SharPasand audiences are divided. Should Sanam have slapped Fida? Was he asking for it? Was she too out of control, not able to restrain her anger against Farasat and hence, behaving in a totally irresponsible manner? Which ever side you’re on, one’s thing’s for sure, the interaction between Fida and Sanam touched a nerve and audiences felt triggered. Is that a win for creators? Here’s a breakdown…
When an independent minded, working girl is portrayed in Pakistani dramas, audiences often complain that the depiction is a tad unhinged, a bit on the wild side, irresponsible and perhaps, not totally relatable. But last night’s episode which culminated in a heated argument between Fida and Sanam had some viewers rooting for Sanam as much as the other side calling her out for being too abusive and perhaps unhinged in her dealing of the entire situation.
From walking in and instantly breaking up the party at home, to not trying in the least to be tactful or diplomatic in her choice of words or expression, ignoring Fida’s pleas to tone it down, to then throwing a resounding slap on his face when he accused her of a relationship with her boss, Sanam’s rage spiraled to a point which might have resonated with many women, and angered others.
Shoud Sanam have misbehaved with the guests at home? Should she have not toned down her rage when Fida asked her to before Farasat and had a calm conversation with Fida later, after everyone had left. Should Fida have accused her of a relationship with Taimur, should he have continued down his path of self pity, revealing the personal complexes that had marred his self confidence? Was Fida reflecting the state of mind of most men who feel insecure about something and blame their wives for it? Was Sanam reflecting the steretypical trope Pakistani dramas (and society) believe in – young, financially independent women fly out of control and fail to nurture a relationship with patience, understanding and responsibility?
SharPasand sparked conversations and in that, the creators certainly had their win. The entire scene played out sharply and both Hareem Farooq and Affan Waheed delivered notable performances. Whether the script should have shown Sanam to slap Fida is still a matter of debate. Often, dramas blur the line between messaging and storytelling. If one was to note Sanam’s character from the beginning, it is always quick to fly off the handle – emotionally charged, outspoken but equally giving in love – we saw her as the independent young woman who did not fear Farasat. Where even Shazmeen, an dindependent, single woman, fell short of calling him out, Sanam made no secret about telling Farasat exactly what she thought of him in person. In the same way, she fought through Fida abandoning her after his medical tests and managed to revive her relationship despite Fida’s resolve to end it. Sanam is that woman who lives ferociously, whether in love or war.
However perhaps this incident will be part of her journey. By not restraining herself, by unleashing her anger at both Fida, and Farasat and company, she made sure (unwisely), to isolate Fida instead of resolving matters in a calm manner. So while many applaud her slap, especially in light of Fida’s accusations, Sanam will pay and is probably already paying for her outburst.
Fida on the other hand, seems to merely suffer from being a poor judge of character. He is under Farasat’s spell and can see him do no wrong. Coupled with that, he is probably a man caught between wanting to live a life of equality with his wife, as he earlier pointed out to Farasat about household finances, and how everything is shared, to feeling ignored that Sanam had stayed away. In an earlier episode too, he had taken offence to Sanam turning out everyone from the house because Shazmeen was over. These traits depicted a stereotypical male trying to dominate the decision-making in the house and yet, Fida’s flexible side also takes over at times, especially when he asked Sanam to go ahead with her work trip. Fida is caught between cultures. At one point, he wants to give, but on another point, Farasat’s subtle brainswashing calls out to the desi mard in him. He’s possibly no different from many men we see around us whose wives have made the leap into the 21st century and the husbands, almost like newbies at swimming, flailing their arms in the middle of a swimming pool, trying hard to finish the lap in record time – surprise surprsie, their wives have already finished the lap and onto their second one. Fida is also dealing with the medical report about his infertility and that is obviously playing on his mind, charging his insecurities. Coupled with that, he disregarded Sanam’s repeated requests to stay away from Farasat – the one man she despises – was it fair of Fida to repeatedly entertain him at home? Then again, he was injured and needed help. See the storytelling here? It makes you ask questions while showing us that it’s hard to take sides in this couple spat!
Result? A couple fight that was relatable on the storytelling front, yet questionable on the messaging front. Should a woman hit a man, in case he retaliates and she has to pay for it with her life? Are we treading the fine line of victim blaming when we call her out for hitting him? Should a man be able to deal with his insecurities and also, the fact that his wife was away on a work trip and it just happened that he wasn’t well at the same time. Should an independent woman like Sanam send irresponsible messages by showing unrestrained rage and resorting to violence by slapping her husband? On the messaging front, with countless incidents of domestic abuse on the rise in a country like Pakistan, perhaps the slap could have been avoided, just as Fida’s accusations coming from a liberal, open-minded man needed to be avoided.
Fida and Sanam’s fight needs a resolution and the question hanging in the air is – will they even be able to resolve their dispute? Farasat’s reality is hidden from Fida and one has to remember that Sanam is more aware of the evil he is capable of. Will that reveal play a part in Fida and Sanam’s relationship? As things stand now, it seems both parties are at fault, but what will ultimately drive them to fix matters between themselves? That’s the one to watch.
