Long gone are the days when females were casted into dramas and movies because the man needed a prop. Slowly but gradually the whole world has taken a feminist approach in entertainment business, just like many other businesses and our showbiz has followed suit.
In our dramas that come a dime a dozen, there are certainly some very memorable characters played by strong headed independent women, and their hallmark is not that they were born or married rich or were bestowed with extraordinary beauty that made them use these things to their advantage. Rather, the emphasis is on the girls next door.. flawed, imperfect, ordinary and yet they have a spirit that is totally unbreakable. It’s about women who stand up for themselves, for their values and for their relations. Our dramas have evolved into some very women centred themes and have succeeded brilliantly. Here we will discuss some memorable roles played by women in characters that stood true to themselves and went after what they wanted, not what the society would expect them to want. The list is b no means exclusive, and there’s must be more characters that left a mark, but we will discuss a few of them here.
Zindgi Gulzar Hai was written by Unera Ahmed, who is a very unconventional feminist and Sanam Saeed blew life into Kashaf and made her a legend for years to come. Kashaf was strong headed to the point of being stubborn. She held her dignity highest and was willing to give it any required sacrifice. Raised by a single educated mother and absent father, Kashaf was the prime example of a self made girl out to touch the horizons. The play must have given young girls the idea that anything is possible as long as you work with integrity.
Kankar was about a girl standing up to a husband who loved her and pampered her and spoilt her with presents and yet did not think it was a big deal to take out a little bit of anger here and there on his wife, especially if she dared to start or contribute to an argument. Their economic differences made no problem for Kiran as she placed her self respect at a much higher place than all that her abusive husband’s money could buy. Despite being called extremely lucky to have married into such riches, she stood her ground and refused to get intimidated by the fact that she was a very ordinary girl while he was a big industrialist. She was an inspiration to the women especially in Pakistan who remain mute for years over domestic abuse. It was a powerful drama in every meaning that it managed to convey.
Shanakht was about a girl who was born and brought up very liberally and then suddenly a friend of hers ignited he light of truth in her heart and that is how she becomes a practising Muslim. From breaking old friendships to be labelled as an outcast, Annie stood firm in her beliefs and the faith that she had just embraced. At her inlaws place, she was the most humble, gentlest soul and that is how she faced all trials..with a steady soothing calm that had become her hallmark since she had delved into Islamic practices so wholeheartedly, and that too coming from an elite society where it is entirely unheard of.
The Udaari women deserve a round of applause for making women all over the world so proud of being women. They were all village simpletons who showed their fighter spirits once they were out of that orthodox environment. From Sheedan to Sajjo to Meera to Zebo, these girls were stories in themselves. They were uneducated, yet the lesson of self awareness was learnt by them without any formal education. They stood up for eachother and became a clan where the injured and wounded is so well supported that soon there is no injured party in the whole clan. Hats off to all of them for telling their audience what women can do when it falls down to their shoulders and how a mother can fight for every demon that comes her way.
Ayesha Khan is certainly not one to deviate much from the societal norms and formula performances but in “khuda mera bhi hai”, she was a legend. A mother of gender queer child who had to give up her marriage for that child, Ayesha Khan did a brilliant job in portraying the grief, the sorrow, all the while defending her baby. Ayesha Khan showed the unprecedented love of a mother for her flawed child and her burning desire to make his life count for something worthwhile. The idea behind the drama that a mother can stand up for her imperfect child and make his life as normal as possible was just amazing and exactly what women of today need.
Anmol is the heart of Dillagi, a woman unimpressed by the status of her suitor, a woman after her own heart and a fiery soul, she was not easily defeatable. It is not that everything she did was right but she was true to her own self all along, be it love or hate, she was not doing anything to please anyone, no matter whom. Mehwish Hayat is such a natural in these roles that you cannot help thinking that she does not perform them, she owns them, through and through.