Let's start with Khuda Dekh Raha Hei.
The educated and righteous Zoya gets married off to the alcoholic, womanizing Adnan. He hates her conservatism so much that he says the t-word (you know talaaq) to her daily. Once it even happened in front of his entire family. However, his dad has declared Zoya as the CEO of a fake charity organization and with a multi-million rupee paycheck coming in with her name on it, the family can't afford to let Zoya leave. So they pay off a Molvi, lie to Zoya's family, and Khalda begum (who does istikharas for a living) ignores all the bad dreams she's been having and declares her daughter a lier and sends her back to the susraal. Poor Zoya is living in purgatory. Her husband divorces her daily, and then carries on with his husbandly rights.
Yep. Now you know what I mean when I said 'all hell breaks loose.' Who comes up with these ridiculous story lines? These disgusting story lines? Fine. Show her being abused by the family, maybe some zulm from the husband - I mean it's ridiculous but a husband slapping his wife is tame compared to this bakwas we are being shown.
And Sajal Ali - she started out so great in this drama. After Chup Raho, I was like 'Yay! She's back!' But nope. She went from a strong girl who knows her mind to this hallow-eyed door mat. I think the Zoya from the first three episodes would've fought tooth and nail to get justice, fought against this pathetic excuse of a husband and the cheating inlaws. Even the best friend, who knows what is going on, comes to Zoya's house, chit chats for a few minutes, and leaves. WHAT? Worst BFF EVER.
If you need further proof, here's what happens in the opening of this weeks episode: Zoya goes with the family to a function in honor of the charity she is 'CEO' of. There, the love of her life Junaid, makes his debut come back to music. After the concert Zoya refuses to take a picture with Adnan and Junaid. Adnan slaps and divorces her in front of everyone. The press captures it and starts airing the clip. Zoya's dad calls Adnan's dad in a panic and this happens...
Oh and if you need yet another reason to drop this drama like a dud, it's the entry of this madam from Mein Bushra...
Moving on to Ishq Parast...
Dua was conned by her parents into marrying Zohaib. She fights with them, then falls in love with her husband and makes up with them. Meanwhile, Hamza comes back and doesn't take Dua's rejection well. He swears to wreak all kind of havoc in her life as revenge. As step one, he stalks and proposes to Ursala and has managed to, somehow, convince his in-laws to be that he should live with them after they are married. But that's not the 'all hell breaks loose' part.
A rational person, who has her husband's love and knows how much he loves his sister, would tell her husband the truth about his sister's suitor: he is a stalker and conning them all to get back at Dua. Is Dua a rational person? Only until episode 10. Maybe 11. So she is saying *drumroll* NOTHING. Even when her BFF and then Hamza's best bud find out - do they tell Dua to confess all to Zohaib to save Ursala's life? Nope.
So Hamza gets married to Ursala and doesn't waste a single opportunity to stalk Dua or make pointed remarks at her. Zohaib can tell Dua doesn't like Hamza, but he doesn't do anything to find out why. Zohaib even gives Hamza a job at his office. Hamza tells Dua's dad he is the same boy they rejected and how he plans to make Dua's life miserable.
But that's not the 'all hell breaks loose' part! Yup. You heard me.
All hell breaks loose when Hamza runs Zohaib over - not enough to kill him, but enough to get him admitted to the hospital. And while Khala and Ursala are at the hospital tending to Zohaib, Hamza goes home and - get ready to be appalled and disgusted - rapes Dua.
I mean...where do I even start? I feel disgusting just reviewing this. What is wrong with the writers, directors, actors, production houses and channels? Is it really necessary to show such incredible extremes? It's not shocking for audiences. It's not entertaining. It's disgusting and, in my humble opinion, airing these bizarre twists works to desensitize society towards such extreme behavior.
And that, friends, is how two dramas that started out with such great potential lost all rhyme and reason and my viewership. What a disappointment. I feel like I need to go watch an episode of Full House or Sesame Street just to reset my eyes and mind.
At this point, I feel like I've lost faith in happy endings for any of the dramas I'm watching.
What an absolutely depressing sign off for a post...
Shamsi, I think ARY are just plain disgusting as a channel - they ruined a good play like Goya, then there was Chup Raho, now these two plays. Just disgusting. And Sajal Ali - doesn't she get any better roles? Uff! Good decision to drop these two dramas...
ReplyDeleteI found a replacement: Paiwand. Will do a post soon :)
DeleteSana Javed-Gohar Rasheed? Look forward to your review, thanks!
DeleteI haven't seen both dramas and going by your review I won't waste my time.
ReplyDeleteThat said I dont think covering the topic of rape equals to desensitizing the audience in a country which is already desensitized as far as womens rights (absent) and the resulting abuse hurled at women both physically (beatings), mentally and sexually. These are important and real topics. Is it better to just sweep it under the rug and pretend it does not happen? Even worse happens daily. Just look at the local newspapers. Ziaditi is daily occurance in all its dispicable forms.
However dramas should seek to reform the minds of people so that Pakistan can one day reach the stage where women are respected and treated as equals.
The classical submissive inferiority complex the female roles often display disgusts me. It only maintains a status quo. No change. I am infuriated when I see otherwise dramas with strong potential just go down hill suddenly.
Domestic violence, marital rape, rape in general, child abuse, human trafficking, forced prostitution, honour killings are rampant and widespread. I haven't seen many dramas which even address these issues let alone seriously in a way where the mindset of people can change so that we both men and women will no longer sit and nod our heads but be repulsed and angered by such abuse. Even today women are expected to just take whatever comes in the name of not getting a divorce and keeping their marriage intact. What marriage? Where you get abused, beaten or raped and not respected, treated like a human with basic needs catered for? Seriously, there is no room to play coy and pretend the ugliness is not happening. It does happen and must be addressed.
But how you address it and what you want to do by addressing such issues is what matters. Just ínserting it in the plot for garnering sympathy, or creating drama and keeping up the stereoptypes is not progressive, rather regressive.
So if your disgust is due to being conservative or that certain issues should not be dealt with on tv, then why even watch dramas. They cant all portray milder or non-sexual problems and just omit the really nasty ones. It is 2015 and I am disgusted by the fact that these things still occur and we dont talk about it. How can change happpen?
I think there are great writers out there. A minority but they exist. There was a time when Pakistan was renowned for making serious dramas with great storylines and dealing with social issues but those times are far gone. I hope we can regress into those days and infuse them with problems of today. We can not afford to be shy about these things. We pretend to be a conservative society with islamic values when we are everything but if you look at the culture, the stigma Associated with speaking out aboutissues and how women are expected to deal with ANYTHING but divorce? Heavens no. Dont even think about it. There is no reason even good enough. Divorce is a taboo. A woman asks for it, she is basically shameful and a bad Muslim. A man can divorce his wife at whim, even daily and remarry as many times he pleases with each wife younger than the former and have babies and nobody bats an eye. A woman is expected to stay celibate, become a nun and take care of the children she has or forfeit her children because most new husbands wont dont want her children in their home let alone any connection between mother and child. If she is a divorcee, its a stigma. Used as a slur. So with those odds most women prefer to stay where they are because they have no support. The families will send them back to the husband. Nobody understands. God it infuriates me. I cant believe the brainwashing many of these dramas do by enforcing such stereotypes. How about an awesome female lead from a poor background who refuses to be defiled and degraded and claim her rights and doesnt fear divorce. Its become a way of exerting emotional blackmail and making women stay submissive. Do X or I will divorce you. Thats not marrriage. Thats purgatory.
Thanks for an otherwise hilarious review.
Further to my above comment, check out this excellent piece on this issue:
ReplyDeletehttp://tribune.com.pk/story/613046/stories-of-survivors-rape-in-drama-serials/
Take care
Shazia - thank you for your feedback! I can tell you are quite passionate about this! Honestly, I do not think such topics should be avoided, but as you said, they need to be shown in a way that helps our society rid itself of these evils. Not make them worse. It's not like our drama writers can't do it (Kankar and Rihaee are good examples and I think the currently on-air Sangat will hopefully be another), and that is what is so frustrating. The talent and ability is there. We need to employ it all the time and not abandon taste for sensationalism. Thanks again for reading and commenting!
DeleteDear Shamsi, thanks for your message. Yes, I am passionate about it and I wish I wasnt. I cant find a single drama that does justice to such topics. I think somebody needs to go out on a limb and write storyline not seen before. The dramas today be that on rape, divorce, widows or whatever always show the traditional prejudices and how Pakistani women just choose to enslaves themselves. It infuriates me because on the surface people like to portray Pakistan as an islamically nation but looking at these dramas, the amazing rights afforded to women by God are eroded and just not even mentioned. Just look at the stigma of divorce. Why is it a taboo when women want it, but a right when "men" divorce at whim without explanation? Just look at the horrendous comments posted about Pakistani public figures who happen to divorce? Rape is not sex. It is predatory behaviour. Why should we be quiet about it? Why not show a woman standing up and saying NO and not staying in that godforsaken nuthouse which Rameen chooses to? I seriously wanted to beat up her husband for being a wimp and making it all about him and dishonouring his promises. And her mother? Why is it urgent to pretend all is ok to save things? Save what? I found myself for the first time ever cussing out her mother. I hold her responsible for Rameens rape. The culture of Pakistan would raises red flags when a girl makes such allegations. Her family would guard her. Her mother dismisses her. WTF? Pardon my french!
ReplyDeleteI have bookmarked your blog as I find the reviews helpful. There is genuinely a need for fresh writing from a 2015 perspective. We cant keep lulling our way. I think these dramas do more harm than good as they brainwash us into assuming we cant change and if we try we will fail. The urdu Word for rape is "robbing you of your honour". Right there - thats the problem. You live in a society where if you are (god forbid) attacked in such a way, you will be supported as the victim. You wont be shunned or expected to be silent. Pakistan is still stuck in a political and societal circle of evil where money talks. So women cant afford such liberties. But then Again it took one older woman on a bus in the Southern States in som 60 years ago to say NO I will not give up my seat to a white man just because I am black. The rest is history. Freedom must be fought for. It will take a lot of sacrifices. But until then we can at least give people various outcomes and ways to handle such issues. I could have written a better drama. I am watching a drama called Kaisay hoye benaam. I am angry and its only episode 7. So I am quitting it. Why would a wealthy educated woman enslave her self in the pretence of marriage semi disown her own child I ask? Do we Desire marriage with just anybody at any price. Against stupidity even Gods contend in vain. So true.
I don't mind conservatism. I am a bit conservative myself. But with issues facing society we have to be bold and open enough to address them otherwise nothing can change. I hope I live to see the change. We need something that changes our way of thinking and the social acceptance of oppression against women Not maintaining status quo.
Surely the worst Pakistani Drama of the year to watch, there is no story.
ReplyDelete