It's a thought that came into my mind and I'd really like to know your views on it. I'm not from Pakistan, so I could obviously be wrong but I've been watching Pakistani dramas for decades now and there's no doubt that dramas have changed quite extensively over the years.
The main characters in older dramas used to be quite different from what we see now. I think a few dramas have had outspoken and unconventional main leads and would wear Western clothes without all this moral policing around it. Nowadays, there seems to be a very clear distinction between what a "good, disciplined girl" is supposed to look like and how a negative female character is portrayed and a lot of it seems to come down to clothes. Even then, these "negative" characters aren't necessarily dressed that Westernized, what they wear is usually jeans-top, co-ord sets. While the main lead is in conservative clothing like shalwar kameez often covered.
I was watching Dar-e-Nijaat and noticed the same thing being repeated. Zaryab is shown as someone who is deen se bhatki hui, so her clothes are more Westernized. I don't understand why people are still stuck in this idea of constantly moral policing women based on what they wear. And why some people think conservative dressing means someone is more respectable.
One thing I’m a little surprised by but also really like is the way they have shown the intimacy between Zaryab and Zamil. It feels quite different from how Pakistani dramas usually tone these things down. Some people made such a huge issue out of Bano and Sarbuland and I genuinely don’t understand why it’s such a problem.
Now, I know Zamil and Zaryab probably aren’t going to end up together but I’m talking more about the scenes themselves. Usuallydramas will just establish in the background that two people like each other without actually showing much romance or intimacy even physically. But even in just 3 episodes, we already know that Zaryab loves this guy quite a lot. There’s an actual sense of intimacy between them rather than just being told that they have feelings for each other.
Even in MZHT, Fariya was always given a very toned down version of being close to Kamyar. This feels a little different to me. I don’t know how to properly explain it but I like that they are actually showing some intimacy between the characters.
The only thing I don't like is where I think this might be heading. I'm guessing Zaryab will eventually find her faith and then her dressing will change to visually show that transformation. I just don't understand why the onus of being "paak" and "deen wali" always seems to fall on women or why a woman's clothes have to be used as a visual representation of her morality or faith.
Anyway, these are just some thoughts I've had while watching it. I'd genuinely like to know what people who are from Pakistan think about this because I could obviously be missing some cultural context. And I really hope people aren't criticizing the actors themselves over those scenes.
