“Main Manto Nahi Hoon” Controversy Leads to Shooting Ban on Lahore Campuses, Claims Atiqa Odho

Actress and host Atiqa Odho has claimed that the popular but controversial drama Main Manto Nahi Hoon has caused several educational institutions in Lahore to ban all drama shootings on their campuses.

The drama, which stars Humayun Saeed as a university professor and Sajal Ali as his student, has been a subject of public debate due to its portrayal of a romantic relationship between the two characters. The controversy reached a peak with a recent episode where the student characters stage a fake kidnapping of Sajal Ali’s character. They then demand that Professor “Manto” (Humayun Saeed) marry her in court to secure her release.

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This particular scene went viral on social media, drawing widespread criticism from viewers who found the student-professor romance inappropriate.

Speaking on a talk show, Atiqa Odho revealed the downstream effect of this controversy. She stated that after returning from Lahore, she learned that several universities have decided to prohibit all future drama shootings on their premises as a direct response to the content in Main Manto Nahi Hoon.

According to her, the institutions felt that the drama showed “inappropriate content” and that a relationship between a teacher and a student was “not appropriate at all.” She added that the universities were also displeased that the show didn’t depict anyone actually studying, but instead focused on “weird activities.”

This decision, if implemented widely, could significantly impact the production of future television series that rely on university campuses for authentic settings.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. What is the main controversy with the drama “Main Manto Nahi Hoon”?
The drama is controversial for portraying a romantic relationship between a university professor (played by Humayun Saeed) and his student (played by Sajal Ali), a dynamic many viewers find unethical and inappropriate.

2. What specific scene caused the most outrage?
A scene where students stage a fake kidnapping and then demand that the professor marry his student in court to secure her “release” was widely shared and criticized on social media.

3. What is the alleged consequence for the TV industry?
According to Atiqa Odho, several universities in Lahore have now banned all drama shootings on their campuses in reaction to the content of this show.

4. What was the universities’ reasoning, as per Odho?
The institutions reportedly stated that the drama showed inappropriate content, that a teacher-student relationship is unacceptable, and that the show depicted “weird activities” instead of academic life.

5. Is this a common reaction in Pakistan?
While public criticism of dramas is common, a coordinated institutional ban on filming in response to a specific show’s content is a significant and notable development, highlighting the strong social reaction to the subject matter.