Three episodes in, Hum TV’s workplace drama Goonj has us hooked with its powerful story about gender politics and harassment. The realistic serial is sure to strike a chord with working women as it echoes what many of us have lived through, capturing challenges that are deeply personal for many women.
Wajahat Rauf directs Komal Meer, Feroz Kadri, and Gohar Rasheed as colleagues in a media advertising agency in Goonj.
A Chillingly Familiar Workplace
Zarnaab is an ambitious young woman played by Komal Meer. Raised by a doting single father (played by Khalid Anam). Zarnaab’s happy-go-lucky nature at home is completely different to her serious, matter-of-fact decorum at work. She is a mature professional who is calm even when she faces gaslighting and misogynistic remarks by an insecure colleague Nabeel (Gohar Rasheed). Nabeel’s menacing body language, derisive remarks about her appearance and the way he keeps downplaying her talent are all-too-relatable aspects of professional jealousy.
The drama sheds light on how women who are deeply passionate about their career often end up becoming a target of verbal abuse, especially by those who resent them professionally.
Nabeel perfectly embodies the creepy colleague. His macho exterior and cheap one liners are cringeworthy. The inapproate behaviour goes beyond Zarnaab’s limit when he insinuates that he has a romantic relationship with her after a late night. As a strong independent woman, Zarnaab takes a stand for herself and calls out his lies.
In the latest episode, when Zarnaab is promoted she faces with hostile remarks about her character.
The Many Faces of Harassment
Why is it so hard for men to digest that a woman can climb the corporate ladder based on hard work ? When a man gets promoted, no one questions his character, but when a woman is promoted by her boss, suddenly the same people start raising eyebrows. Nabeel coyly asks what Zarnaab will do with out her sugar daddy. A not so subtle innuendo that her boss favours her because of her good looks.
The thing about workplace harassment is that it is not always blatant and physical assault or groping. Sometimes it manifests itself in the form of verbal abuse, the scars of which remain forever. Untoward glances, deliberate attempts to make you feel inferior, mansplaining, not letting a competent female employee take credit for her own ideas and making women feel unsafe and unheard in an office environment are all too common.
According to a 2020 report by the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics, more than 50% of working women in Pakistan report having experienced some form of workplace harassment. And yet most incidents go unreported due to fear of retaliation or stigma.
As far as acting is concerned, Komal Meer’s character Zarnaab arc has a lot of emotional depth. Feroz Kadri’s character as her love interest is yet to be established. Whereas Gohar Rasheed delivers an intense performance, making us hate Nabeel with each unfolding episode.
Though Gohar plays the antagonist with perfect precision I wish they would stop casting him in the same old stereotypical roles as it takes away from his credibility and versatility as an actor.
A powerful reflection of the struggles silently endured by working women, backed by sensitive direction and a meaningful script, Goonj is a thoughtful and socially relevant drama so far.
A disturbing shared experience
The drama echoes what many of us have lived through, capturing a reality that is deeply personal for many women. As I watched Zarnaab navigate uncomfortable glances and a complicated work dynamic with Nabeel, I couldn’t help but reflect on my own early career. As someone who has worked in the print media for quite a few years, the drama resonated with me – especially my time working in the editorial board of a magazine, where subtle scrutiny was part of the work environment.
A male colleague greets you and the first thing he does is examine you from head to toe. Is that also part of his job description, you wonder. Regardless of what you wear, whether you are average-looking or strikingly beautiful, they will check you out.
I remember an incident from when I went to cover an art exhibition at a local gallery. It was my first trimester and the crowd made me nauseous. I threw up but waited in the corner so I could ask the artist about his still-lifes. When asked to elaborate on his inspiration, the artist who was eloquently talking to media a few minutes ago smirked at me, “I don’t think you step into the kitchen much, do you?”
I froze in place. Not just because I was hurt but because I knew he wouldn’t have said that to a male reporter.
The reason why many women choose to overlook this painful reality is because they know that they will be blamed for someone else’s demented behaviour. If a girl goes home complaining that her male colleagues throw suggestive glances at her, her parents will simply not allow her to step out for work the next day.
Instead of questioning the system and implementing laws for workplace safety, we tend to moral police the women. Though we like to pretend that we are immune to men staring and ogling at us for no reason, the truth is we are not. And its not just the illiterate lot. There have been so many instances where I’ve felt utterly disgusted with the so called educated, civilised men. Harassment has so many different faces, some so subtle it’s hard to tell.
Where do you draw the line?
