The Express Tribune

After receiving countless amounts of messages from my friends to watch the new drama serial, Zindagi Gulzar Hai, I finally spared some time to catch up with the few episodes that have aired so far. Given the hype surrounding the show, I wasn’t surprised when from the outset, a similar plot was introduced- a plotline that serves the basis for many Pakistani TV series. It reminded me of the serial, Humsafar. No, not because the same actor is acting in this drama, though I have to admit it certainly added to the likeness of the two drama serials. It is primarily because, both the serials show an affluent matriarchal family in which the woman, especially the mother, wields unusual authority and teeters on the brink of transgression. In Zindagi Gulzar Hai, Zaroon's mother is successful in her affairs and makes a show of it by unduly criticising her husband. In dealing with familial affairs, however, she is often careless and mindless. She is snobbish and does not like being questioned. The children go about their daily lives, not bound any limitation whatsoever. When someone frowns down upon this, one of the parents shrugs it off in a way that suggests that their children are mature adults. Yet, the daughter will be seen brazenly wearing a shirt that reads, “Little Miss Jihad". But that has little to do with the drama. The T-shirt is a story in itself. On the contrary, we have the lower middle class family that is striving to reach the top. My concern, however, is not the lower middle class. This, if anything, is portrayed aptly and follows standards of other shows in which there is a sincerity with which the middle class is dealt with. Perhaps it is easier to infuse emotions when we find ourselves confined to a certain lifestyle, and from which we only wish to escape. Sanam Saeed has played well the role of Kashaf, a girl from a middle class family who is being crushed between the emotional distress of having an uncooperative father and joining an elite university, where she meets her insecurities. It is easier to deliver a dialogue that makes the viewer feel the character’s pain. It is a challenge, however, to deliver a dialogue that is meant as light-hearted jest. If done wrong, it could make the viewer furrow his brow or make him shake his head with disapproval or both. There were a couple times when the dialogue was too over the top: the admission result day when Zaroon and his friends mock the girl who outshone Zaroon; the drive back to his home; the scene in which Zaroon’s sister is pestering him to drop her off to a friend’s, and so on. The depiction of 'spoiled rich kids' seems a little overdone. Let’s just say, in those two episodes I watched, my brow furrowed and my head shook with disapproval quite a few times. I understand that it is important to use slang in conversation, but throwing “yaar” in every scene is unnecessary and irksome. The elite family structure, portrayed in Zindagi Gulzar Hai, is depicted as self-righteous with complete disregard to principles. It is portrayed in such an extreme way that it almost looks unrealistic. Coupled with mediocre acting skills on behalf of a few actors, particularly Mehreen Raheel and Ayesha Omar, it becomes completely unbelievable and at times hilarious. There is little truth in the acting- a truth that so easily lends itself to Sanam Saeed, as she slips into the character of a young girl. Having said as much, the actors mirroring the typical middle-class Pakistani roles are redeeming the show for me, especially when it comes to the aesthetics. Kashaf is shown dressed in very plain clothes and so are his sisters and mother. Unlike many other dramas where lower middle class girls are caked in makeup, this one shows a very soft, realistic image of the sisters. Samina Pirzada does not disappoint. Where she can play the role of a rich, glamorously vengeful woman, she also does justice to her role of a government school principal and stressed mother who sacrifices all she can for the best of her children. However, she is not shown to be suppressed, which is great. She has a soft motherly aura, but is also a determined (and at times stern) woman who likes to make her own decisions. Let's hope the next few episodes of this show reveal a deeper theme and hook me in. I have unending faith in the Pakistani drama industry and I know that the actors in this show have the capacity to put on something really special.

“Zindagi Gulzar Hai” is a series far better than any I have seen in a long time. The drama is based on Umera Ahmed’s novel “Zindagi Gulzar Hai?” - a story about the daily diaries of two polar opposites, Kashaf and Zaroon, who are first tied in the bond of hate, then love and finally matrimony. At first, the meeting of Kashaf and Zaroon seems like a Pakistani adaptation of Elizabeth Bennet's and Mr Darcy’s first encounter from Pride and Prejudice. This, to any female, portrays irresistible on-screen chemistry, and one is smitten by the love story right away. However, the drama touches upon many serious social issues - from male chauvinism to a hierarchical class structure - that lead one to think pragmatically. Kashaf is an average looking, lower middle class girl, and the eldest daughter of an educated woman who serves as a principal in a government school in an attempt to raise her three daughters. Her mother is an extremely patient woman who shows her appreciation to God throughout the drama. She also maintains an optimistic attitude towards life despite having faced many hardships after her husband abandons her for an uneducated woman simply because she is unable to have a son. Kashaf vows to restore her mother’s lost pride and improve their financial situation by getting a scholarship in a renowned university. However, Kashaf’s character is not as simple as it appears. She has waited for years in hopes of a better tomorrow and she ultimately gives up. I wouldn’t call her a pessimist but she is definitely a nihilist, waiting for each day of her life to fold and unfold as if nothing is ever going to change. Her dialogue is quite profound and telling of her character:

“Behtar nahin ke na phool na kaante maangein, bus kache raaste pe chalna seekh lein?” (Isn’t it better that we desire neither roses nor thorns, but learn to walk on a barren field?)

Strangely she is neither an atheist nor agnostic but just believes God doesn’t pay attention to the struggling classes. But as they say, good things always come to those who wait. While studying for her MBA, she meets Zaroon, her opposite, in terms of character and class. Zaroon is the son of a renowned industrialist and has never had to ask for anything in life. He has everything – looks, wealth, women – you name it! Despite this, he is leading a somewhat unfulfilled life as he seems to be in search of self-awareness and fulfilment. Zaroon is a light-hearted optimist with a strong sense of competition. His only problems in life are an elitist mother who neglects the family and a sister who seems out of sync with her expected duties towards her fiancé and family; she wears inappropriate clothes and comes home late regularly. Despite being raised in an elitist liberal family, Zaroon seems to have a conservative mindset. As the story progresses we witness how one’s counterpart can serve as a window to one’s fulfilment in life. They’re both like ‘yin yang’ in a way – better together! My interest in the series, however, is not the romantic story plot of the contrasting personalities. Instead, I have been rather analytical of the subtle underlying messages that seem to portray a gender bias at times. I fail to decipher if the producer is actually promoting this particular stereotype, or highlighting its importance so that we notice it and ultimately eradicate it. On one hand, you have a lower middle class family scenario where Kashaf’s father is opposing his daughter's education beyond her degree in bachelors and is in favour of marriage to her cousin; and on the other you have Zaroon’s father challenging his daughter’s inappropriate dressing. More so, Zaroon is also seen as legitimising his right to question his sister’s late night hangouts while he does the same. Everything boils down to them being men and their subjects being women. Zaroon’s sister's and mother's challenging statements to authoritative male figures in the house, in isolation of their wealth and flamboyant outlook, would seem justified in a society of equals. Oddly, as a viewer however, everything coming from Zaroon, even the male chauvinistic comments made to his sister and best friend/ potential fiancé seem like the Ten Commandments. This may be due to his looks and charming personality while the dumb, blonde ostentatious, elitist image of the mother, sister and best friend/potential fiancé makes everything coming out of their mouth horribly wrong to the viewers. Unfortunately, we still judge books by their covers and none of us have been able to dislike the simplistic and innocent looking Cinderella image of a girl - thanks to Disney. We witness viewers empathising and sympathising with Kashaf’s demand for independence, perhaps because she is conservatively dressed, but opposing the mother and daughter as they embody the opposite! After much thought, I got the subtle gist of the series. Indeed, a Pakistani man will always be a man exerting his male authority and it doesn’t matter what class structure he belongs to or how educated he is. Most men demand stereotypical feminine roles whether it is for a mother, sister, wife or daughter. However, as the liberation trend suggests, they are willing to diverge from these a little to accommodate the changing times. In Zaroon’s and Kashaf’s situation, and in many cases these days, such chauvinism would lead to problems in marriage where a man seeks an intellectual partner. Even though Kashaf is conservatively dressed, she aspires liberation in education and wishes to pursue a career of her own. She demands independence, as do other women in the series. She is an intellectual and opinionated being, while at the same time she satisfies a certain 'Cinderella' image of simplicity and good values. Her struggles in a man’s worlds makes her the person she is today and that is reflected in her opinions and wish to take up a career; this is hard for Zaroon to digest. In a similar fashion, the elitist women in the drama also demand independence but of a totally different kind. Their demands are based on luxuries, not needs. The aim, I assume, is to gauge which level of independence should be allowed to the modern woman. So I was wrong; it is not because Zaroon is a heartthrob that we’re able to justify his statements; it is because our definition of ‘liberation’ tends to be quite shallow, skewed and deluded at times. Perhaps men need to understand that women are equals as competitive intellectuals, and at the same time feminists need to pick their battles wisely. The measure of liberation is not evidenced by ones outlook or social life. Instead true freedom of thought is achieved in isolation of material desires - through one’s ability to absorb pluralistic views. So, looking at this series with a positive lens, a change in perspective is due. For men to view women as intellectual equals rather than mere objects of one’s pride and also an acceptance from women that liberation doesn’t mean we start comparing apples and pears. This could lead to a state of equilibrium in the world of Mars and Venus. Read more by Sana here or follow her on Twitter @Sana_H_Baba

Na Kaho Tum Mere Nahin (NKTMN) – a drama serial on Hum TV that aired its last episode in the beginning of March – was a clichéd story of marital infidelity and domestic problems. The plot was straight forward – a husband and a wife and their two children live a peaceful life in a blissful house until they come under buri nazar ( the evil eye). The story revolves around the happy couple Mehreen (Saba Qamar) and Meerab’s (Ahsan Khan) lives. Meerab earns a humble living and Mehreen tries her best to make do with his meager salary to maintain a happy home. (Meerab and Mehreen.) Then enters Meerab and Mehreen’s college friend, Maya, who is married to a dual-national multimillionaire. During their college days, Maya was infatuated by Meerab, but Meerab ended up proposing to Mehreen. Maya’s husband, Arsalan Shah, whose gori wife left him for someone else, thinks only Pakistani women are sincere and worthy of getting married to. However, Maya proves his hypothesis wrong by divorcing him and usurping a great share of his property. (Maya, the third wheel in Meerab and Mehreen's life) Maya persuades Mehreen to start working so she can earn a living and stop complaining about not living a luxurious life. Maya’s persuasion has an underlying intention – distancing Mehreen and Meerab. Thus, the plot thickens and the typical innocent and unassuming heroine and the vicious villain emerge! Eventually, Maya succeeds in doing so and Mehru and Meerab’s happy little home starts to fall apart. (Mehreen, Meerab and Maya) Apart from being clichéd, the storyline was extremely misogynistic. Meerab blamed Mehreen, and construed that their marriage fell apart because of Mehreen’s work schedule that made her neglect her home! Finally, when Meerab finds out that Maya had planned to estrange him from his wife, he refuses to marry her and goes back to Mehreen, who has to forgive him for his infidelity in order to save her distressed family. Typical. The woman must always sacrifice. (Meerab and his children.) While it is understood that the target audience of such dramas are housewives, this alone doesn’t justify the stereotypical script. And it’s not just NKTMN; every other drama has the same storyline – the wife destroys a happy family setup, as she chases her dreams. I hate the fact that drama serials just capitalise on women’s emotions and their tendency to watch serials that they can relate to. This catharsis leads them to think all the more negatively about their lives. Producers should realise that they’re fueling pessimism to women and slashing their confidence with the serials they produce. I know so many women who cite examples from dramas, presuming the same would happen to them as well. My distant cousin’s wife, who came to stay at our house recently, cited NKTMN and said,

“Dekho apne shohar ko ignore kerne se yehi hota hai. Ab chorrdya nah Meerab ne Mehreen ko?” (This is what happens when you ignore your husband. Meerab left Mehreen, see?

This highlights the affects of such dramas on the psyche of women. Women are becoming more frightened, timid and easier to blame. Very few dramas carry a positive message; one being Geo TV’s Mirat-ul-Uroos based on famed novelist Nazir Ahmad Dehlvi's novel. It shows the resilience of a girl against dowry and depicts how destructive this practice can be for a marriage. The Pakistani TV industry has grown substantially and such sub-standard dramas are no longer an expectation. It’s time they improved their quality of dramas; we need creative scripts that carry a positive messages to uplift society and bring forth some sort of betterment and maturity in thinking. Else, we are doomed to a future of the never-ending trend of unhappy wives. PHOTOS: http://www.facebook.com/NaKahoTumMereNahiHumTv Read more by Sidrah here or follow her on Twitter @seedwah

Hum TV has outdone itself once again by airing the drama serial, Kankar, which is unfortunately, the story of every other household in Pakistan. What is even more remarkable is that as the plot unfolds, we find the lead actress making decisions that most would not have the guts to make in real life. In this serial, Hum brings to light the matter of physical abuse, highlighting that this downright degradation of women is not limited to the lower echelon of society; in fact, it is prevalent among the educated and affluent class as well. Marvellously penned by Umera Ahmed – the author who gave us brilliant works such as Meri Zaat Zarra-e-Benishan, Durr-e-Shehwar, Shehr-e-Zaat and Zindagi Gulzar Hai – the story revolves around yet another strong female character who is meant to endure all the hardships that our society imposes on women. Kiran, the lead character, played by Sanam Baloch, is a cheerful and quick-witted girl, in the full bloom of youth. Unintentionally, she manages to attract the affection of her best friend, Arzoo's intended prey, Sikandar who happens to be Arzoo’s cousin. Sikandar, played by Fahad Mustafa, belongs to a well-to-do family, has studied abroad and is in every sense of the word, an ‘eligible’ bachelor. Well, long story short, Kiran and Sikandar get married. Although Sikandar is shown to be extremely besotted by his wife initially, reality soon sets in and it turns out that this much sought-after man has a dark side. He harbours an anger that knows no bounds, which first unveils itself in the form of scarcely deserved words and soon turns into physical abuse with the passage of time. The story, sadly not uncommon to many in Pakistan, thus unfolds. Trapped in the face of such evil, Kiran tries to talk to her husband and her in-laws about the issue. When that does not help, she becomes withdrawn and tries to deal with her pain alone. She goes through all stages of grief and isolation in the hope that Sikandar will realise the pain that he is putting her through and will stop. Her hope is that perhaps, guilt or shame will set in and she continues to live in the delusion that it cannot get any worse. However, it does. Like every other case of marital abuse, it keeps getting worse and it is only when she loses her child at the hands of Sikandar’s ill-timed rage that she realises that she has had enough. The main factor that makes Kankar different from serials portraying a similar story line is that in spite of social and family pressure, Kiran stands up for herself and asks Sikandar for a divorce. Think about it – a girl from a lower-middle class family stands up against her affluent husband and in-laws, and does the ‘unthinkable’. How many girls do you know who would dare to do that? Moreover, the issue highlighted in this drama is not just that a middle-class girl was the subject of physical abuse by her husband. In fact, the serial also attempts to explain one possible root cause of marital abuse. As the story unfolds, the audience is made to understand that Sikandar grew up seeing his mother being regularly beaten by his father and then showered with presents once the guilt set in. Hence, from a young age, he understood physical abuse to be a ‘norm’ in the marriage relationship. Growing up, he perceived that it was completely acceptable to be aggressive towards your wife as long as you made up for it through flowers and jewellery. Therefore, his rationale was that if such treatment was acceptable to his mother, surely it would be good enough for his wife. Within this narrative, lies the second focal point of the story, one targeted at women. If a child sees his mother being beaten and not reacting, he will think it is perfectly all right to abuse his own wife in turn. Marital abuse, therefore, can become a vicious cycle. Needless to say, Kiran is criticised by her family and friends for her ‘mistake’. She is constantly warned about the outcome of a divorce; something which the serial will surely depict in the coming episodes. She will certainly be seen to face hardships being a divorcee in our society and is likely to be depicted as the ‘villain’ for asking for a divorce. There have been many plays regarding marital abuse but no matter how many times the issue is raised, it is always refreshing to see a woman standing up for her self-respect. I hope that Umera Ahmed gives our protagonist a happy ending and I hope that Kiran finds her place in the world, against all odds, so that she may be a beacon of hope for those going through the same trauma in their lives. Bravo to Hum TV for showing women all over Pakistan that it is okay to stand up for themselves; that no matter how hard the journey or tough the obstacles may be, a woman should never allow herself to be degraded. Most importantly, I hope that women suffering from marital abuse find solace in Kiran’s story because for every hundred women who quiet down in the face of abuse, there has to be one who stands up and says,

"ENOUGH!"

An earlier version of the post incorrectly stated the male lead's name. The mistake has been corrected.

We need to talk
Do I look fat?
Umm there’s this new store at the mall…
I’m not hungry hungry, but I’ll share your garlic mayo fries.
Why do you have to hang out with Fahad so much? Is he your boyfriend?
Oh never mind, Yasir is just a friend. But I don’t get a good vibe from Ramsha so you better not talk to her.
I’m not one of those girls.
You’re just like a brother to me.
*On the second date* some people are coming over tomorrow for my rishta, so I thought I should just let you know.
If I ask you something, would you be honest?
OMG! The dreadlocks on that guy look so YUM.
So this one time, my ex and I went to…
Can’t believe how you can spend this much on a pair of jeans! Don’t look at my footwear collection, I’m classy - I have to!
I am an independent woman but you should pay for the meal. I’m old fashioned.
Where is my exclusive time in your given day? You treat me like a filler.
Who is she?
You’ve changed so much. You’re not the same person anymore.
Why do you still watch cartoons? Grow up.
Go away, leave me alone… How dare you walk out on me?
You’re always too busy to even think about me.
Fine.
You’re so thin. Why don’t you go to the gym?
You’re such a mama’s boy.
Let’s watch some TV. New Girl or Pretty Little Liars?
Why do you always want to control me? It’s suffocating. Give me some space to breathe.
I knew it!
Are you sure?
I don’t believe you.
I didn’t mean anything I said. I was just PMS-ing.
You know I’m still mad at you for what you said to me at Sarah’s wedding in 2004.
... But we can be friends.
You know you’d save a lot of money if you don’t smoke.
Mom is coming over for the weekend.
Can you look after the kids; I just have to go to the tailor for “five minutes”.
When I say chocolates, it means dark chocolate. You’re so useless.
Wait wait stop the car!! I need to Instagram that.
Why can’t we go there? All of my friends have been there already. Even Bushra.
Why do you have to watch match highlights when you already know who won? Please switch to Hum TV. I wanna watch the rerun of Kadurat.
Are you even listening to me?
WHATEVER.

When I started watching Kankar, I was happy that there was finally a Pakistani play that depicted a strong independent woman who was not willing to bend down to the whims and fancies of our patriarchal society. The central character of this Pakistani prime time serial is a brave woman named Kiran standing up to her so called “Mijaazi Khuda” (husband) to fight for her rights. Instead of the usual victimised daughters-in-law, the character is one that many women will be able to relate to and perhaps find hope or salvation in, knowing that it is alright to stand up against domestic abuse. However in the last two episodes, the play took a dramatic turn towards the usual clichéd Cinderella-finds-her-happy-ending route. The character, who stubbornly demanded a divorce from her abusive husband, has finally decided to remarry. She remarries her cousin, Adnan, who has been smitten by her since the beginning of the serial. The average abused Pakistani woman, who was until now, weaving dreams for a better future after leaving her husband, finally finds herself without a thread to hold onto. The unfortunate wife, who is mentally and physically tortured every day, knows that if she decides to leave her husband again, she might not find another cousin waiting for her. She will either live the life of an outcast being brandished with the tag of a “Talaaq-e-Aafta” (divorcee) forever or she will have to marry a man twice her age and look after his grown up children. Such possibilities are also hinted in one of the previous episodes, when the matchmaker brings the proposal of a man twice Kiran’s age with children of his own. Instead of showing her relying on the support of a man to get back on her feet, the play should have focused on the struggles and problems faced by Kiran and how she manages to get through all of them unscathed. This would have rekindled hope in the hearts of women, a hope that divorce is not the end of the world. If they are not content with their husband’s behaviour, they have a way out to a better life without such a man. Sadly, what this play depicts is that a divorced woman is considered a pariah in our society. She is continuously taunted with sentences like:

“Is hi ki ghalti thi. Aurat chahay to apna ghar bana lay ya bigaar lay. Shadi to naam hi compromise ka hay. Pata nahin kiya kiya bardassht karna parta hay or is maharani ko dekho, ghar wapis a ker beth gayi” (It was her fault. If a woman wills, she can either make her home or break it. Marriage is also called compromise. A woman has the patience to bare various hurdles and look at this princess, she has come back to sit at home)

In our country, there are hardly any options for a divorced woman to remarry, even if she is as young as the men because men think it is below their honour to marry a divorcee. The bitter truth being that the only men willing to marry these divorcees are those who are old widowers with married children or men with other agendas on their minds like money, dowry or business, especially if the girl belongs to a rich family. I have a friend from a wealthy family, who went abroad after marriage. It turned out that her husband had psychological problems and her in-laws had not been honest with her. As a result, she got divorced within three months, at the young age of 24. It’s been four years since then and now she is a doctor, yet nobody is willing to marry her. Our society is so rigid about divorced women that even the ones who are separated after a nikkah without a rukhsati for whatever reason, are unable to find good proposals. A daughter of my father’s friend had to nullify the nikkah when the boys’ family started making unnecessary demands of them. The family filed for a divorce but the girl was unable to find a proposal for the next two years. She finally got married and had to settle for a boy who, not only was less educated than her but did not even have a proper job. She herself is an engineer. This is why Kankar is poles apart from the truth. In real life, even Adnan would have had second thoughts about marrying Kiran, yet everything is offered to Kiran on a silver platter. This play also emphasises the patriarchal mindset; a woman can only find happiness if she is able to find a man who loves her. It’s high time our plays started depicting reality instead of making our women believe in fairy tales.

The first slap is the worst – red, hot searing pain across the face. But what sears through is more than a slap. Something breaks inside. A feeling of helplessness, vulnerability and a shattered sense of self-worth takes over which is why, a woman’s first reflex reaction is always disbelief; shock. It is an instant realisation of the painful reality that she will never forget that moment. That she will never be able to unlearn this blow. Sanam Baloch depicted a battered woman’s experience beautifully in the recent Hum TV serial Kankar which ended on December 6, 2013. The serial, with its protagonist ‘Kiran’ being a woman who chooses ‘honour’ over a damaging and abusive marriage, seems to have hit a raw nerve with people. Its popularity lies in the fact that this play has managed to raise some important questions. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] Sanam Baloch, who plays the role of Kiran in Kankar. Photo: Kankar Official Facebook Page[/caption] With more and more research unearthing the fact that many Pakistani women get beaten in urban cities and a lot of them are educated women – it is not surprising then that a debate has ensued because of this play. I encountered a sample of that debate on my Facebook wall, at dinners and with close friends. It was fascinating to me that Kiran’s character is that of a lower middle-class girl. The abusive but handsome and rich husband (played by Fahad Mustafa) claims to ‘love’ her and so is her ticket to a better, more affluent life. In reality, a lot of urban and affluent women stay in abusive marriages, even suffering domestic violence, to maintain the social status and a standard of living. But Kiran chooses to leave all of that behind. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] Fahad Mustafa, who plays the role of Sikander in Kankar. Photo: Kankar Official Facebook Page[/caption] She remarries a man who takes her around on a motorbike and she is busy with household chores all day. She leaves behind a life of luxury, simply because this man will potentially respect her more. Mind you, she doesn’t leave Mr ‘I-love-you-means-I-can-beat-you’ right away. She gives him warnings and chances. It is after she miscarries when he hits her that she realises she has had enough. But the responses I got to the question ‘did she do the right thing’ were a mix of encouraging and disturbing. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="450"] Cast of Kanker. Photo: Kanker Official Facebook Page[/caption] One friend said,

“Life is not a bed of roses; you have to compromise at some point. No one gets a perfect life, so one should see the positives and then decide.”

This response made me think. Compromise is a good thing, but one can only compromise so much. And is it ok to compromise on things as serious as getting beaten up without reason? This was the view of another friend, a male, and I just listened, at a loss for words.

“But the reason she was beaten up was because she was a very headstrong woman! She argued too much. Women who don’t learn to keep quiet end up suffering. See, in this serial, he is fine with his second wife because she doesn’t argue.”

Arguing to legitimise a beating? The logic somehow escaped me. However, as it turned out, in the next episode once the initial phase of the guy’s second marriage was over, he meted out the same treatment to his second wife. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"]

Photo: Kanker Official Facebook Page[/caption] As expected, Kiran was stigmatised by society and even discouraged by her sister and parents to take a divorce. But here’s the catch: To her, her ‘izzat’ (honour) is more important than just her ‘ghar’ (home). Thus, the play shows a paradigm shift. It shows that for this strong woman, honour in fact lies in NOT accepting abuses, demeaning behaviour and violence. That to her, izzat is not in staying in a marriage which has her known as Mrs Someone socially but also has her reminded of her poor family and slapped when in the privacy of her bedroom. A friend agreed when she commented,

“It’s about whether we give more importance to money or izzat. If you give someone loads of money but no respect, is that a happy compromise?”

To this friend, it was a no brainer that Kiran did the right thing. To others, it was not. One reason women stay on in such marriages is the often unrealistic hope that the person will change.

“You cannot change a person (completely). Many a women have wasted their lives in the hope… [while] a vicious cycle of abuse which only gets worse. And children brought up in this environment are more prone to psychological scarring,” said one friend on Facebook.

But another felt, and not without solid reasons, that everyone deserves a chance, and with counselling and effort, many couples are able to break the vicious cycle of abuse. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"]

Kiran and Sikander as played by Sanam Baloch and Fahad Mustafa in Kanker. Photo: Kanker Official Facebook Page[/caption] An interesting dynamic, as a young friend pointed out, was how this strategy of ‘controlling’ a woman via abuse is passed on like a family heirloom for generations.

“Kankar makes for such an engrossing watch because of the complexities of each character. Sikander is the product of an abusive relationship and classical conditioning plays an important role in his upbringing; if the wife argues or says anything that might remotely resemble anything as having an opinion, give her a good whack. Whereas Kiran is the quintessential headstrong girl of our times –somebody who knows her rights and does not shy away from demanding them. She is not willing to be treated as a doormat, and rightly so,” she concluded.

This friend rightly pointed out that the serial also shows the dichotomy between the earlier generation(s) and ours. Sikander’s mother didn’t think her self-esteem was at stake when she was physically abused by his father, because she lived a life in which complacent acceptance of her secondary position and denial that this is a serious issue is a norm. Perhaps women today are more open to the idea of ending a relationship on grounds of self-respect. Perhaps the best and most succinct comment came from a man, who believed that,

“Violence inflicted on a spouse (in particular) is never justified, unless it’s in self-defence or to protect another.”

[embed width="620"]http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x17ywfg_kankar-last-episode-25-hd-promo-hum-tv-6-december-2013_shortfilms[/embed] This might be an especially good time to re-examine the debate that Kankar has managed to trigger. On the Human Rights Day that falls on December 10, 2013, a 16 day global campaign ends. This campaign started on November 25, 2013 which is the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women. Relationships are sacred. But a person’s honour is even more so, may it be a male or a female. How we choose to protect our honour on the crossroads of life depends on many factors. In the climax of the serial, one woman chooses to leave an abusive relationship, though she loves the man. The other woman chooses not to because she does not find in herself the strength to do it. It is not about who made a better choice, but about the fact that one must make careful and informed choices. It is time our society accepted that Pakistan has a growing number of women who will make the tougher choice. If some of us do not have the strength to do that, we should at least support those who do.

The troubled image of modern Pakistani women conjured up by Pakistani dramas is extremely distorted and single dimensional. Stories, it is said, are a subtle yet are the most influential way of documenting the social evolution of a society. The story of a woman sells but the modern media has gone one step ahead by proving that the story of a woman being abused, tortured, beaten and humiliated sells faster. The massive projection of domestic and women related violence might appear as an attempt to serve the cause but a closer look will reveal an entirely different and gross story. The disturbing image of woman being pushed, slapped, bad mouthed (mostly by close family) constantly overwhelms the TV screen. No matter how fast you switch channels, it is impossible to escape the harrowing images. Domestic violence is a highly sensitive area and must be advocated in subtle and meaningful ways. If mishandled – the way it is on our dramas – it could create an impact far more unsettling than sexually explicit content. Such disturbing content must appear with prior warnings to avoid the uneasy situation in a family living room. When children see family settings in a drama they instantly relate it to their own family and when it turns violent it certainly creates unfathomable effects of insecurity and fear in their subconscious. The sight of explicitly treated domestic violence creates embarrassing situation among the family as well. Just to quote an example, Hum Tv’s Kisay Apna Kahen shows the character Iqra cutting her wrist and soaking in blood over little skirmish in the house. [embed width="620"]http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x19tfia_kisay-apna-kahen-ost-hum-tv-drama_shortfilms[/embed] What kind of message are we sending across to the young girls especially with newspaper already filled of such news? Somewhere, this over projection is making the idea of domestic violence socially acceptable as the constant exposure can make the society immune to it and further reiterate the patriarchal system. It is lethal for an audience already overdosed on terrorism and violence. Projection of reality is one thing but the exploitation of domestic abuse to gain ratings is inhumane. Special care is being taken to make these sensational visuals part of the advertisement, which makes it even more unnerving. Geo Tv’s drama serial Bewafae’s ad shows the husband slapping and abusing his wife. The popular Turkish drama serial Feriha’s ad has the protagonist beaten by her father, brother and then by her husband. The drama has much more to it, like the ambition of a girl to do something better with her life, but these visuals are specially chosen to grab viewers’ attention. [embed width="620"]http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xznoub_bewafai-by-geo-tv-13th-may-2013-episode-1_people[/embed] The women in our contemporary dramas are objectified and the only purpose they serve is to win a man’s heart. The conflict is just one: how she could win this man and rest of the plot sails on her manoeuvres in this ordeal. It trivialises inter-woman relationship by pitting one woman against the other and that too for the sake of a man. [embed width="620"]http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x17tpyz_ary-digital-shukk-episode-7-promo-drama-30-november-2013_shortfilms[/embed] ARY’s Shukk spins the same formula by making the hero ending up with two wives and both of them are clinging to the man, unwilling to let go, as if it is impossible for them to survive on their own. ARY’s Kabhi Kabhi Pyar May starts with an independent, strong headed heroine Eshal but after being divorced by the love of her life, she tries to find refuge with another man. [embed width="620"]http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x168avo_title-song-hd-kabhi-kabhi-ost-ary-digital-drama-2013_music[/embed] There are no dilemmas, self-discovery and development of the female characters. The female leads are no more interesting, inspiring and awe worthy like they used to be; in fact, they have become repetitive, mindless, muted, predictable and flat. The degeneration reminds me of strong female leads we used to have. I remember Shahnaz of Alpha Bravo Charlie, she chose Gul Sher over his stronger friends and his death led her to a profound road of self-discovery, instead of marrying one of the other friends. Zara of Tanhaiyan, turned an entrepreneur after her parents death and took care of her sister without looking for any fancy shortcuts. The character of Nazli in Dhuwan avenges her lover’s death independently, instead of sulking in the Bechari-syndrome. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] Nazli of Dhuaan (L), Shahnaz of Alpha Bravo Charlie (C) and Zara of Tanhayan (R)[/caption] We are psyched into believing that the violence is fed to us on our demand but the reality is, like a curse, the degeneration of society has seeped into our dramas. Drama industry is cocooned into the safe zone and not ready to venture out and experiment. We are living in the exciting times of Sharmeen Obaid Chinoy, Samina Baig and Malala Yousafzai, so let them shine in our stories. Trust me, their stories will sell too.

I started this year with a blast, quite literally, and to date, this city has taken more lives than you and I could have expected. Being an average student trying to live an average life, I have been told to reach home ‘foran’ (immediately) innumerable times and have seen my siblings dance over missing school or exams due to unforeseen circumstances. This city has become no less than a war zone and those who just thought ‘yeh kya bakwas hai’ (what is this crap) to themselves are seriously delusional. In these past few months, I saw a leader being arrested, witnessed an acquaintance get shot in the head and heard about countless snatchings with statuses like,

“Got mugged, don’t text or call.”

I was told that people from Karachi get immune to the sound of bullets and wails of dying people. Truth is, no we don’t. We just take out a few moments to grieve silently and then bury ourselves into a deeper hole of helplessness, convincing ourselves that everything will be okay. We are stuck to the TV screen for hours, watching the wrecked state of this city and its people, and then later just forgetting about it like it never happened. While deep inside, my accusing fingers are secretly pointing at our good-for-nothing leaders; I can’t help but wonder that there is more to Karachi than what we spit our blames at. There is love. Hard to admit, but yes it exists. It’s in the scent of Sea View that most of us scorn and twitch our noses. However, for the rest of the Karachiites, love is sitting on the rocks or having unbalanced camel rides, clutching tightly onto each other’s waists. It’s in that black sand and ice cold water that touches the feet and soothes the fear of being out in the open unprotected, under the naked sky of this ‘fearful’ city. It may not be in the foreign television shows or behind the overly dramatic eyes of ‘Hum TV ke actors’. Instead, it’s behind the grieve-stricken eyes of the brother who cries over his sister’s ‘jahez’ (dowry). It is hidden under the sweat of the middle class man who takes out his rickshaw every day to stand in the CNG line so that he can get his kids to school the next day – a voiceless cry for their educated future. Love is behind those bun kebabs full of unhygienic deliciousness. And in the streets of Dhoraji where one cup of gola ganda and two straws can define us, something that nobody in any other part of the world could ever understand. It’s behind buying your wife or ‘bachi’ a gajra while embracing the scent. And only we understand the intimacy of the nakaab wali aunty, tugging comfortably onto her moochay walay husband on a motorbike. It lies within a man sitting in a Corolla or City, determined to buy ‘motiya ke phool’ in preferably, or most definitely ‘20 rupay ke chaar’. Love is the overly-loaded bikes of Karachi men of all ages; their silencers screaming out their excitement from behind their rides. It lies in the woofers of the guy blasting ‘Bewafa’ in his car. When you know that love for him may take a little longer to find. It’s in the lost eyes of the old man who sits on his balcony from afternoon to dusk, listening to ghazals on his radio and waves at every child who passes by. And in that moment you realise that he knows more about love than you ever will. It’s in the smile of the mother who finally realises that she has parented her children to be models of not perfection, but good human beings; simple, loving, caring humans. It’s behind the eyes of grandparents simply awing their generation with tear-filled eyes, blowing Ayat ul Kursi and feeling wondrous but old and nostalgic at the same time. You see it in the air of the magical hand that pushes the Ferris wheels parked at the corner of the streets of some unknown locality. Or in the delighted screams of the barefoot children dressed in shalwar kameez running around muddy streets like it’s the most exciting thing ever. We witness it amongst the late night baraats and after a week of tiring mehndi dance practices. Or just chilling at one of the hundred cafes located on Khayaban -e- Sehr! Sheesha or Bundu Khan, ‘meetha’ or ‘saada’ khushbu wala paan, love is in our food. It’s behind the eyes of the old bhutta wala after school hours or the sabzi wala when the scorching heat does not deter him from making his ends meet. It’s in the smile of the rider when you tip him for home delivery, or in the smell of the freshly baked naan that two children share in the car even before it reaches the dining table. Love is carved amongst the ‘sher- o-shairi’ behind buses and trucks. Or the bright blues, reds and yellows behind the loud and gurgling rickshaws waggling on the busy streets. It’s in the joy of bargaining for a pair of jeans at Sunday Bazaar, or merely in the satisfaction of watching a late night movie show and conveniently spending your pocket money on it. But love does exist. It exists in the mere air of this city. Love is waking up in the morning after a riot because you know it is routine and that you cannot give up. Not now, because this is not about you. It’s about everyone associated to you, who are dependent on you. It is realising that this is what survival looks like. Not for yourself but for them. It’s messy, incomplete and heavy on the hearts of those living here. But it’s there. If one Pakistan versus India cricket match can unite the whole city into loud chants of team green, I can proudly say that love exists in this patriotism we have buried within us. You, as an individual, are more than just a green passport. You are Pakistani. And one that has to survive these conditions. No storm lasts forever. So believe in yourself and make the change. For all I can say is that the only determination I know is a flashback of the sights you all have witnessed living here. This is your home. Don’t let it slip off your judgments and hopelessness. Not so soon. You were born to conquer, to fight. And Pakistan was born to prosper; one city at a time, wanting nothing from its people but the satisfaction of being loved back. This post originally appeared here.

The screen came to light and the hall in Taj Hotel, New Delhi, was suddenly filled with loud echoes of applause. Sitting in a corner, I also participated in the emotional event, clapped with all my heart and tried to gather all the thoughts going through my head. I couldn’t believe that such a great step was being taken during my lifetime. Team members of the Zee Zindagi channel and Imran Abbas, a Pakistani actor, accompanied by Sultana Siddiqui, a Pakistani director, were attending a video conference with a gathering of bloggers from Delhi. Imran was in Mumbai and he spoke to bloggers and Indian media-related people alike from there with regards to the new Indian channel that was featuring Pakistani dramas. The conversation was a rare one. Not many people get a chance to talk to actors from the other side of our border. Zindagi is an effort to promote harmony and further the peace initiative between Pakistan and India and everyone in that room felt extremely excited about this. Being someone who is associated with many different initiatives for Indo-Pak friendship, this was an extremely powerful moment for me. While I was very happy that this step had taken place, I was also keen to observe how Imran would communicate with the people, how he would phrase his words for peace and how it would impact the audience. This was, after all, an important moment in history. I needed to see how the Pakistani side was going to introduce this step. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="596"] Photo: Ravi Nitesh[/caption] Once the conversation began, I must say, I was not disappointed. Imran sounded like a professional at work. One could sense his determination as he stated that,

“We remember the first person who went to the moon. Firsts are always remembered. And hence I did not want to lose the opportunity of being the first Pakistani actor who represented Pakistan on Indian television through Indian broadcasters.”

He added that he took this step despite the fact that his friends had discouraged him. They told him that since he already had a good viewership in Pakistan, he didn’t need to be part of the Indian television industry but Imran didn’t listen to them and followed his passion instead. With this response I felt an instant liking for this man. Not only did this show that the young actor was determined, but that he also had a vision and the courage to advance progressive steps. Imran attempted to shatter misconceptions of the “us” and “them” dichotomy by highlighting the similarities between Indians and Pakistanis. People of both countries look just the same, both follow largely the same culture and customs, and even though the languages aren’t similar, they are not hard to comprehend for people from either side of the border. He discussed how art and culture had always transcended boundaries in India and Pakistan’s case, and how actors from both countries had worked on either side and have been appreciated. And I completely agree with what he had to say. There is more to the Indo-Pak relations than just tensed connections. We, as a people, are largely the same. Imran’s effort was further fortified when he chose to sing, after insistence from Zindagi team members and bloggers alike, the famous Veer Zaara song,

“Wahi sham hai wahi savera… aisa desh hai mera... jaisa desh hai tera…” (The same night, the same day, my nation is the same as your nation)

This was reflective of how similar the nations were and connected him directly with the hearts of audience. I was deeply moved by his gesture and sincerity, and it was in this moment that tears struck my eyes and I truly become his fan. Not only is a great actor and a true artist, he is also an earnest human being. [embed width="620"]http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x1zyiat_zee-launches-zindagi-channel-with-pakistani-content_tv[/embed] What this effort highlighted was that relations don’t have to be so hostile and opinionated; it is nice to see how India is connecting itself with Pakistan. I am sure that such steps will help towards increased people-to-people relations and friendship between these two nations. Zindagi will help Indians understand the life of an average Pakistani and I am confident that after sometime, when the channel will have established an emotional connection with its audience, it will help Indians realise how their lives are the same as their Pakistani counterparts – like two sides of the same coin.

Mera Naam Yusuf Hai (MNYH) is the latest offering from the famous pen of Khalilur Rehman Qamar and A Plus – a channel which is fast making a name for itself against the top three rival drama channels Geo, ARY and Hum TV. MNYH’s first episode has all the ingredients of a typical love story: a chance meeting between two strangers on a train amongst a lot of ‘mohabbat-key-dushman’ type relatives, a male protagonist with little or no career prospects except his music and a female protagonist caught in the middle of a war with her parents, who are ready to marry her off to the nearest uninteresting relative as soon as possible. If this sounds familiar, you are not wrong; superficially, at least, this story seems to pick up a lot of elements from the writer’s previous works like Pyare Afzal and Sadqay Tumhare but, hopefully, as the story will unfold, we shall see more than just old wine in new bottles.

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Photo: Mera Naam Yousuf Hai Official Facebook Page[/caption] Director Mehreen Jabbar has taken a firm hand with this story, resolutely brushing off all the glitter and pixie dust and grounding it firmly in the day-to-day realities of normal people. This has given what might have been ‘a run of the mill melodrama’ a fresh, young and dynamic spin – something we have not seen since her project Daam and it certainly makes up for the disappointment of Jackson Heights. She is the ideal director to take an edge off the emotionally overcharged predicaments the writer is famous for. The cool and calm shades of everyday life, depicted by the director of photography (DOP), Qasim Mureed Ali, may make the beautiful but sometimes extravagant dialogues more relatable for us ordinary mortals. In fact, this juxtaposition gives both the script and the scenes even more depth and meaning. This entire episode was a delight to watch, avoiding the usual, narrow look of such dramas without sacrificing the intimacy required for such a story. Add to this the rise and fall of, at times wistful, at times powerful, OST sung by Rizwan Anwar and Saad Sultan, and the stage is set for all the twists and turns of fate required for star-crossed lovers. [fbvideo link="https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=859646067410893&set=vb.859554427420057&type=2&theater"][/fbvideo] Just like history has told us before, perhaps the writer is aiming at recreating the story of Yusuf and Zulekha. The fact that Yusuf glances up when he hears Zulekha’s name, to look at the girl he has just met, hints at that. As Yusuf, Imran Abbas does not disappoint on any level. Burdened with good looks, charm and intelligence, we don’t often want to credit actors like him with actual acting abilities as well. In MNYH, we see the talented actor of Mera Naseeb, Dil-e-Muzter and Khuda aur Mohabbat making wonders again. By downplaying Abbas’s undoubtedly amazing looks and presenting him as a scruffy, lower-middle income group, boy-next-door type character, this drama has allowed his performance to take centre-stage while he lends this simple story some of his undeniable (film) star presence. Abbas makes for a very enigmatic Yusuf, very unlike Afzal (Rahman’s recent super hit creation). He is a quiet, sensitive, an almost reticent sort who forces his friend to ask a lot of questions before he can tease out the details of the meeting with Zulekha. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"]

Photo: Mera Naam Yousuf Hai Official Facebook Page[/caption] I have always been a great fan of Rahman’s female characters; they are always very strong-willed and independent, very different from the weeping victims we are told constitute Pakistani womanhood in many television dramas. Zulekha’s mother, the fabulous Afia, is played to perfection by the no less fabulous Hina Bayat. Afia is so magnificently fearless that she refuses to visit her sister-in-law because she lied and tricked Afia into marrying Zulekha’s dry, domineering, maulvi of a father and is not afraid of challenging her husband at any point. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"]

Photo: Mera Naam Yousuf Hai Official Facebook Page[/caption] With a mother like that, how can her daughter be any less fascinating? Zulekha is played with authenticity and charm by Maya Ali. Maya has become the go-to actress for many premium projects after her memorable roles in Aunn Zara and Aik Nayee Cinderella. She is a competent actress who can deliver a great performance with a strong director. My only worry is that she may mangle some of the dialogues – as was evident from the promos. Having said that, she is pretty and manages to look good with Abbas, which is not an easy feat as his strong screen presence usually requires an equal opposite him, someone like Sanam Saeed or Humaima Malik.

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Photo: Mera Naam Yousuf Hai Official Facebook Page[/caption] The essential charm of this story is its utter simplicity combined with aspiration for something more in life than just the expected. The hope that even when we live lives that are less than ordinary, perhaps we too can have a chance at something as wonderful and genuine as true love. From the first episode, at least, MNYH has raised great expectations as an entertaining and well-crafted serial that should be on everyone’s watch list. Hopefully, it will manage to avoid the two pitfalls of many highly anticipated serials: stretching episodes beyond the story’s limits and a director afraid of doing their job by effectively translating the writer’s work on screen instead of just filming the story that is written. Jabbar is, by reputation, a fearless director and I hope that A Plus can balance commercial concerns with aesthetic ones, making this a product viable in both ways.

Bin Roye’s premiere was held at Nueplex Cinema yesterday and the entire setup was done up beautifully with motiyas (jasmine) used as a pretty backdrop. It was a star studded night, boasting of celebrities from the star cast of Bin Roye – Mahira Khan, Humayun Saeed and Armeena Khan along with Behroz Sabzwari, Shehroz Sabzwari and Syra Shehroz who were there to support Javed Shaikh. Bushra Ansari, Imran Abbas, and Angelina Malik also dropped by to show support for the cast and the movie. [embed width="620"]http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x2m7gyq[/embed] Mahira plays the lead role as Saba, while Humayun plays the role of her cousin Irtiza. Javed Shaikh and Zeba Bakhtiar are casted as Mahira’s parents while Armeena is playing Saman, Mahira’s sister. Here are five reasons why I think you should watch Bin Roye: 1. Mahira Khan [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] Photo: Facebook page[/caption] If you have missed Mahira post-Humsafar, then you’ll surely love this movie. A huge chunk of the movie is focused on Mahira who is projected as an extremely happy and love struck individual. 2. Breath-taking locations and scenic views [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] Photo: Facebook page[/caption] [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] Photo: Facebook page[/caption] From what I have heard, a major part of the movie was shot in Karachi while some of the scenes were also shot in San Francisco. So if you are romantic soul in search of wanderlust, you’d love the movie for the locations and the mesmerising views. 3. Balle Balle is the new London Thumukda [embed width="620"]http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x2twdft[/embed] Okay, I know this may come off as a bit exaggerated, but the songs were pretty good. Balle balle stole the show for me, While Maula Maula came in second, because Abida Parveen. Enough said! 4. Support #PakistaniCinema Let’s be honest, we all want our entertainment industry to grow and flourish. Since the past two years, Pakistan has witnessed a changing trend in the movie industry. Due to the inception of Khuda Ke Liye, we have been gifted with a new era which will definitely bring the doomed film industry back on its feet. So if you’re not a fan of either of the stars casted, I’d still urge you to go and watch the movie because we should support Pakistani cinema. 5. Upcoming drama series Some of you may already know that Bin Roye is the movie adaptation of Farhat Ishtiaq’s novel, Bin Roye Aansoo. So if you’re an avid reader and prefer books over movies and also end up watching movie adaptations of your favourite books, then you should get yourself a ticket. Also, did I mention that HUM TV is soon going to produce a drama series on the same novel? Yes. You read that right. Apart from the locations, what I loved most about the movie, were the clothes. The designers in charge for the clothes are Sania Maskatiya, Feeha Jamshed, Elan, Deepak Perwani, Jazib Qamar, Labels and Bonanza. There are a few things which you’ll notice while watching the movie. Bin Roye, like any other movie, comes with loopholes and imperfections. So here are five reasons not to watch the Lollywood flick: 1. The storyline was abrupt We all know how difficult it is to do justice to the books, but here we are facing a totally different story. There was a lack of synchronisation in the scenes and everything was abrupt. I like my mango shake and my movies quite blended. 2. The first half of the movie is extremely confusing [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] Photo: Facebook page[/caption] Everyone will be confused in the first half of the movie. Fifty minutes into the movie and you’d still be watching Mahira going gaga over her cousin, Irtiza, who she’s in love with. 3. No clarity [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] Photo: Facebook page[/caption] Humayun is no doubt a brilliant actor and I believe he should have been given more screen presence throughout the movie. Also, Humayun goes abroad for two years and it’s still not clear why he actually went there. ‘It’s good for his career’, is all he said in the movie. No other explanation was given as to why he went abroad. Was it a job offer, did you have to go for studies? What exactly did you go there for? 4. Lack of character development A little more detail and focus on the characters would have helped in a proper character development. Supporting casts were also given very few dialogues. Oh and who was the guy who accompanied Irtiza to and back from the airport? Still unknown. 5. First half was slow [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] Photo: Facebook page[/caption] The first half of the movie was a little slow. However, the second half of the movie managed to pull up the pace and while some scenes were shot brilliantly, some were hazy. If I had to rate Bin Roye in each department, it would be, Music: Four out of five Eye candy: Four out of five Direction: Three out of five Overall: Three out of five If you are looking to take your family out on Eid, this movie could be one of the options. If you have watched the movie or planning to watch it, do share your feedback. This post originally appeared here.

Over the past few years, the media has emerged as an extremely powerful force in Pakistan. With the evolution of freedom of media and the revival of cinema, I personally feel Pakistan has upped their game in this particular industry. [embed width="620"]http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x2jkkpf_diyar-e-dil-promo_fun[/embed] People worldwide may beg to differ, especially after having watched Homeland and Zero Dark Thirty. Due to the broadcasting of such shows and movies, one naturally thinks Pakistan is a backward feudal and extremist country, harbouring terrorists and a place where women are not respected by their male counterparts. Living abroad, it hurts me to see how the international media portrays my country. Yes, Pakistan does have its fair share of problems, but my country still boasts of great things such as family values, age-old traditions and scenic beauty. The famous drama, Diyar-e-Dil, a Hum TV production, portrays Pakistan from a realistic point of view. The story highlights the honour and obedience one practises towards their parents as well as the importance of family and the age-old eastern culture of close knit families. The drama is set in Khaplu Palace, Gilgit. Nestled between the mountains and meadows, the backdrop is picturesque and shows that Pakistan has so much unexplored beauty. Farhat Ishtiaq’s powerful story shows us the real jageedar (landlord) of Pakistan. One of the main characters in the show, Agha Jaan, his role is played wonderfully by Abid Ali. He is a hard working landlord, who has worked his way up the ladder of success. I feel that Agha Jaan is a truly inspirational character because he respects the women of his family, treats his workers with respect and has great family values. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="414"] Photo: Diyar-e-Dil Facebook page[/caption] The cast of the drama is strong and the acting definitely makes the serial worth a watch. With names such as Maya Ali (Faarah Wali Khan), Osman Khalid Butt (Wali Suhaib Khan), Hareem Farooq (Arjumand Suhaib Khan), Sanam Saeed (Ruhina Behroze Khan), Mikaal Zulfiqar (Behroze Bakhtiyar Khan), Ali Rehman Khan (Suhaib Bakthiyar Khan) and Ahmad Zeb (Moeez Tajamul), one can expect nothing less than brilliant acting. Farhat Ishtiaq has managed to give each of her characters the luxury of telling their own story in their own way. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] Photo: Diyar-e-Dil Facebook page[/caption] Apart from traditional values, Diyar-e-Dil is also a story about male bonding. It highlights the male bonding between Agha jaan and his sons, Behroze and Shoaib. Through this aspect of the drama, she also unfolds the phenomenon of bachpan ki mangni (early engagements). The older son, Behroze, refuses to marry the girl his father has picked for him, whereas the younger son honours his father’s wishes by marrying the girl his father chooses for him. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="384"] Photo: Diyar-e-Dil Facebook page[/caption] The drama focuses on the extent of authority displayed by parents and brings forth defiance prevalent in the youth of today. Sometimes children hold on to this stubbornness, and when they finally let go off it, it is too late. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] Photo: Diyar-e-Dil Facebook page[/caption] What I like most about Diyar-e-Dil is that it sends out a strong message about how bonds between parents and children should not, and cannot be, broken due to ego issues. This revered bond is not only shared between parents and children, but also between grandparents and grandchildren, a value missing in the Western culture. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] Photo: Diyar-e-Dil Facebook page[/caption] Men such as the old and frail Agha Jaan, and the very compassionate and just Wali, are the pride of Pakistani society. They not only ride horses and enjoy their wealth but also give equal respect to their subordinates and the women in their lives. Their female family members are their izzat (respect) who they protect; they encourage them to have their own thoughts, to live their own life and do not, in any way, treat them as their property. The drama shows how women are not treated like dirt in our society. Yes, they do don a dupatta on their heads in this drama, but it’s not the stereotypical portrayal of a woman. The females are seen acquiring education as well and becoming independent. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] Photo: Diyar-e-Dil Facebook page[/caption] While the story dies down towards the last few episodes, Wali and Faraah, Agha Jaan’s grand children, emerge as extremely strong people. Wali, as the caretaker of his tribe, has been taught to respect his elders even if they show anger towards him. Faraah, the female lead, portrays admirable traits such as perseverance and the courage to apologise. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="590"] Photo: Diyar-e-Dil Facebook page[/caption] It is easy to get angry and to show anger towards others but it is difficult to mend the shattered pieces of a broken relationship. To ask for forgiveness from others may be hard, but it also is a source of comfort once it is done. This is what Wali sets out to do - put an end to the age-old dispute between his parents and grandparents. The drama hits close to reality and proves that truth always prevails. I want to thank the team of Diyar-e-Dil for bringing to life the story of a typical Pakistani tribal family and for highlighting their real traditions. This is a refreshing change, especially after reading about bombs, bullets and people dying in the northern areas. Diyar-e-Dil is a must watch for every Pakistani.

On November 19, 2015, Nabila’s official Facebook page shared a “make over” picture showing the beauty transformation of a girl after using Nabila’s new ‘No Makeup Palette’. The picture was taken in HUM TV’s morning show. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="549"] Photo: Facebook/NABILA'S[/caption] The picture was disturbing on so many levels. The most prominent and applauded transformation was of the girl’s complexion. She went from a dark and dusky hue to absolutely fair and bright. The concept of the ‘no makeup look’ is a popular trend around the world. The quintessential purpose of this trend is to give the skin an even look without overdoing it. It should make you look ‘naturally good’. Nabila’s makeover conflicted with the basic purpose of the ‘no makeup’ concept. The finished look was far from ‘natural’. The girl looked like she had been whitewashed. As I was going through the comments, I was absolutely appalled at how people were appreciative of the girl’s makeup. Everyone wanted to try the new makeup palette to acquire the same ‘fair’ complexion. Some cynics, like myself, were sure that the picture was photoshopped, but most of the followers of Nabila’s Facebook page were in awe of it. One comment, which particularly shocked me, said,

“Nabila apa this product is too expensive for me but I am buying it because of your excellent experience”

I am huge fan of Nabila’s and have always admired her distinct and sophisticated style sense and beauty services. This “transformation”, however, certainly doesn’t belong to Nabila’s legacy. The saddest part is that the whole morning show presentation was culturally insensitive. Morning shows have a vast following. Women not only watch them but also foolhardily follow the advice shelled out by the morning show hosts and the guests. Instead of urging viewers to be confident in their own skin, the show’s hosts are glorifying beauty standards that are unreal. The purpose of the ‘No Makeup Palette’ should be to make every skin tone appear healthy and fresh. You cannot restrict the idea of beauty to a single skin tone. It would be a hideous injustice to all the diverse beauty forms that exist. What these ‘makeovers’ and morning shows are essentially doing is promoting the idea that dark skin is not the beauty standard to aspire to; you have to be fair to be beautiful. We welcome our indigenous makeup productions and the endeavours of our makeup artists but with great power comes great responsibility. It is their responsibility to promote local beauty and positively affect the standards set by the beauty industry.

Mannu: “Amma, amma. Please mujhay jaaney dain. Main unkay baghair marr jaun gee. Main nahin reh paaun gee. Please mujhay jaaney dain.” (Mother, mother. Please let me go. I will die without him. I won’t be able to live. Please, let me go)

Dad: “ Jaaney do issaay.” (Let her go) Mom: “Yeh kya keh rahay hain aap?” (What are you saying?) Dad: “Jaaney do issaay!” (Let her go!)

Mannu runs towards her father who signals her to stop.

“‘Jao. Khari kyun ho? Raasta khula hai. Tumhain ab koi nahin rokay gaa.” (Go. Why are you standing? Your path is clear. Nobody will stop you.) Mannu: “Aisa na karain, abba. Aap tou mujhe bohat chaahtay hain na. Abba, aap mujhe bohat chaahtay hain na?” (Don’t do this, father. You do love me a lot. Father, you do love me a lot, don’t you?) Dad: “Haan lekin tum mujh se zyaada ussey chaahti ho. Main dekhna chaahta hoon k who tumhain qubool kertay hain ya nahin!” (Yes, but you love him more than you love me. I want to see if they will accept you or not.) “Tipu, darwaza khol do aur isko janay do” (Tipu, open the door and let her go.)

And... CUT! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I3AbDOadGn4 Our damsel in distress is faced with a major life crisis. She has to make a choice. The choice between her father’s honour and the oh-so-handsome tuition teacher she has fallen for. After a dramatic exchange of dialogues and hugs customary in our drama serials, Mannu (Maya Ali) our very naïve heroine makes the worst decision possible in that situation and runs after Salahuddin (Hamza Ali Abbasi), the prince charming of our story. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"]

Photo: Mann Mayal - Official Facebook Page[/caption] Tipu obediently escorts his sister to our protagonist’s house. Another series of supposedly heart-breaking dialogues ensues, which involves a lot of knocking and not opening of doors and rejection. You get the gist? This was the cliff-hanger of the latest episode of drama serial Mann Mayal and is all the rage among young, impressionable women nowadays. This show was highly anticipated given the excellent cast and a very melodious sound track crooned by Quratulain Baloch. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l_97WBum2iw Just three episodes in, I have to say that I, for one, am heavily disappointed. The director and producer chose to tell a story of a weak woman who falls in love with her neighbour/friend’s brother for no apparent reason. She then employs every cheap trick in the book to attract him and convinces him to ask her parents for her hand in marriage. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"]

Photo: Mann Mayal - Official Facebook Page[/caption] Our hero is so gullible, that he agrees to do just that, no questions asked. To top it all off, he falls in love with her too, instantaneously, of which he showed no signs earlier. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"]

Photo: Mann Mayal - Official Facebook Page[/caption] Love marriages are thought of as a taboo in Pakistan. It is a privilege of only the filthy rich to be in love and get married without any uproar caused by the immediate family, relatives or society. I always asked myself this question, why do our middle class parents shun love marriages? What is so wrong with two people knowing each other and happily deciding to spend their lives together? Now I have the answer. Our elders are not to be blamed, but we are. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"]

Photo: Mann Mayal - Official Facebook Page[/caption] We encourage the makers of television shows to make such vile drama serials by watching them. We tell our elders that this is what being in love is like. We tell them that we’ll happily run after guys who act aloof and pay us no attention because women always fall for jerks, don’t they? We lure guys into our houses on the pretext of them teaching us, and then we trap them in the vicious cycle of love. We are showing our parents that there is no honourable, adult way to go about this. We’re making things difficult for ourselves. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"]

Photo: Mann Mayal - Official Facebook Page[/caption] The rating of Mann Mayal has gone through the roof; young women are ardently watching the show and what’s sad is that they are even impressed and inspired by it! We are showing these girls that it’s okay to lust after our smoulderingly handsome teachers. It’s okay to hit upon any tough-looking guy who happens to cross our paths. Having said that, let me be very clear, love is an amazing thing to fall in, if done right. There is absolutely nothing wrong with falling in love, and that ending in marriage. But there is everything wrong with practically begging some guy to marry you, losing your self-esteem in the process, and not realising your self-worth and orchestrating a pitiable future for yourself. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"]

Photo: Mann Mayal - Official Facebook Page[/caption] We need more shows like Daam, Zindagi Gulzar Hai and Durr-e-Shehwar, portraying women as self-sufficient and harbingers of change. Powerful women, women who could be role models to the younger generation. Our television shows were known to be very content-rich and were used as a medium to educate society. Everyone, not only in Pakistani but across the border too, watched our television shows because they were that good. Our television had content. It had strong story lines. The directors and storytellers never failed to get the message across and recognised their social responsibility while providing family entertainment. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"]

Photo: Mann Mayal - Official Facebook Page[/caption] It breaks my heart to see the condition our entertainment media is in nowadays; it has become extremely commercialised and rating-oriented. This is how it works: Get a good cast, record a really good title track, throw in a pinch of dramatics and voila! You have the perfect recipe for a hit show. It’s high time our filmmakers re-evaluate themselves. They need to realise that they have a huge platform at their disposal. They play a pivotal role in shaping society. Whether we like it or not, our people do watch this content and take these shows very seriously. We need to bring back shows like Alpha Bravo Charlie, which showed strong women playing iconic roles which were commendable and praise worthy. We need more Shahnazs and less Mannus in our society. If we do not correct ourselves and speak up, then we are just damning ourselves to a very bleak future, a future where the woman has no role except child-bearing and being at the beck and call of her man 24/7. [poll id="431"]

Aksbandh, Lollywood’s first-of-a-kind horror movie, which has been inspired by the found-footage format in American supernatural horror movie series Paranormal Activity, hit cinemas on May 20, 2016. The movie, which is also similar to the Final Destination series, was made in partnership with Hum TV, Urdu1 and Express News, and has been directed by Emram Hussain and co-written by Ayaz Samoo. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vYzGKZFF7CE The story revolves around a group of amateur college-going film-makers who wish to make a movie of their own. To shoot their project, they decide to go to the Mangrove forests of Larkana (Sindh). The group starts its adventure in a frenzy of excitement. However, as they go further onto their expedition, their fervour begins to waver. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] Photo: Facebook[/caption] The movie starts with the main characters, Ayaan (Daniyal Afzal Khan), Saadia (Shehzeen Rahat), Alia (Mahrukh Rizvi), Raheel (Bilal Yousufzai), Shehzad (Saud Imtiaz) and Sunny (Ayaz Samoo), introducing themselves on camera. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] Photo: Screenshot[/caption] Ayaan and Saadia are the directors of the project; Alia and Raheel play their roles in scene one. A dog-tired comedy but reasonable wit also weaves its way through the ‘very horror’ (pun intended) film as Alia is asked,

“What kind of boys do you like?”

But Saadia comes to the rescue and saves her from being embarrassed. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"]

Photo: Screenshot[/caption] As the movie progresses, the plot solidifies as well. The suspense kicks in when Ayaan, the ‘director’, refuses to believe that there is a sinister supernatural presence in the area of their guest house. It’s only when he experiences some activity first-hand that he realises how wrong he was. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"]

Photo: Facebook[/caption] Ayaan is a violent bully and usually the first one to point fingers and label people as cowards. Despite being passionate about his so-called ‘dream’ project, he backs out. This is where the title of the movie Aksbandh or ‘inner reflection’ is realised. But I’ll leave the details for the viewers to find out. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"]

Photo: Facebook[/caption] The prowess of the director and producer of the film lies in their knack of enhancing the cinematic experience; producing a horror movie whilst retaining the element of believability is a truly commendable skill. The difference between filmic reality and role-play is depicted with a clarity that is remarkable. The film concludes with the director's script becoming a reality – submerging fiction with reel-reality, leaving the audience overwhelmed. The film did not emit the kind of response that was expected from the audience. Despite all efforts put into it, the movie was not received as expected. Some people found it to be ‘ridiculously funny’ while others said it was ‘far from being horror’. This could be because the horror genre has a niche following worldwide and Lollywood is still a newbie in the game. However, I feel our cinema has the potential to improve. Comparing it to Bollywood, where item songs, emphasis on good looks, absurdly skinny figures, ridiculously high standards of beauty, and vulgarity are the main focus, Pakistani cinema comes up with contemporary yet meaningful storylines. I strongly recommend this film to all those who enjoy a believable horror movie. A must watch it is!

Pakistan Electronic Media Regulation Authority – or PEMRA as we know it – is the body that aims to regulate and monitor content released in Pakistan on television and broadcasting networks. This is their mandate: 1. Improve the standards of information, education and entertainment; 2. Enlarge the choice available to the people of Pakistan in the media for news, current affairs, religious knowledge, art, culture, science, technology, economic development, social sector concerns, music, sports, drama and other subjects of public and national interest; 3. Facilitate the devolution of responsibility and power to the grass roots by improving the access of the people to mass media at the local and community level; 4. Ensure accountability, transparency and good governance by optimisation of the free flow of information. Here’s what the problem is: In the past year or so alone, PEMRA has managed to take fairly hare-brained decisions when it comes to issuing notices and banning programs. PEMRA’s inability speaks more about Pakistan’s institutions being weak in the face of religious fundamentalism and security establishment – rather than the regulation and standardisation of content in Pakistan. In a country where a cybercrime bill can have me arrested for this blog – it is a small wonder that PEMRA is issuing ridiculous show-cause notices to dramas like Udaari. Let me elaborate. In a country that suffers from a population explosion and a severe lack of awareness about reproductive health – PEMRA banned a condom ad. It is pertinent to mention that the percentage of HIV/AIDS in Pakistan is rising by 11%. In the rest of the world, where proactive measures about reproductive health (such as awareness campaigns and supply of hormonal and barrier contraceptives) are being taken – Pakistan’s statistics are abysmal. The best and the easiest way to educate the Pakistani man and woman are via television ads and entertainment based mediums. Yet PEMRA banned the condom ad. I hope it will also take responsibility when the rate of HIV/AIDS rises even more next year. In a country where child sexual abuse barely even has a separate and articulate clause under the Pakistan Penal Code, PEMRA issued a show-cause notice to Udaari, a Hum TV play that highlights such issues among others. Masterfully and realistically written, Udaari displayed the plight of a little girl who is sexually assualted by her stepfather and everyone in Pakistan who clings to false notions of honour and respect went into panic mode. ‘How could they show such a thing?’ they asked. On TV? Oh the horror! Just a few months ago, a child abuse scandal in Kasur was unearthed. In 2016, it was said that almost ten cases of child abuse are recorded every day in Pakistan. Every day. Let that sink in. Funnily enough, credible ‘journalists’ and ‘experts’ get away with saying all kinds of nonsense on prime time television without any question placed on their intentions or show-cause notices at all. Frivolous example as it may be, Mr Arif Nizami went into lengthy details about Reham Khan’s divorce with her first husband on a TV program. What I can only call slander was kosher for many experts and for torch-bearers of family values – the same people who were highly offended when Udaari wanted to highlight the issues of child sexual abuse in a fictional manner. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jQCjGMGBTGE Similar patriots and religious rightists were also silent (or vehemently nodding their heads in agreement, rather) when a known religious figure was ranting absolutely pointlessly about a girl playing cricket. PEMRA found nothing wrong with his bizarre and fairly perverse way of objectifying a sportsperson. PEMRA also couldn’t find anything wrong with the same religious rightist calling to cull anyone who disagreed with him or his views – asking them to make their videos and share on social media so a mob could lynch them. [embed width="620"]http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x4hmnzo[/embed] Another religious figure was given plenty of airtime by the media who heads a blacklisted group that is deemed a terrorist set up by the State Department of the United States. I’m not sure about you guys, but I think this qualifies as putting your foreign policy in serious jeopardy. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C3LaI_OcoGI Actor Hamza Ali Abbasi was banned from hosting his Ramazan show when he wanted to ask a few controversial questions from religious scholars. A fairly grey decision, considering Abbasi was getting death threats from different factions of the religious right that he so often happily panders to himself – but it just goes to show you how upside down our sense of morality really is. And no mention of Ramazan transmission is complete without Aamir Liaquat. And PEMRA was probably thinking the same thing when Amir Liaquat was banned for three days for something as silly as making funny faces when someone was singing. I still find it strange that Aamir Liaquat has said far more inflammatory statements for which he has received neither notices nor bans – but was banned for making a funny face. That turned into a viral meme that entertained many on social media. Like most Pakistanis, I, too, am at a loss at the broad, broad spectrum of what PEMRA deems as worthy and unworthy. Slander against Reham Khan is okay. Objectifying women playing sports is okay. All kinds of ableism, body shaming, s***-shaming, sexist, racist, misogynist jokes on ‘current affairs’ programs are okay. But speaking out about sexual abuse is not. Waging jihad in Kashmir is okay. Asking about different sects of Muslims is not. Making fun of Taher Shah is okay. Forcing someone to eat mangoes is okay. Making a funny face is not. Misogynistic, abuse-glorifying dramas where women are told that their entire self-worth is based on who they marry are okay. A woman who decides to move out of an abusive marriage for the safety of her child is not. I’m confused, PEMRA is confused – perhaps Pakistan is confused. That is the only explanation I have for just how arbitrary and illogical PEMRA tends to be.

In Pakistan, there has always been a social stigma attached to discussing taboo social issues such as sexual abuse, child marriage, and marital rape. These are topics that we do not discuss, but are well-aware of its prevalence in the society. People just sweep these topics under the rug and refuse to come out of their bubble and face the reality. The media has now taken the initiative to highlight these issues openly despite the opposition from some segments of the audience. Sammi, the new offering by Hum TV, addresses another social issue called ‘vani’ which many of us are not aware of. Vani is a custom practiced in villages and tribal areas where girls have to pay the price for crimes committed by the men of the family. A girl from the family of the criminal is forced to marry a man from the victim’s family. The elders from the tribe call a jirga and proclaim the girl vani. This is not the first time a social issue has been addressed through the television drama medium. A similar offering by the same channel, Udaari, created waves last year when it addressed the bold social issue of child abuse. It faced a lot of controversies initially because of its content, but was eventually, highly applauded for its fearless stance. Sammi is depicted in a similar setting of a village where people follow old customs and traditions, and women are still treated as men’s property to be used for their benefit. The drama serial brilliantly portrays the hideous act of vani. Apart from vani, Sammi also highlights karo-kari or honour killing, which is again a prevalent evil in our society. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] Photo: Facebook.[/caption] Sammi also marks the comeback of Mawra Hocane who was last seen in the Indian production, Sanam Teri Kasam. It is produced under the banner of MD productions in association with the Centre for Communication Programs Pakistan and in collaboration with John Hopkins University. It is directed by the renowned actor and director Saifee Hassan and written by Noorul Huda Shah. Apart from Hocane, the stellar cast includes names such as Adnan Siddiqui, Sania Saeed, Seemi Raheel, Saman Ansari, Haris Waheeed, Rehan Sheikh, Madiha Rizvi, Irfan Khoosat, Nadia Afgan, Bilal Khan, and Ahad Raza Mir. During a recent press conference held in Karachi to promote Sammi, Hocane stated,

“We are a part of the privileged segment of society, and we tend to forget that there are many women in rural areas that are suffering.”

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"]

Photo: Facebook.[/caption] In the pilot episode of Sammi that aired last Sunday, we saw how Sammi who belongs to a small village was given as vani so that her brother Waqas (Haris Waheed) could be saved from punishment for murder. On the day of Sammi’s mehndi, hot-headed Waqas, protective about his sister, kills Pervaiz (Mirza Zain Baig), his brother-in-law to be, due to a heated argument over her haq mehr. As per the custom of vani, Sammi ends up suffering because of her brother’s so-called honour. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6f2QqTtQ97c One could feel Sammi’s helplessness and sympathise with her while she begged her parents and brother to save her, but to no avail. The pilot also depicted how the judicial system is weak in these villages and in matters as serious as murder, the decisions are taken by the village jirga. When Pervaiz’s father tries to go to the police to file a complaint, he gets stopped by the village chief who considers it as an insult for the village if the matter is taken to the police. The performance of all the actors has been good so far, and all of them fit into their role well. Some of them have adopted the punjabi accent well while others still require a lot of tweaking. It is also refreshing to see Adnan Siddiqui in a different role after a long time. He plays the role of the village chief’s brother, and would follow his command without even blinking an eye. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1TbZ-88YOhE Television has a broad range of audience and it is great to see that it is being used so effectively to convey the impact of these social issues to our society. The people of our country need to come out of their conservative mind-set, speak up and take a stand against such customs. Our society is still stuck in the “log kiya kahenge” (what will people say) mind-set, so much so that if a girl is raped tomorrow, the parents will be reluctant to file a complaint due to fear of tarnishing their reputation. If a transgender is born in the family, her parents either keep the gender identity a secret all their lives or give her away as soon as she is born. Furthermore, marital rape is not even considered taboo in our society by most people. According to them, if a girl gets married then her husband does not need consent to engage physically as he pleases. Same goes for child abuse. So it’s taboo to talk about it, but not when it comes to carrying out the act. Similarly, Udaari was banned due to its portrayal of child abuse as it was considered ‘offensive and sensitive’ for the audience. Let us hope that Sammi does not face any similar controversies in the upcoming days and gets a positive response from the audience.

The most recent episode of the on-going serial Sammi is all about how brilliantly Mawra Hocane and Sania Saeed have performed. Sammi, airing on Hum TV every Sunday, talks about the prevalent custom of vanni in Pakistan. According to Pakistan’s Penal Code, vanni is a custom that is outlawed and has a fine imposed along with imprisonment for anyone who practices it. However, the state organs are weak and vanni continues to be practised in many parts of Pakistan. Simply because the cultural practice has a stronghold in the country and the predominant jirga system has now been given constitutional cover. Through these dramas, however, one can hope that more and more parents start to value their daughters as much as they value their sons, if not more. Although the story is strong, the plot sometimes does lose its tempo. But Hocane and Saeed’s character portrayal brings it back on track. There is one particular scene where Sammi (Hocane) is seen guzzling food since she has been hungry for days. You can see the way Hocane completely loses herself in her character and that kind of acting gives you goosebumps. The sheer helplessness and abandonment that we see in her demeanour and her hunger is worth watching. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] Mawra Hocane
Photo: Facebook[/caption] Saeed plays the role of Chandni – a crude, curt woman who gives Sammi shelter once she escapes her village at the behest of Rashid (Adnan Siddiqui) – and it is a marvel how brilliantly Saeed becomes this flamboyant, loud woman. Her role is a stark contrast to her role in her other drama, Sang e Mar Mar, where she plays Shamim, the domesticated wife of a strong patriarch. She also played an urbane but quiet wife in Kitni Girhain Baqi Hain. We see three different shades of Saeed’s performance, and it shows just how talented she is. I, for one, am looking forward to the scenes between Saeed and Hocane. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] Sania Saeed
Photo: IMDb[/caption] Sammi is definitely worth your time, for its powerful message and strong performances should not be missed. Keep it on your Sunday prime time watch list.

For much of the 2018-19 season, Real Madrid’s campaign has been driven by pessimism and trepidation. From mediocre performances on the field to a lack of purpose off it, the Los Blancos found themselves entrenched in a diatribe with a swathe of negative opinions from fans and critics alike. But the return of the clubs’s favourite son Zinedine Zidane after his dignified exit nine months ago has cut through all the noise, at least for the time being. Zizou’s work is cut out for him as the rebuilding job at a club like Real Madrid, with extremely high expectations, won’t be an easy task by any stretch of the imagination. https://twitter.com/kevinchimuka/status/1113392173150502914 However, unlike towards the end of his last tenure, Zidane will have financial backing from the club. A report from The Independent claimed “Real Madrid president Florentino Perez has promised Zidane an expensive overhaul,” immediately after the Frenchman’s arrival. A few days later L’Equipe’s front page (titled Casino Royal) stated that: “Perez is ready to show faith in Zidane to turn the ship around by giving him a €500 million summer budget.” If Madrid are keen on spending heavily in the upcoming summer transfer window, they will have to do it wisely, bearing in mind their current expectations and without compromising future ambitions. Defence Real Madrid’s defence is, arguably, the least concerning aspect of their squad. Sergio Ramos and Raphael Varane might not have had the best of seasons, but they still form a formidable pairing in the centre of defence. But with Ramos aging and especially if Varane decides to leave, Madrid would need adequate replacements in order to beef up their backline options. Looking at the options, three names stand out in particular. These include Napoli’s Kalidou Koulibaly (27), Inter Milan’s Milan Skriniar (24) and Ajax’s Matthijs de Ligt (19). [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] Kalidou Koulibaly during the Serie A match between US Sassuolo and SSC Napoli at Mapei Stadium - Citta' del Tricolore on March 10, 2019 in Reggio nell'Emilia, Italy. Photo: Getty[/caption] All three have no obvious weaknesses and possess the ideal skill set expected from a defender (strength, positioning and ball playing skills), supplemented by the fact that they are young enough to be part of the club for a very long time. While Madrid would be happy to bring in any one of these players, Skriniar would be cheaper as compared to the other two, considering the absence of a release clause in his contract with Inter. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] Milan Skriniar of FC Internazionale competes for the ball with Danny da Costa of Eintracht Frankfurt during the UEFA Europa League Round of 16 Second Leg match between FC Internazionale and Eintracht Frankfurt at San Siro on March 14, 2019 in Milan, Italy. Photo: Getty[/caption] The 24-year-old also offers an added dimension of having played as a defensive midfielder with the Slovakian national side, and consequently can provide cover on two positions while also aiding in-game tactical switch. Midfielders Real Madrid have a substantial amount of talent in the centre of the park, with an impressive blend of young (Marcos Llorente, Fede Valverde and Dani Ceballos) and experienced players (Luka Modric, Toni Kroos and Casemiro). In order to cater to an aging Modric and take off pressure from Kroos, Madrid need a couple of additions to their midfield. However, they don’t need to spend heavily in this regard as the players they have loaned out – James Rodriguez to Bayern Munich and Mateo Kovacic to Chelsea – will be ideal suitors. Rodriguez’s incisiveness in the final third, both in open play and dead ball situations, will add creativity in central positions. This is of particular importance because a majority of Madrid’s attacks are wing-based, which is why the Colombian’s presence will stretch opposing defences and bring more unpredictability going forward. Also, through his quotes in the press, the midfielder has also indicated that there is no love lost between him and the Spanish giants, despite being left frustrated for playing time under Zidane previously. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] James Rodriguez of FC Bayern Muenchen controls the ball during the Bundesliga match between FC Bayern Muenchen and 1. FSV Mainz 05 at Allianz Arena on March 17, 2019 in Munich, Germany. Photo: Getty[/caption] Kovacic might not have had the best of seasons at Chelsea, but he can still play a vital role in The Whites midfield with his ability to play line-breaking passes; a trait which is of pivotal importance, especially against many La Liga sides who like to sit deep and defend. Also, the Croatian’s best time in Madrid colours came while playing under Zizou, which makes a strong case of having him back in the Spanish capital. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] Mateo Kovacic of Chelsea in action during the FA Cup Fifth Round match between Chelsea and Manchester United at Stamford Bridge on February 18, 2019 in London, United Kingdom. Photo: Getty[/caption] Forwards Ever since the departure of club legend Cristiano Ronaldo, the talk surrounding Real Madrid’s attacking pedigree has shown no signs of subsiding. Since the departure of the Portuguese, the goals have significantly dried up for the Los Blancos and hence the need for some clinical finishers in front of the goal is, probably, more than ever. Talking about forwards, one player that has constantly been linked with Real Madrid is Chelsea’s Eden Hazard. Although there is no doubt about the Belgium international’s footballing prowess and he will also be a seamless fit at Real, signing him now, at the age of 28, would mean the club shelling a lot of money in return for only two to three peak years. While it would be unfair to totally rule out a move, the club should only consider Hazard as a fall-back option. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] 31st March 2019, Cardiff City Stadium, Cardiff, Wales; EPL Premier League football, Cardiff City versus Chelsea; Eden Hazard of Chelsea looks back at a missed chance. Photo: Getty[/caption] Moving on, Paris Saint-Germain’s (PSG) Kylian Mbappe, despite being an ideal solution to Real Madrid’s goal scoring troubles, is a long shot considering his massive price tag. Although there are plenty of rumours in the transfer market regarding his move to Spain, the French club will go all out to keep the 20-year-old star at the club, keeping in mind the fact that he is at the core of their European ambitions. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] Kylian Mbappe of PSG celebrates a goal during the Ligue 1 match between Paris Saint Germain and Guingamp at Parc des Princes on January 19, 2019 in Paris, France. Photo: Getty[/caption] Taking into account all the factors and realistic options available on the market, Real Madrid will be better off if they work on the lines of signing Liverpool’s Sadio Mane and Inter Milan’s Mauro Icardi. Mane’s pace and technical ability has been part and parcel of Liverpool’s success in the past couple of seasons, and he will add a lot of potency to Real Madrid’s attack. Although he has played mostly as a winger for The Reds, if need be, he can play in a more central role as a striker as well. In Mane, Madrid will find a willing worker, who can track back and help out with defence and also link up well with Marcelo Vieira on the left wing. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] Sadio Mane of Liverpool FC runs with the ball during the Premier League match between Liverpool FC and Tottenham Hotspur at Anfield on March 31, 2019 in Liverpool, United Kingdom. Photo: Getty[/caption] On the other hand, Icardi has stacked up some great numbers for his Italian club with his lethal finishing. He may not participate much in build-up play but his positioning and movement in front of the goal is particularly impressive. Real Madrid have been guilty of creating lots of chances but not converting them during the ongoing season, but Icardi’s signing should go a long way in changing that. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] Mauro Icardi of FC Internazionale scores the second goal during the Serie A match betweenGenoa CFC and FC Internazionale at Stadio Luigi Ferraris on April 3, 2019 in Genoa, Italy. Photo: Getty[/caption] To Madrid and Zidane’s advantage, being knocked out of the title race on all fronts is somewhat a blessing in disguise, as it gives them additional time to plan for the future. But the 13-time European Champions will have to be clever with the way they go about their business in the transfer market, before it builds up more scar tissue against their name as a formidable force in the world of football.

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