In a move to address growing criticism, Green TV Entertainment has removed certain scenes from their latest Ramazan show, Ishq Di Chashni, following backlash over the portrayal of an actor with dwarfism.
While the channel has taken steps to rectify some of the issues, several moments that infantilize the character and treat him as a comedic prop remain in the show.
Ishq Di Chashni follows the love story of two passionate chefs, featuring a classic enemies-to-lovers trope. The character of Sherry, played by Khushhal Khan, has a best friend named Rasgullah, who lives with him.
However, after the first episode aired, social media users quickly called out the treatment of Rasgullah, particularly a scene where Sherry twirls him around and seats him in his lap, using his arms for exaggerated gestures.
Critics were quick to point out that the actor portraying Rasgullah remains uncredited in the cast list, making it difficult to find his name online. Content creator Nadia Rehman Butt voiced her concerns in a passionate Instagram video, stating, “What, he’s a doll or a teddy bear? He’s a human, for heaven’s sake!”
She highlighted that the actor had no dialogue in the first episode and was often ignored by other characters as if he were invisible.
“It’s 2025; it’s all about inclusion of all human beings. Why are we using dwarfs for mocking purposes?” Butt questioned, emphasizing the need for respectful representation. Her video resonated with many, garnering a flood of supportive comments.
On X (formerly Twitter), users echoed Butt’s sentiments, criticizing the show for treating the actor as a “toy” or “prop.” One user remarked that turning dwarfism into a joke is “an outdated trope,” while another questioned the humor in Khan carrying an adult man like a prop, calling it “disturbing and very insensitive.”
Comments continued to pour in, with one individual expressing discomfort at the portrayal: “Why are they handling a grown man as a kid? So uneasy and so cringe and unnecessary.”
Another user praised the acting in the drama but condemned the treatment of the actor with dwarfism, stating, “He’s a grown man sitting on Khushhal Khan’s lap and being swung around? Stop treating people with dwarfism as props.”
In response to the backlash, Green TV removed the scene of Khan swinging the actor around from the first episode, a decision that was met with approval from netizens who appreciated the channel for “taking feedback and implementing it.”
However, despite the removal of this particular scene, other moments that infantilize the actor remain in the show.
For instance, in one scene, Sehar Khan’s character bumps into Rasgullah with a trolley and mistakenly assumes she has hit a child, even though he has a mustache. Shortly after, Sherry comes to his rescue, handing him a lollipop and instructing him to hold his fingers as they exit the store.
These remaining scenes continue to reinforce harmful stereotypes, reducing the actor to a comedic device rather than recognizing him as a person
