Pardes is one drama that shows you why you can’t turn back the clock – ever. If there is a society still caught between wanting to reach out to their ageing parents and simultaneously catering to their children’s needs, it is the present one.
As South Asians, the parents of teenagers today are perhaps the most pressure-driven generation of our times.
You see, Pardes has shown us that those before us gave precedence to their parents over their children’s needs. Those after us might give precedence to their children (sad, but true). Today’s parents are fighting hard to set an example for their children that parents, ageing parents, must not be neglected. Simultaneously, they struggle to fulfil their children’s dreams.
But At What Cost?
At the cost of losing time with their own children? At the cost of not being fully present in their children’s lives and therefore, lamenting, when they end up with a Zaid or an Aymen?
credits: ARY digital 
credits: ARY digital
Pardes is showing us what happens when we swing to one extreme. Choosing parents over your children is never the right choice, as it is not the other way round either. You cannot live with yourself if you relegate your ageing parents to a life of loneliness, shifting them between siblings, or worse still, consigning them to an old home.
Yet, we are the generation that struggles to strike a balance. Neither do we want to abandon our parents in the pursuit of bringing up our own children nor do we want to become the Ahsan’s or Zoobi’s of this world.
The Answer Lies In Striking A Balance
For many years, we have been warned of becoming like the west, adopting their values and going against the family system – however, no one has yet suggested a solution to the toxic joint family setup that prevails in our midst, that threatens to break up marriages and deprive children of both sets of parents.
credits: ARY digital 
credits: ARY digital
While Pardes might be focusing on the struggles of a young housewife, a bahu, a mother and now, a middle-aged woman – can it show us a way out as well?
Think hard, the answers are not as simple as they appear!
Do take a look at the latest episode review. Shaista Lodhi & Sarmad Khoosat have already blown us away in past episodes but now, with Affan Waheed & Dur-e-Fishan taking over, we are looking forward to an engaging watch!
Questions To Ask Yourselves
Did Zoobi miss out on being a responsible mother just to be a good Bahu?
Baree daer kerdee Ahsan Sahib aapnay aatay aatay…
Both children have no respect for you & your wife.
Why is Zoobi not taking Ahsan to the doctor immediately when it is obvious he is suffering from something very serious & needs immediate treatment?
Pardes hits hard on emotions with many of us relating to it at some level – with wives & children suffering & losing their most critical years while husbands work abroad, many of them compromising on their mental & physical health.
Special mention for Bushra Ansari, her performance as a grandmother on her death bed was impressive & very impactful. Marina Khan as a director has given Pardes a soul – a romantic yet sad feel in execution & we are loving it (except for some extreme negativity portrayed in some scenes). Dur-e-Fishan & Affan both won us over with their performances in Pardes.
The OST is heartwarming & delivers a complete body of emotions & messages in its own capacity. The OST has been sung soulfully by Amanat Ali and Sithi Saha, composed by Naveed Nashad. The lyrics are written by Qamar Nashad and the D.O.P is by Naeem Mustafa.
