She’s not worth it.” I think these lines by Farida get to the gist of Humsafar. Khirad was never good enough for Ashar and that’s the point we consistently encounter. Her humble background, her simplicity, her innocence or as Baseerat rightly puts it: “masoomiyat”, are always forefront in the Hussain household. Her white tung pyjamas, her covered head, the emphasis on Urdu as opposed to English in a aleeshan western inspired mansion, signify her traditional upbringing, so much so that they become symbolic of her inferior status (naukrani ki aukaad according to Farida). Khirad is undoubtedly the outsider from day one. But does she deserve what she gets?
This was undoubtedly a slow episode delving deeper into Khirad and Ashar’s psyche respectively. I simply love how Sarmad begins with Ashar walking back and forth in the garden, restless, unable to come to terms with what’s happened. Obviously he has questions but no one to provide the answers. Particularly telling was his feeble attempt at gardening whereby the scene cuts to his nervous breakdown. Overall, the narrative stays strong because it shows that both parties are equally affected (no one person suffers more or less). If Ashar is unable to cope with Khirad’s supposed infidelity, then, Khirad is equally distraught at Ashar’s flat refusal to hear her speak.
A frequent fan comment was why did Khirad not tell Ashar everything? But when she tried, when she needed him the most, siraf ek mauka, ek chance kay liya her pleas were ignored. Phone call upon phone call went unanswered. So, to say she didn’t try is not fair because she certainly did. Abandoned, pregnant, and heart broken what was she to do? Pine away for a man who refuses to acknowledge her existence. Instead she did what she could do under extremely difficult circumstances and headed to Hyderabad (Side note: Was the Pathan truck driver part of the novel as well?).
The evil triumvirate of Farida, Sara, and Zarina has at least momentarily accomplished what they originally set out to do. All their talk of Ashar needing love and how things are not how they hoped is plainly hypocritical, at best, and downright despicable, at worst. I thought my hatred (and that is a strong word) for Farida after last week’s episode couldn’t get worse but boy was I wrong! Farida is, in many ways and brace yourself, far worse than Khizer. Khizer nay jo bhi kara paisoon aur Sara kay liye kara, Farida nay kiskay liye teen zindagiyan tabah kareen? Apnay garoor, apnay ghamad, apnay jhooti ana kay liye? I can perhaps look away from Khizer’s “all is fair in love and war” but I cannot disregard Farida’s cruel, cancerous, malignant, and grotesque actions. To quote Bitul Khala: “Aisi shaitaan, chalak, aur nagin-siffat aurat maine apni zindagi mein nahi dekhi.”
On the subject of Bitul Khala, she gets to shine in this episode! That combined with the beautiful prose like “bilkul rait kay gharoonday jaisi” and “aapkay reham ki darqhuast”, simple dialogue delivery, a haunting background score that is effectively used, stunning cinematography, and flawless editing make this twelth episode a must watch. I cannot begin to describe what I’d hoped would happen for Khirad, when I first saw this episode, alas, they were all shattered. ;_;
On behalf of Sadaf,
Written by RB
