Pakistani dramas often portray women as weak character through sexist and misogynistic scripts that are deep-rooted in patriarchy, putting women as the damsel in distress who needs a prince charming to save her. And that is unfair. And the awaam/audience enjoys this narrative – women as weak characters even in 2022 because these shows gets the highest TRPs where a woman’s solace is “marriage.”
The irony is that, women are supposed to sow, nurse, cook, earn, take care of the in-laws and the husband and yet belittled by her majazi khuda and susraal. And here are 5 such situations where women have been shown as the weak link, even though she’s the sole reason why men even exist (literally!)
ABUSIVE MARRIAGES ARE SUPPOSED TO BE ROMANTICIZED
Dramas like Mere Pass Tum Ho, Humsafar and Hum Kahan Ke Sachay Thay and Man Mayaal romanticize abusive and toxic marriages, forcing men and women to subject to the harsh realities instead of protecting their mental health and the lives of their children.
NO WOMAN NEEDS TO BE FINANCIALLY EMPOWERED
If her husband is working and providing for the family, the woman of the house is supposed to stay home and take care of the kids and focus on her wifely duties towards her in-laws and husband. And if there comes a time where her partner needs her help, only then can she step out of the house to “support” her family.
BOYS WILL BE BOYS!
This adage that men can easily get away with because they’re men and by default we’ve given them this right that they can be forgiven and forgotten for this crimes, highlights the biggest downfall and the reason why we’re failing as a society.
WOMEN WEARING WESTERN CLOTHES ARE NEGATIVE
The epitome of a proper woman is if she falls in the safety of customs and traditions, and is a devout wife because a modern woman who dresses different falls out of the bound of tameez and tehzeeb in the eyes of the Pakistani culture. And will therefore pollute everyone’s mind with her westernized style of thinking and the way she looks!
ACCEPT THE WIFE BEATER!
Slapping a woman is like a piece of cake in Pakistani dramas. Not enough karak chai? Slap her! And then using religion in negative connotations against women! She is supposed to accept her husbands beating and not even talk about it even in 2022.
