Between work, when I want to take a break, my favourite past time is to log onto the website of different TV channels (read, ARY, HUM and GEO) and read through the plot outlines of the drama serials, pore over related blog entries, and watch new promos. I do this in the hope of catching anything interesting that I may have missed. Over the past couple of weeks, I have read about three different drama serials that are either starting on GEO or have already started (with a couple of episodes being telecast). And my initial reaction at all three of them was: WHAT the HECK!
Yes, you got it right. If there is something that can demean the image of women on the screen, Geo TV is certainly doing it. All channels are, really. But with Geo, things seem to have gone down a new low. Worse is that these shows are actually doing great in rankings – two have broken into top 15 of the week and the third, Hazaron Saal, starting this week might do too. Unfortunately, neither of the three clicked with me. Here is an honest and candid feedback on the plot outlines (mind you, I don’t have time to watch this):
Behkawa
My personal take on the portrayal of anything religious (read, Islamic) on television is simple: portray it only if YOU understand it. YOU = writer, director, production house, channel, etc. Of late, Geo drama serials take up a minor aspect related to religion and make a mountain out of a mole hill. What is really such a big deal out of adoption? Someone should tell Geo that religiously inclined families put a lot of effort into making sure there are no Mahram-related issues in the future. They either adopt children of their siblings, or adopt a child at a time when their sibling is breast-feeding her own child – so there is a relationship of breastfeeding with the family, and no Mahram issues. The Geo website’s plot outline that a young man in the drama serial discovers he is adopted and the “society” declares him non-Mahram, give me a BREAK! Society has much better things to do than to question any one’s personal decision on adoption.
Then, the plot outline says, the said young man actually begins to have feelings for his adopted sister. For crying out loud, if the audience can watch the adopted Cullens having an affair with each other (Twilight series), I don’t think they should have ANY reservations about this. I mean, they are not siblings; they are allowed to have an affair. This also brings to mind Woh Kaun Hai (directed by Sultana Siddiqui) in which an elderly lady marries her adopted daughter to her son (without any fanfare or raising of eyebrows – a more mature approach).
The drama serial will go on to discuss a couple’s reconciliation after divorce. I am very intrigued to find out what a mess they will make out of that. I sure hope they will not show yet another “Halala” saga which is sickening to say the least.
Dil Tou Bhatkay Ga
The title itself is eyebrow-raising. But when you read the plot outline, you can only sigh in irritation. Have we not had enough of elderly, supposedly frustrated leading ladies on the screen, who turn to more “extreme actions” out of “loneliness” – somebody please tell me WHY a woman on the screen always needs a man to feel less lonely and more “wanted”? Can any drama serial show such women breaking free of unhappy marriages and proving to be more productive for the society?
I watched a couple of promos of this drama serial and shocked by how physical Mehwish Hayat and Mohib Mirza were being, I decided I have better things to do with my time.
Hazaron Saal
If the above was not enough, Hazaron Saal is again about an elder woman and younger man. What kind of a message is Geo giving out to the audience? If dramas like Maaye Ni showed one extreme side where a mother has absolutely nothing to do after her children have grown up, dramas like Hazaron Saal and yes, My Dear Sautan on ARY, portray another extreme side. I agree that everyone deserves another chance at life and at happiness. But really, is “happiness” only attached to “an extra marital affair” or “being head over heels for someone half your age”? Again, don’t get me wrong here: I know personally many ladies who married someone younger than them and have perfectly happy married lives. I also know ladies who got married late AND are happy dappy. But the way Geo shows it, you only feel sick at your own gender.
In a nutshell…
I hope somebody at Geo reads this, and takes note. We want to see more issue-based serials rather than non-issues blown out of proportion with a religious streak in order to misguide and misinform an already-immature audience. What is sad is that at least one of the above serials is a Geo special project headed by Iqbal Ansari. One can only wonder at the quality of “non-special” productions.
Written by Drama Buff ([email protected])
