Khirad in the house

Khirad stays in the house, literally. She teaches children to make a living with her mother, in absence of a patriarchal influence or a male bread-winner. Even this is done at home, not just for the sake of convenience but also for preserving the the very imperative "izzat" that Khirad's "chaadar" seems to represent. The domestic setting, in addition to the simplicity and righteousness that mother/daughter/khala seem to have embraced also represents Khirad's comfort zone. It is this very setting in which we see Khirad's character develop (more in appearance rather than in any other dimension, thanks to the pretty dresses and straightened hair that she dons later in the drama). It is also that setting in which we see Khirad lose the protective influences in her life- with the death of her mother followed by the death of her mamu so it is important to see how Khirad behaves in the private sphere. The public sphere does not seem to affect her life for now or maybe that is the result of a conscious choice made by her.

Moreover, it is mentioned that she is enrolled for an undergraduate program but we don't see her in the college atmosphere until much later. The drama seems to draw on the role of women within the private life, even for Sara, whose soul obsession seems to be Asher, even when she is at work. One would think that an ambitious, young woman would be shown to display some sort of an interest in her career but Asher's presence in the office is the pivot of Sara's life outside home, after all, he is her "bachpan ka dost." Sara's interaction with Asher in places outside home- the office and in cafes/restaurants will play a key role in shaping Asher's thoughts about his impending nuptials as she sows a lot of dilemmas in his mind, about her interest in him and his apparent compromise in accepting his father's command to marry Khirad. But poor, (sweet) Ashar says: "Mein kya karta? Mujh say dad ko no nahi kaha jata" even though he thinks he and Khirad are "poles apart".

It would be interesting to see how Khirad's presence in the new home wreaks havoc in the lives of Ashar, Sara and Fareeda. It is the private lives of all characters that we want to see unfolding, because even though references are made to the public sphere (Fareeda's NGO, and Khirad's college being two relevant examples for now) it is the idea of 'Khirad in the house' that is the center of 'Humsafar'.