“You’re giving clean chit for promoting obscenity:” Nadia on clerics’ remarks over nikah in TV dramas

The model-turned-actor Nadia Hussain vehemently denounced the recent viral statement by religious scholars declaring that staged nikah ceremonies in television dramas constitute real marriages.

The viral video clip is from a Ramadan transmission last year, dated March 29, 2023.

The statement of clerics has shocked many social media users, including celebrities who have often participated in such scenes and are now questioning its implications.

A group of religious scholars were participating in a Ramadan transmission on a private TV channel when one scholar raised a question for another. He inquired whether nikah ceremonies performed between actors in TV dramas could be considered valid marriages.

The cleric then responded, "Yes, certainly. If a nikah is performed in a TV drama scene with two witnesses present, then it will be considered a valid marriage."

Taking to Instagram, Nadia strongly reacted to the statement, saying that Nikah scenes in TV dramas are filmed in a way that none of the elements are real. 

“The names of the actors, the two witnesses present, the maulvi performing the ceremony, the signatures on the Nikahnama – none of it is real. It's just scribble, and the Nikahnama isn't even registered with the union council," she said.

The 'Benaam' actor highlighted that only when a nikah is registered with the union council does it become valid and the union is formalized.

She added, "If religious scholars are saying that staged nikah in TV dramas are considered real marriages, then they are giving a clean chit to promoting obscenity."

Nadia stressed that young people who lack education or maturity to understand the gravity of nikah can be misled by such statements.

"This could lead to situations where people force women into marriages using fake identities and signatures on fabricated nikah documents, ultimately promoting injustices against women," the 'Jalan' actor maintained. 

"Nikah is not easy, and they shouldn't promote it as such," Nadia stated. "It's very dangerous" as it trivializes the importance of a lifelong union and could lead people to believe fake credentials are acceptable, she added. 

Hussain urged relevant authorities to denounce the statement that staged nikahs are acceptable as many might consider these staged nikahs as valid, which is “completely unacceptable.”