Episode 22 of Dastaan embodies today’s Pakistan’s conditions that were marked out by the people like Bano (Sanam Baloch) earlier at that time. The difference of ideologies between the people who sacrificed their lives for Pakistan and the one’s who enjoy it’s free air was well revealed. It highlighted Bano’s reactions when she came out of the shell and faced the real Pakistan – not the one she, Hassan (Fawad Khan) dreamt of and certainly not the one for what she sacrificed all her blood relations. The episode contains some excellently done scenes; with respect to direction, powerful dialogues and definitely heart touching acting by the actors.
Bano never thought in her wildest dreams that in her Pakistan speaking Urdu, learning deniat and kalam-e-Iqbal would be considered something as ‘Jahalina Taleem’. Unfortunately on stepping out of Hassan’s home where she was put to lead fake life
she got encountered with notorious lot. To the excessively ‘angreez culture’ driven lady, when her children sang ‘Lab Pe Ati Hai’, instead of usual jingles, was a shame. She was left shame-faced towards all her ‘reputed’ guests and there off fired Bano from her job. Bano had a major heart attack; her eyes were not willing to accept what they were actually viewing; her beloved Pakistan slowly and gradually going down and weaker. Pakistan was certainly not created to be the slave of English and Hindu culture and values once again. But unfortunately even after 63 years of independence today, majority of the nation is yet the slaves of the influence they left over us.
She was left blank minded and on her lifeless return to Musarrat’s she finally uttered; ‘agar aisa he rehna tha to Hindustan mai kiya kami thi!’. She accused Hassan for being motivating her about a total different Pakistan; where Islam would be the code of life, women would be respected, not a single child would remain uneducated, everyone would get justice. But unfortunately one day she had to face the real side of Pakistan and her reaction was definitely a sad one.
On the other hand Hassan plans to convince Rabia (Mehreen Raheal) to leave for Karachi with her parents. Rabia is a character which shown to be a young madly love struck girl. She is possessed by Hassan’s love all over. Hassan being repeatedly shattered thinks from Rabia’s father point of view and asks her to leave. Hassan stands at a point when he is all alone in the life. Certain situations leave us in total despair and we can not figure out what’s right, what’s wrong, where to go and where not to. His dialogue ‘Muje muhabbat aur shadi raas nahe ati’ showed Hassan to be surrounded by such a situation.
Rabia for the first time came out of all the veils, broke the ice and claimed to have loved Hassan for six years since her childhood. She decided to stay with Hassan through out her life until she dies. I would again say that she is ‘possessed by Hassan’s love’ and there off plans to give her life for him; knowing that Hassan would never marry her ever.
Moving towards the core aspect of the serial, it’s very common for us to say and hear ‘What can we do..System he kharab hai..It’s all our leadership’s fault..We don’t have the authorities..InshAllah sub theek ho jaye ga’. This is exactly what Musarrat said to Bano. Again she had a solid logic; ‘Tum ghareeb log aik mafrozey ki bunyad pe aik muar mulk hasil kar sakte ho, isko sambhal nahe sakte?’ Every time people had responsibilities on their shoulders. Muslims before partition did their part well, but what happened to all of them just after six years of independence. Do we really have such a weak memory that we were/are able to forget the unbelievable sacrifices and world’s biggest migration in the history ever?
She doesn’t address Musarrat when she said: ‘Tum shareef nahe buzadil ho’. It was us she talked about. Yes indeed Bano is a very strong women and in comparison to her we are indeed the cowards.
Later it was shown how the people of Pakistan got split into classes; upper, middle, lower, English medium, Urdu medium schools. Pakistan was created on the basis of ‘Unity’ those people had among themselves. Now the focus is all on maintaining status quo. Respect coming from how well you look, how good you wear, how spacious your house is, what car you have, how many branded item you carry – We have grown materialistic indeed!
My favorite scene form the episode where Hassan sees Bano in Masjid and ran after her as if running for his life. It spoke of the excellence of the whole team again. Hassan’s gestures spoke of the pain and same applies to Bano as well. Hassan finally surrenders to Bano’s last wish of marrying Rabia and gets engaged to her again in the hope that she might get back to her. Even he is now marrying Rabia, claims to never forget Bano.
Another bitter reality that she had to face when she attended a birthday party. Poor Bano was in a state of shock when she saw woman dancing in front of men in a gathering. Now with the passage of time this concept has grown beyond limits and somehow considered accepted in our society and is practiced openly; with out realizing that it is totally against our religious and moral values. Her remark: ‘Pakistan mai be nachne wali?’ showed what kind of Pakistan she dreamt of.
Mr. Kaleem, people like you have no religion, no morals, no ethics and deserve to die a hundred times. I feel disgraced to even talk about such people but sadly people like him exist abundantly in our part of the world who does not deserved to be called humans.Rest I won’t share anything at the moment but look forward to the next one which is the last episode for sure.
I always waited for Saturdays since five months but this time I wish Saturday never comes never because it will bring an end to Dastaan; that I never wanted. Dastaan you will be missed big time like anything!
IRum YoUsuf
