Veteran actor Behroze Sabzwari has sparked controversy once again with his latest remarks on women.
This time, he claimed that marriages fail because parents overindulge their daughters. Sabzwari’s comments, made during an appearance on Madeha Naqvi’s morning show Subh Ka Samaa, have drawn criticism for perpetuating sexist stereotypes.
Initially, Sabzwari appeared to take a progressive stance, emphasizing the importance of husbands and in-laws treating their wives with love and care, given the sacrifices women make by leaving their families behind.
He advocated for unconditional acceptance and affection, stating that a woman should be regarded as a daughter, rather than just a daughter-in-law.
“To men, the way you would do anything for your sister, you have to be willing to do anything for your wife,” he added. A rare moment of sense.
But, of course, he didn’t stop there and had to follow up with a statement so drenched in patriarchal entitlement that it could singlehandedly set feminism back a decade.
Sabzwari lamented about marriages now ending in mere months, even after parents host lavish weddings worth millions. To him, the culprit is none other than spoilt women with an exaggerated sense of self-worth.
“Parents pamper their daughters excessively, telling them, ‘Don’t worry, live like a queen; we’ve spent 10 crores on your wedding,’” he declared. According to Sabzwari, this leads women to believe they’re riding into their marital homes, metaphorical whip in hand, ready to assert their dominance. Because, obviously, the idea that a woman might want to have a say in her own life decisions is a terrifying thought.
Meanwhile, in this narrative, the husband remains blameless. “The boy, irrespective of how bad or spoilt he is, is ultimately the son of his parents,” Sabzwari noted. The message is clear: women who dare to have agency are a problem, but men — no matter how flawed — deserve unwavering acceptance because, well, they’re somebody’s sons and that blinds them to the possibility that women can be assertive too.
Instead of challenging this outdated rhetoric, Naqvi reminisced about how women used to be told to remain submissive for the first two years of marriage, after which they could exert control.
Sabzwari, ever the comedian, responded with a laugh: “Yes so that after two years they can kick the parents out of the house.” Ha-ha. Nothing funnier than reinforcing the age-old villainous bahu stereotype, right?
This isn’t just bad advice — it’s dangerous. Blaming women alone for failed marriages is ridiculous. Marriages can end for a myriad of reasons — read more about why over 14,970 women filed for khula in Karachi last year here.
In general, the reasons could vary from mutual incompatibility, financial strain, infidelity, abuse, and lack of emotional support — the list goes on and on.
The notion that women are spoiled for simply having expectations of dignity and partnership is an insult to every woman who has ever been gaslit into silence or endured mistreatment under the guise of ‘patience’.
Perhaps the most frustrating part is how men continue to be given platforms to air such regressive opinions without pushback. We have written extensively about this before too.
Why are we still treating verbal diarrhoea as sage advice? Instead of indulging celebrities who spew antiquated nonsense about women, interviewers should be holding them accountable. At this point, one has to wonder: how many more tone-deaf, patriarchal takes does Sabzwari need to deliver before someone finally takes the mic away?