Muslim mob attacks dancer falsely accused of blasphemy in Hum TV drama, “Tan Man Neel o Neel.” (Christian Daily International-Morning Star News screenshot)
LAHORE, Pakistan (Christian Daily International–Morning Star News) – Church leaders and others in Pakistan lauded the producers and cast of a TV drama for risking their lives to broadcast an unprecedented, national media portrayal of the violent injustice resulting from blasphemy laws.
In the final episode of Hum TV’s drama series, “Tan Man Neel o Neel [loosely translated as “Body and Soul Badly Bruised”], a professional dance team is performing at a wedding when an unexpected video on a large screen shows one of them, Sonu (played by Shuja Asad) dancing at a venerable Sikh mansion. Soon a Muslim, Kami (played by Muhammad Usman Javed), who sneaked the video into view rises up and falsely accuses Sonu of dancing in a mosque in the video.
A flashback shows Kami – who has designs on Sonu’s dance partner and love interest, the lovely Raabi (played by Sehar Khan) – plotting the premeditated attack with his cohorts. Asked how they could assert that the Sikh house is a “holy site,” Kami tells them, “By the time they figure out if it’s a religious location, the mob will have done their work.”
The ensuing attack is something that has become commonplace for Pakistanis but not something they are used to seeing broadcast nationally, much less with high-level production values. In slow-motion scenes set to doleful music, a frenzied mob takes justice into their own hands and, without a trial or due diligence, kills the falsely accused “blasphemers.”
The sequence occurs in the last 10 minutes of the final, Feb. 15 episode of the otherwise more light-hearted drama, leaving audiences shocked at the sudden turn of narrative and the portrayal of a sensitive issue that is usually taboo. Many lauded the tragic ending for its powerful message and relevance in the current digital age, especially considering how often such matters are misconstrued on social media.
“In a country where mob lynching seems to have become a norm, ‘Tan Man Neel o Neel’ is an alarming reminder of the dangers of religious extremism and false information,” said Christian rights advocate Lazar Allah Rakha. “In bringing these painful realities to light, Hum TV hasn’t just delivered a work of art but also initiated an essential conversation that we as a nation can no longer afford to ignore.”
Rakha, who has successfully defended several people charged with blasphemy, said that the drama’s writer, director and the channel’s management must be commended for their courage to highlight controversial issues plaguing Pakistani society. Stunned by the tragic ending of the season finale, he said he was equally shocked to see the end credits include a montage of photos of people killed over false blasphemy accusations, along with images of church buildings and homes of Christians burned in blasphemy-incited riots.
“It seems as if the entire team, including the producer, writer, director and actors have put their lives at stake to give out the message that Pakistanis’ fanaticism needs to be curbed, lest more people fall victim to false accusations of blasphemy,” he told Christian Daily International-Morning Star News.
Church of Pakistan Moderator Bishop Azad Marshall said that the drama showed how the power of storytelling and media should be used to mirror society and its ills.
“Though I seldom watch TV due to my busy work routine, I was compelled to watch this drama after hearing about it from my family and team members and reading the reviews on social media,” Marshall said, adding that the show truly depicted the reality of Pakistani society.
“I hope Pakistanis will support projects like ‘Tan Man Neel o Neel,’ as they highlight the real problems rather than perpetuating unrealistic expectations,” he said, lauding the production team for calling out false blasphemy accusations and mob mentality in an extremely hostile environment.
Ejaz Augustine, a Christian lawmaker in the Punjab Assembly, praised Hum TV for bravely highlighting the darker realities of Pakistani society.
“I strongly feel that this drama should be shown at the grassroots level and at educational institutions so that our people can be sensitized towards the devastating impact of false accusations and mob mentality,” he told Christian Daily International-Morning Star News.
For many in Pakistan, blasphemy is an incendiary charge, with unsubstantiated accusations inciting public outrage that can lead to lynchings. Nazeer Masih Gill, a Christian attacked in May after being accused of burning pages of the Quran, died shortly afterwards. In August 2023, Muslim mobs attacked Christian neighborhoods in Jaranwala, Faisalabad District, burning down multiple churches and homes after two brothers were falsely accused of writing blasphemous content and desecrating the Quran.
Pakistan has witnessed a sharp increase in the prosecution of “online blasphemy” cases in the last two years, with private vigilante groups bringing charges against hundreds of young individuals, including Christians for allegedly committing blasphemy.
Pakistan ranked eighth on Open Doors’ 2025 World Watch List of the most difficult places to be a Christian, as it was the previous year.
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