I’ve a bone to pick with a couple of subplots of this drama so far. These are bothering me, and life is bothering me as well. Of course, I can do little to change life in a night or so, but then fiction can do that right?

So, let’s get on with the issues I notice in this crazy popular drama.

The first problem is about the skin colour, obvio. He tells Parizaad to create a new identity of himself with his words. This affirms that society has been biased towards fair skin and that the society will always be biased towards fair skin. The only way you can deal with it is by the power of words-prose, poem, what have you. I know that only one person cannot change the mindset that has been established over centuries, aeons. But can we not normalize it? I mean, at least try to change the way people think by reinforcing that the colour of the skin doesn’t matter.

The other problem is the pro-dowry angle. Ahmed Nasaaz suggests that Parizaad should marry Saima aka Bubbly because Ustani ji has some cash to give to the groom. Say what now? True, Parizaad is in a financial crisis of sorts but he could always take kore tutions, borrow from someone. But, no. The best thing is to marry someone for the monies. And to think that this is coming from a woke poet, an educated man. And to think that this is aimed at a very humble, man of principles protagonist.

The third problem is how Nasaaz endorses people’s reaction after Bubbly runs away. Bubbly’s parents Shaista and Shabbir leave the place. Nasaaz has the same dismissing attitude about the whole thing. It’s as if he has accepted people the way society is. Bhai thoda change laane ki koshish karna thha.

Incidentally, all of these issues are related to the same character. This is coming from a character who has brought a very positive and promising change in Parizaad–Ahmed Nasaaz. His attitude is that of a resigned man-this is how things are and they aren’t going to change.

My grouse is that Nasaaz gets very memorable and quotable lines. It’s almost like Khalil Ur Rahman Qamar. His words sound good but the underlying message is almost always problematic.

I know that Parizaad is an old novel (read summary and review here on my blog),  but it doesn’t age well. The drama, however, never shows us that it’s set in the older times. If this is contemporary, then at least now this shit shouldn’t be endorsed.

Anyway, so that’s my rant after a 17 hours long day. And it’s not ending any time soon.

Pray for me.

Shabana Mukhtar