People with disabilities are underrepresented in cinema, which places them in a box labeled ‘other.’ Rather than normalizing and raising awareness of their challenges they are often looked down upon. But that could be changing thanks to the drama Fasiq, which stars Hira Tareen as a disabled character.
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On her Instagram Tareen confirmed the role and said that it was the challenge that she wanted to take on.
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Tareen’s character Sawera uses a crutch to stand. The actor described portraying the real-life hardships of someone with impairments as a difficult task. “I did my best to portray it in the best way I could for you guys,” she said. Explaining how difficult it is to do honor to it “in the structure of a TV show” due to technical restrictions.
Fasiq, portrays the story of love sacrifice and patience, as well as the antagonists’ struggle with unrequited love and rejection. Sehar Khan, Adeel Chaudhry, Sukaina Khan, and Haroon Shahid star in the film. It was released in November 2021. Sawera, Tareen’s character, is not amongst the lead cast.
Read more: Watch: Hira Tareen discloses her hidden talents
There’s still a long way to go in terms of diversity; we’re still waiting for a show that features individuals with disabilities as protagonists rather than supporting roles. But it’s still a step in the right direction, albeit a minor one. These types of shows not only raise awareness among those who aren’t well-versed on the subject, but they also normalize the existence of people with disabilities. We only hope the show is sympathetic in its approach to the matter.
