I think in the long, distant past I may have had some hope of Umama gaining enough self-confidence to assert herself…Slaps forehead…. what a fool I was. Just as I predicted last week Umama is back as chief cook and bottle washer for the family while Deeba Baji floats around in a cloud of unrestrained malevolence. Yes Murad does get annoyed with her now and then but not much, especially after she donates a large part of her inheritance towards his struggling business. Funny thing is Umama donates her jewellery in the same cause but gets no credit and I am reminded of the old saying (and fantastic Beatles song) “money can’t buy me love”. No, but it can sure buy some people respect from the materialistic minded like Murad and his mother. Both are highly impressed with the amount given and can now barely raise their voices against her.
Umama is and it seems always will be the unpaid help. Deeba was quite right when she warned Murad’s mother that a wife is not a servant, if only Umama had heard that little speech. Nothing new happened in this episode except perhaps the important discovery of Deeba Baji’s pregnancy. From the promos we can all tell Deeba and Murad have a son so Murad and his mother planned well. In this episode and last week we see a lot of interaction between Murad and his daughters but I suppose we will be treated to images of him ignoring them as soon as he has a son. I really am at a loss to understand such thinking and such people. Part of my fascination with this serial is strange behaviour of these people.
While Murad et al may be strange, the most curious is Umama. Not once has Murad or indeed any of his family threatened to get rid of Umama, in fact mostly they try to back her up but she has no wish to lead a normal life. I cannot claim to be a fan of plaster saints and those who aspire to be them. I am a little worried as to what message this serial and others like it are sending out to the general viewing public? I don’t see any particular nobility in acting like a door mat. In this day and age it’s about time we women started rescuing ourselves ….a girl could pine away just waiting.
Thanks to the entire Daagh team for making me set aside all my feminist opinions and ideals of self-empowerment to watch this drama. Mehar Bano was again so wonderful, the telephone conversation about her lost daughter with Rehana was really sad. I love the little girls especially the cute gollu one who always has an answer. Sana Askeri, Fahad Mustapha and the entire cast were as usual on top form. This was not an exciting episode but it still had me glued. One scene in particular had to be the saddest and was very well portrayed. When Umama summons up the strength to actually congratulate her husband on his second wife’s pregnancy and Murad asks her not to make a bad dua for them. Right there we can see exactly what his character is. I truly hope this play holds up a mirror to people like this so they can see what fools they are.
Written by Sadaf
