We throw the word ‘narcissist’ around casually — the ex who wouldn’t commit, the boss who took all the credit, the friend who made every conversation about themselves. But clinical narcissism is far more than selfishness. It is a personality structure that can leave a trail of psychological destruction.
Pakistani dramas have frequently explored narcissistic pathology. We call them ‘villains’ without recognising that they are psycho-education disguised as entertainment. Narcissism exists on a spectrum, and can perhaps be divided into two broad categories. Each destroys differently. Each requires a different survival strategy.
Easy to spot, they are loud, entitled and unapologetic. They demand attention and special treatment and believe rules do not apply to them. And when challenged, they rage.
1. Mubashira Jaffer (Ayeza Khan) in Main — The textbook grandiose narcissist
Mubashira does not just want power. She claims it as a birthright. Her arrogance is her core identity, not a mask. She manipulates, schemes and destroys whoever threatens her position because she genuinely cannot conceive of a world in which she is not the main character.
