Madiha Iftikhar, a known personality in the Pakistani drama industry, went out with some great performances during the 14-15 years of her career. However, in a recent interview with Fuchsia Magazine, she shared her reasons behind opting out of the drama industry back in 2015.
Regret Over Lack of Positive Representation
Madiha mentioned that during her career, she never saw any positive representation of relationships, especially in Pakistani dramas. She regrets the fact that while international media is highly inclusive and depicts different aspects of life, the Pakistani industry has not done so in a credible way.
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Specifically, she said there was a lack of portrayal of strong, healthy relationships, especially in families, and there was little or no representation of differently-abled people.
Personal Experience with Disabilities
Madiha said, “My father has been very inspirational to me. He is a differently-abled person and cannot hear. He made me and my siblings learn sign language.
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He believes that being deaf doesn’t mean doors should be closed and not entered.” Still, Madiha remarked, “The Pakistani industry does not know that. There are so many toxic relationships in our dramas, and their negativity reduces the worth of one’s relationship.”
Disappointment with Industry’s Focus on Negativity
The actress said that she would even write and submit scripts, about people struggling with disabilities, but they would modify them to place focus on the negative, similar ones: jealousy, hatred, and family conflicts. Madiha felt very hurt by these modifications, as she was only left with some negativity.
Decision to Leave
Ultimately, Madiha’s frustration with the industry’s approach to relationships and characters led her to leave the industry in 2015. She admitted that she could no longer enjoy roles that focused on negativity, constant emotional distress, and unrealistic portrayals of society. Madiha confessed that she didn’t believe the industry would change anytime soon, leading to her decision to step away and find peace elsewhere.
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