e Rah a “breath of fresh air” for doing justice to taboo subjects with such thoughtfulness and educating people to accept intersex people and their choices. Pakistani drama industry – although progressive and far more insightful than its competitors – did not previously shed much light on the acceptance of intersex people on-screen especially coming from fathers-figures in their typically patriarchal and misogynistic dynamics.
Sar-e-rah is such a breath of fresh air in Pakistan’s drama industry.
Loved this conversation between Nabeel and his son on his gender identity… pic.twitter.com/Mz5UYIqHAC
— Sam (@nofkssgiven) February 26, 2023
“I wasn’t expecting this but what an INCREDIBLE message by Nabeel Zafar! He beautifully talked about gender differences to his son, something which should’ve been taught WAY before but we couldn’t, all because of extremist elements in the society,” one Twitter user excitedly shared.
I wasn’t expecting this but what an INCREDIBLE message by Nabeel Zafar! ???????? He beautifully talked about gender differences to his son, something which should’ve been taught WAY before but we couldn’t, all because of extremist elements in the society.pic.twitter.com/kKCRTopdGB
— Saad Kaiser ???????? (@TheSaadKaiser) February 27, 2023
“Loved this conversation between Nabeel and his son on his gender identity,” a user shared.
Sar-e-rah is such a breath of fresh air in Pakistan’s drama industry.
Loved this conversation between Nabeel and his son on his gender identity… pic.twitter.com/Mz5UYIqHAC
— Sam (@nofkssgiven) February 26, 2023
sar e rah is an incredible show havent seen something this good on pakistani television screens in so so long https://t.co/BEKCm8tjgi
— ❧ (@dosthoevskyy) February 27, 2023
When I tell you I cried watching this scene. #SareRah | #SabaQamar pic.twitter.com/53LGpM51IR
— Aniya⁷| thv love bot♡︎ (@namjoyingx) February 27, 2023
The relationship between Sarang & his father is beautiful in #SarERah this week. This father is honest with his son, loves & supports him – what every child needs, but particularly those struggling against society. Nabeel Zafar & Muneeb Butt are brilliant. #PakistaniDramas pic.twitter.com/AAMKZ0WGWv
— SophiaQ (@SophiaAQ) February 26, 2023
“Episode 4 of #SareRah was engrossing. A very empowering story of a third-gender individual whose father relentlessly supports, strengthens and accepts his child completely, thus creating a path of independence and opportunities for them #SareRah #thirdgender” exclaimed one social media user.
Episode 4 of #SareRah was engrossing. A very empowering story of a third-gender individual whose father relentlessly supports, strengthens and accepts his child completely, thus creating a path of independence and opportunities for them #SareRah #thirdgender
— Fazeela Ashraf (@FazeelaAshraf1) February 27, 2023
“Bravo to the writer and actors in #ARYDigital drama #sarerah for showing how fathers need to connect with their children no matter their sex and #gender. Lack of love and support pushes gender-variant children towards #suicide, mental health issues, and substance abuse!” another netizen shared.
Bravo to the writer and actors in #ARYDigital drama #sarerah for showing how fathers need to connect with their children no matter their sex and #gender. Lack of love and support pushes gender-variant children towards #suicide, mental health issues, and substance abuse!
— Dr Sana Yasir (@drsanayasir) February 28, 2023
I saw this episode of sar e rah https://t.co/l9DpseKiRm was such a brilliant sensitive performance.The theme was dealt with so much sensitivity.
— Haseena Hussain (@Haseena51326296) February 27, 2023
While watching #SareRah, I’ve no control over my emotions and tears, they flow uncontrollably, every single episode. I can’t praise it enough!
— Moonchild⁷???? (@ANightscape) February 28, 2023
Sar-e-rah is such a breath of fresh air in Pakistan’s drama industry.
Loved this conversation between Nabeel and his son on his gender identity… pic.twitter.com/Mz5UYIqHAC
— Sam (@nofkssgiven) February 26, 2023
“The show is so amazing. The way they are touching on trans and advocating how they can be something. How they are advocating fathers support can enable any kid to be anything. This is beyond remarkable. Hats off to this show,” remarked one user.
#SareRah OMFG This show is so amazing. The way they are touching on trans and advocating how they can be something.
How they are advocating fathers support can enable any kid to be anything.
This is beyond remarkable. Hats off to this show— Supriya (She/Her) (@SUPRIYADEVERKON) February 25, 2023
“#SareRah Loved the father’s support on how he’s asking his kid to be true to what kid identifies itself with. This is a very bold message even for India. The trans/third gender community needs it so much,” another Twitter user stated.
#SareRah Loved the father’s support on how he’s asking his kid to be true to what kid identifies itself with. This is a very bold message even for India. The trans/third gender community needs it so much.
— Supriya (She/Her) (@SUPRIYADEVERKON) February 25, 2023
“There’s no way sar-e-rah was written by a men like Mr. Adeel Razzaq who are you and where have you been my whole life???” an overwhelmed user wrote.
There’s no way sar-e-rah was written by a men like Mr. Adeel Razzaq who are you and where have you been my whole life???
— ????ukiii (taylors version) (@missgilmoree) February 26, 2023
Galaxy Lollywood founder, Momin Ali Munshi, also shared his two cents on the current Sar-e-Rah discussion suggesting that “not even an iota of this scene or this episode was un-Islamic. It was a story about an intersex boy who displayed both male and female tendencies, and the father explained it to the child beautifully. I think this was one of the more progressive moments on our television and captured the essence beautifully, keeping in mind the sensitivity of the issue.”
View this post on Instagram
One of the hundreds and thousands of people criticizing Maria, wrote, “Haters must not get to set the agenda for art and culture in Pakistan. I am convinced that #MariaB is using bots to spread hate and should be investigated. @arydigitalasia #SarERah is a courageous and outstanding depiction of a young man’s struggle for respect and dignity!”
Haters must not get to set the agenda for art and culture in Pakistan. I am convinced that #MariaB is using bots to spread hate and should be investigated. @arydigitalasia #SarERah is a courageous and outstanding depiction of a young man’s struggle for respect and dignity!
— arshadfilms (@arshadfilms) February 28, 2023
“And why do you feel you have a right to tell people what they should do with their bodies? Was corrective surgery even an option years ago when intersex people were still born btw? Let the person who belongs to the body decide! #MariaB #SareRah,” a social media user asked.
And why do you feel you have a right to tell people what they should do with their bodies? Was corrective surgery even an option years ago when intersex people were still born btw? Let the person who belongs to the body decide! #MariaB #SareRah
— shazia saqib habib (@Shaz004) February 28, 2023
“There is nothing I enjoy more than seeing a transphobe like Maria B getting trigerred. May our TV shows and films provide opportunities to see her meltdown more often,” a user tweeted.
There is nothing I enjoy more than seeing a transphobe like Maria B getting trigerred. May our TV shows and films provide opportunities to see her meltdown more often ???? pic.twitter.com/fkkEVUsFiV
— Syed Zain Raza (@SydZainRaza) February 27, 2023
Another Twitter user stated, “Funny how Maria B ke sarne se ab full on dil ko thand parhti he [Funny how triggering Maria B is releiving] A message of general kindness, empathy and acceptance …so of course she’s deeply offended by it.”
Funny how Maria B ke sarne se ab full on dil ko thand parhti he. A message of general kindness, empathy and acceptance …so of course she’s deeply offended by it. pic.twitter.com/9FkuyIEofo
— Maria Amir (@Beentherella) February 27, 2023
While Sar e Rah started airing last month with only four episodes released so far, the mini-series has cemented itself among the most-talked-about projects currently. The television series revolves around the troubled lives of marginalized people. The fourth episode has pushed boundaries and single-handedly changed many viewers’ perceptions, though Maria remains an exception. The drama features Saba Qamar, Muneeb Butt, Hareem Farooq, Sunita Marshall, Saboor Ali, and others. The first episode aired on February 4, 2023.
Sarah Khan shares stunning clicks from sister Aisha s dreamy proposal
