Being a Netflix junkie, I always felt left out whenever my friends used to have conversations regarding Pakistani dramas. Two months back, they asked me if I have watched Ishq Tamasha. My obvious negative reply was met by their collective gasps and I was emotionally forced to watch this allegedly top grossing drama. I can definitely say that my expectations were not met.
Ishq Tamasha is about two couples. The leading ladies belong to a middle-class family and the leading men are ridiculously rich. Mirha (Aiman Khan) is an orphan living with her Chachi a.k.a Rushna’s (Kinza Hashmi) mother. Rushna is a lively girl who seems a little bit greedy while Mirha is the typical Pakistani drama protagonist i.e. a sweet girl who does all the house chores and also is an epitome of simplicity. Arham (Faizan Khawaja) and Mehrab’s (Junaid Khan) family is completely opposite. Mehrab handles business while Arham spends all his money
stupid things like Rushna (they have a thing going on over the phone; so cheesy, right?).
Things move forward and Arham comes to ask for Rushna’s hand along with his phupho but Rushna goes all psycho on them. Apparently, she had been picturing Mehrab as Arham and hence her expectations in the looks department weren’t quite fulfilled. The thing more ridiculous than Rushna’s behavior was that Mirha, the apparently nice heroine of the drama, is supporting Rushna because somehow it was all Arham’s fault that Rushna is such a materialistic girl.
Seeing his brother in the complete Devdaas mood, Mehrab decides to do whatever it takes to give his bratty brother what he wants. Hence, he abducts (Yes! You read it right, the nice hero has turned into a crazy kidnapper) Mirha confusing her for Rushna. The worst thing is that no one in Mirha’s house is bothered that a girl from their house has been kidnapped. Finally, the situation clarifies, but Chachi doesn’t understand and kicks Mirha out. Mehrab doesn’t try to clear things either, instead, he takes Mirha to his house. *slow claps*
The aftermath of the kidnapping is logically and morally so unsound. Mirha has magically evolved her fashion sense and it looks like she has left behind her common sense along with her old clothes. She is walking in her kidnapper’s house like it’s her own and she has completely forgotten that she has been wronged. It not just Mirha, other people seem to have the same issue. Arham seemed completely okay with his brother kidnapping a girl for him and their phupho didn’t even give it a second thought when she was told that her beloved nephew has kidnapped a girl; she blames Mirha for bringing this upon herself.
This whole situation is the romanticizing of kidnapping and criminal activities. Do the drama producers even stop for one second to think what they are feeding to our society, and especially young girls? In times like these it is their duty to educate our young generation but they keep on making such dramas where women are oppressed and they make it seem like it is completely normal.
Nawal Awan
There are no laws for writing, there never have been, there never will be. I tweet as @notsoblondegirl and I pour my heart out at prideofhogwarts.wordpress.com”
