Is Fari really to blame for what happened with Amo and Junaid in 22 Qadam? Is her ambition the cause of havoc in their lives? Or is it an unfair, heavy price she’s paying for being a girl and daring to dream big?
Hareem Farooq, Kinza Razzak and Wahaj Ali delivered powerful performances in the drama where both of their characters’ cricket dreams shatter. The audience connected deeply with the characters’ raw emotions and challenges on their cricketing journey. While yesterday’s episode of 22 Qadam was absolutely heartbreaking with Junaid’s accident, his grappling with the news of possibly never playing again, Amo sacrificing her self-respect, desperately pleading with her father to ask Mr.Germany not to reject her, while telling her only sister, Fari not to attend her wedding.
Amidst the turmoil, both parties pointed fingers at Fari for everything that had gone awry. One after the other, the people Fari loves line up to tell her what an awful person she is and how its all her fault. But was Amo’s rejection and Junaid’s unfortunate accident, Fari’s fault? Fari’s selfishness stemming from her ambition, her passion, her drive? The drama instigated this debate on Twitter, with 2 sides presenting their views.
Was It Not Fari’s Fault?
Some say its not Fari’s fault, but the situation both Junaid and Amo are in, it’s easier to blame others for your own mistakes, for the circumstances. Audiences point out in this era of smartphones, digital alarms and phone chargers they both slept through and continued to blame Fari. Both of them had big events at stake, a marriage and cricket camp – ideally both of them should also have been extra vigilant and careful. Was her fault precisely motivating them? pushing them? inspiring them? believing in them? for winning?
Or Was It Actually Fari’s Fault?
Or the second point of view is Fari doesn’t hear people when they say that they want something different than her. She doesn’t know how to take no for an answer, it always has to be her way or the highway. How she wasn’t responsible enough and has caused havoc in others life by being careless. She forced them to stay back and didn’t bother to wake them up.
Either Way, She Is Now Paying A Heavy Price For Her Ambitions
The final scene in the episode with Fari burning her kit, highlighted how regardless, she has had to pay a terrible price of being a girl and dreaming big. If Fari was a guy, she wouldn’t have been blamed at all. The mother would make an excuse for her son and of course, if a guy is gives importance and fights for his dreams, it means he is ambitious and committed but if a woman is the same then she is just selfish and one who doesn’t care about the people in her life.
Why is it prohibited for girls to dream and achieve their goals? Why does society not accept the worth of girls dreams and allow them the space to do so?
Yes, Fari might have been possibly in the wrong but did she have to pay such a heavy price?
She has been made to feel guilty for her passion all along and her strives in her journey of being a girl who is waging a lone battle to be able to play cricket are considered absolutely nothing. When those around her should be supporting her fight, they just continue to consider her ambition and talent as her being too selfish and rebellious. Why is a girl’s dream so insignificant? Why is marriage rather still placed on a pedestal instead? Why in this case, susrals, rishtas are more important than Fari’s dream to play cricket?
We Still Consider Marriage More Important Than Girls & Their Dreams
Unfortunately, we’ve been conditioned to unfairly brand a girl as selfish and responsible for any mishap when she deviates from the norm. Fari, being young and passionate, should be acknowledged for her achievements, which might not have been possible otherwise. What is considered praiseworthy and normal in other societies becomes controversial in ours.
Why does a girl always have to make a choice? Like Amo who’s father says: “Ab yeh cricket nae khelay ge.” Why does Amo have to choose between marriage and her passion? Why are we convinced that marriage is more important than one’s dreams? Instead of Fari why aren’t we focusing on calling out Amo’s susral who are wrong for creating a scene and saying no?
Who do you think was at fault? Fari or the unfair expectations we place on her as a society?
