Sunita Marshall calls out public mockery of wives

Pakistani actor Sunita Marshall has spoken against the habit of husbands belittling or mocking their wives in front of others, describing it as a common behaviour in South Asian households.

Marshall shared her views during an appearance on Good Morning Pakistan, hosted by Nida Yasir, after a viewer raised concerns about her husband dismissing her opinions publicly.

Responding to the message, the actor said many men in the region treat their wives’ opinions as a source of humour, particularly when they are among friends or relatives.

“In my opinion, 98 per cent of men in the Subcontinent do this,” Marshall said, referring to husbands who make fun of their wives in social settings. She added that such behaviour is more frequently tolerated in South Asian societies than in Western cultures, where publicly humiliating a spouse is generally viewed negatively.

Marshall also pointed out that some husbands immediately shut down their wives when they offer an opinion in front of others. Instead of correcting them publicly, she said, disagreements should be discussed privately and respectfully.

According to the actor, the issue is rooted in a broader social mindset in which wives are sometimes treated as inferior to their husbands. She highlighted the use of formal and informal forms of address in Urdu, noting that wives commonly use “aap” for their husbands, while husbands may use “tum” when speaking to their wives.

Marshall argued that such social and linguistic patterns can reinforce the perception that men hold a higher position within marriage, making it easier for some husbands to dismiss or ridicule their partners.

She advised couples to pay close attention to their tone when discussing disagreements, warning that an unnecessarily harsh tone can quickly turn an ordinary difference of opinion into a serious argument.

The actor’s comments have also drawn attention to the everyday forms of disrespect that can often be dismissed as harmless humour. Public interruptions, sarcastic remarks, mocking comments and dismissing a wife’s views may appear minor individually, but repeated behaviour can gradually damage mutual respect within a relationship.

Such conduct can also influence children, who may learn from their parents’ interactions what behaviour is considered acceptable between spouses.

While Marshall emphasised the importance of maintaining a respectful tone during disagreements, her broader message was clear: differences between partners should not become an excuse for public humiliation, ridicule or treating one spouse as less important than the other.