Pakistani actress Saba Qamar says 'we have been practicing toxic masculinity, time to address it'

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Mumbai: Pakistani actress Saba Qamar who also has a fan following for her Bollywood film 'Hindi Medium', says being effeminate does not make a man weak or unworthy of equal respect.

Saba is appearing in the upcoming web series 'Mrs and Mr Shammem', a Zindagi original, directed by Kashif Nisar, and written by Sajjad Gul.

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Saba told IANS: "One of the reasons I found this story very unique is, the representation of the male character in the story. In our patriarchal society, we have been practicing toxic masculinity to the extent that we insult, humiliate men who are vulnerable, effeminate, or even soft-spoken. When we grow up, girls also tend to fall in love with men who are rough-tough and well-built. But there we celebrate toxicity. It is time to address the issue, give respect to men of every nature, and never make those men feel inferior who are vulnerable and effeminate."

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While the actress believes that the show will start a conversation on gender equality from a different perspective, she also mentioned, "being responsible as a man has nothing to do with your muscles. In entertainment space also, all this while we have written characters of effeminate men as comic relief. That is pathetic...really. If cinema and web series have the power to change minds and thoughts in the real sense, it is time we should stop making fun of people of any gender!"

The show is also featuring - Nauman Ijaz, Gul E Rana, Faiza Gillani, Amna Malik.

Considering the fact that earlier also Zindagi originals has produced web series that dealt with bold subjects, is the Pakistani audience ready to accept a show like 'Mrs and Mr Sameem' again?

Saba replied, "I think more than bold, our story is sensitive. It is a very sensitive story where we are talking about an inclusive society where the definition of a man is not muscle power but a sensitive mind that can nurture, love and be respectful to women. We felt very responsible while telling the story, I believe that the audience is mature enough to understand the depth of our thought and the narrative resonates with them."

'Mrs and Mr Shammem' releases on ZEE5 on March 11.