From Daneen and Subuk having a real conversation to Jami showing his true colours yet again, Kafeel moves forward only to pull us back as Jami strikes again and Zeba fails to react – yet again. Zeba’s family too, seemed to have moved on. And we question why Saif and Wardah’s story has taken centre stage.
Kafeel teases us into believing Zeba will finally act. This episode is the one when she’ll finally say it’s enough, and walk out of Jami’s life forever. She didn’t do it when she found out about his past, she didn’t do it when she discovered his extra marital affairs, his lies, his double-faced personality, his complete failure to earn or feel responsible for his family or, surprise, surprise, develop a respectful relationship with his children, till his son too, discovered him with another woman – she even didn’t walk out or consider the possibility when her divorced friend Sumera found love again with Saad – hence we ask, what will make Zeba take the final step towards breaking the thread – but one must wait further – the creators certainly don’t seem to be in a hurry for that one.
But perhaps that’s what makes Zeba’s story so relatable. Zeba represents all those women who are, for all practical purposes, capable of moving out, but don’t. These women are educated, responsible, bring up their children single-handedly despite living in a marriage that has nothing to offer, not even financial stability, and yet – fail to take that crucial step towards freedom. Zeba might be a product of the society we live in, where we are brainwashed into thinking, have we tried long enough, hard enough, will the children be worse off without a father figure even if only to show the world, will the girls not get married, will the woman become stronger once she has children, will the man fix himself eventually once middle age takes over – the possibilities are endless in the world of all Zeba’s who hesitate a lifetime to take that step – and is it too late already for our Zeba?
They say that a woman will tolerate everything but when it comes to her children, she will finally strike back, or at least, take a stand. In Zeba’s case, it might be Javeria? The one reason she stayed married was to ensure her daughters can be wedded and her divorce does not stand in the way of their future. But what if Jami serves to destroy even that. One loose comment, one meltdown is all we need from his side to discourage a prospective proposal for Javeria. Is that what will finally snap Zeba? One must wait to see how events transpire…
Sanam Saeed delivered a moving performance when Zeba confronts Jami about the woman he had brought into the house. The sheer hopelessness, the misery of her present, the memories of her past come flooding back as she’s about to sit down on the bed and then, with a horrified thought, stops mid-action and proceeds to fold clothes – folding up her depressive thoughts in the same actions – thoughts of her father, the events that led her to give her marriage another try, the scene was absolutely heartbreaking even as many of us sought to judge her for not taking a decision earlier, not just for herself, but the trauma her children suffered throughout childhood and now as young adults.
One also wonders at Zeba’s family who seems to be taking her life struggle in their stride. Both Usman and Aliya are in a financial position to help out their sister and while earlier in the marriage, one could say that they did not want to support a toxic man such as Jami and make life easier for him, but now, with the children grown up – their nieces and nephew – and Zeba still stuck in a rut, with their father gone, one would expect Zeba’s siblings to be proactive and help her if not her children, in any way they could. However, Kafeel chooses to show the darkest side of the mirror to us as families move away from their loved ones despite being so close – absence is not just physical, it can be emotional and mental too, where Zeba’s family does not move to make her life easier even if she has chosen this life path. In fact, her support system might well be her neighbours and friends – Saif’s family and her friend Sumera? Perhaps the drama is keeping it as real as it gets.
The highlight of the week was none other than Daneen and Subuk’s conversation – measured, mature and all heart. Where Subuk is wholly aware of Daneen’s feelings, he does not want to hurt her but let her know that their relationship will only end in heartbreak and trauma for her. Daneen on the other hand, although deeply hurt, seems to think she can pull it off, seeing that she has grown up around his family and is fully aware of the dysfunctional family issues they deal with. While we know in our heart of hearts that Subuk might be on the right path, we also feel that the conversation is relatable to many young people who might be treading the same path and how these two navigate their relationship, if it ever happens, might be a great message for real life Daneens and Subuks. Should they continue to pursue this possibility or give it up altogether? Reason tells us, Daneen will not be able to survive in Subuk’s house, but sometimes, love and good human beings, when they find each other, do conquer all and will Daneen and Subuk be that couple? For the time being, they are both young and Daneen more emotional, Subuk more rational – we hope he does not have to sacrifice his own happiness for his sisters and Kafeel flips the story on this one, albeit keeping it relatable and not unbelievably miraculous – because then the messages will be lost. Both Aashir Wajahat and Areeka Haq turned out sensitive performances with expressions that gave full voice to the conversation – a tough one. It is great to see Kafeel fielding young actors and new faces who are stepping up the game with every progressive episode.
Speaking of new faces, Saif and Wardah’s story has just taken off, and while the narrative seems to have nothing to do with Zeba and Jami’s life journey, one wonders the need to add another quite complex plot in the drama at this stage. Yogeshwar Kerara is the actor playing Saif and playing it well, and while he makes us feel sorry for him as his perpetually upset wife keeps snapping perpetually, one questions if Saif inserting his mother into every conversation is a good idea? Taking her for Umrah might be a relevant thought but how was she spending her life before Saif was married? Was Raheela living in Saif’s house 24/7 or was Saif working remotely. Given the dynamics here, one wonders if Wardah wasn’t so difficult about everything, if the character was a slight shade of grey, does she have a point that Saif is perpetually bringing his mother into the picture every time she plans on doing something with him? But the couple has obviously been planted to send a message, one starkly opposite to Zeba’s life story, we’ll wait for this one to unfold. And while that happens, tell us what you think and why this narrative has been introduced in the storyline.
Lastly, Zeba’s mother seems to have missed the journey from episode one up until now. She continues to think that girls are born with a qismat, a pre-written fate, and one must try and get them married off soon whereby their inlaws and husbands can then decide if they will ever have a ‘happily ever after’, or not (as in Zeba’s case). One wonders if Zeba too, is a product of the same system – her mother and her grandmother’s brainswashing, and despite being a generation ahead of them, still believes in the same work of Qismat as the final decider of a woman’s fate?
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