Bakhtawar Mazhar earns praise for bravely embracing bald look in Dr Bahu

After leaving fans swooning over the romance between Shuja Asad and Kubra Khan, Dr Bahu has now struck an emotional chord with viewers in Episode 13, as Saeeda Phupho’s heartbreaking cancer battle and chemotherapy journey left audiences in tears.

The latest episode of the drama, directed by Mehreen Jabbar, depicted the emotional moment when Phupho – played by Bakhtawar Mazhar – lost her hair due to chemotherapy treatment. The scene was praised online for realistically portraying the struggles cancer patients face during treatment.

Known as one of the strongest and most positive characters in the series, Phupho has become a fan favourite for her resilience and courage throughout her health battle. In the recent episode, she bravely confronted her reflection after losing her hair, a moment many viewers described as deeply moving and painfully real.

Social media quickly filled with emotional reactions from fans who related the storyline to their own personal experiences with cancer.

One viewer wrote, “My mother went through the same but we lost her,” while another shared, “This is true. I could not look at myself in the mirror during chemotherapy.”

Fans also applauded director Mehreen Jabbar for handling the sensitive subject matter with care and authenticity.

Written by Sanam Mehdi Zaryab, Dr Bahu airs on ARY Digital every Friday and Saturday at 8:00 PM.