Late Blog post: Of Love, Coffee and Chai

    I realize that the topic for this blog sounds bizarre but I’m going to try and rationalize it. Or better yet provide glimpses of why I thought that chai and coffee are intricately related to the idea of love/ romance in Dhoop Kinaray.  The first time Zoya invites Ahmar to her house, a cup of coffee and a candid chat with Baba follows. Zoya specifically calls Anji to make the coffee and Anji notices saying “kya baat hai, aaj tak itnay special tareekay say coffee kisi aur kay liye tou nae bani?”  The scene that follows shows Sheena setting the table but Ahmar does not show up. So ultimately Zoya’s coffee takes precedence over Sheena’s lavish candle lit dinner. Then there are the casual mentions of “chai piyo gi?”, “coffee piyo gay?” but we, as audience should not take the chai/ coffee business lightly. The scene where Ahmar goes out for lunch, with Sheena can be directly juxtaposed to the scene where Zoya and Ahmar “cafeteria main coffee pinay gaye hain” since both the events trigger the same emotion, i.e. jealousy in the women.

    Added to this is the all-important serious discussion that occurs between Ahmar and Zoya, when Zoya is sitting alone on a bench at the end of a garden and Ahmar comes carrying two cups of chai. He hands one cup to Zoya and what follows is a serious conversation about public and private space and Ahmar informs Zoya “aise bohat sari batain hain jo aap nahin jantey kay mujhe maloom hain”.  Chai as a motif persists even in the scene where Zoya tells Sheena the difference between “muhabbat” and “Dukandaari” since Zoya is shown to be busy with the electronic kettle when Sheena continues to talk.

          Even in the conversation that Dr. Irfan has with Zoya when, he, through puns and wordplay talks about Sheena as the “banjaran” to Zoya and warns her of Sheena’s manipulation (which Zoya says she doesn’t understand) he offers her a cup of chai first, “Hum nay soocha aap tou yahan hoon gi hi tou kyon na aik naiki ka kaam kar  k aap ko chai pila di jaiy”.

    Finally towards the very end when Zoya is shown to be extremely upset with the ghazal playing in the background Fazilat is worried and Zoya tells her that she’s not well to which Fazilat says “Apnay hakeem lukman Dr. Ahmar ko bula lo”, in order to avoid the conversation Zoya  says  “Fasi aik cup chai bana dain”.  And Fazilat exits saying “Hum say tou kuch baat mat karo, har waqt chai ka keh do bus”. Thus- as crazy as it sounds- chai and coffee are important in the presentation and development of the love plot between Ahmar  and Zoya.

Dhoop Kinarey vs Humsafar: Marriage

One of the main differences between the women of Humsafar and the women of Dhoop Kinare is the manner in which they understand love and marriage and what it means for them to find companionship in a man.

Comparing the manner in which Sheena and Sara handled unrequited love and rejection, it is interesting to see how Sheena accepts that Ahmer will never feel the emotions that she feels for him. In episode fifteen, while inviting Ahmer to her wedding she admits that it is better to stop chasing and living a dream and to accept the hand of a man who is so willing to provide her with companionship. She also admits that at least someone wants her the way she wants Ahmer and it is better to be wanted this way if not to get the one she wants. Sara was in a very similar situation where Khizer wanted to marry her and was ready to get an American education so he could be worthy of her. Instead of appreciating his love for her, she shows her selfish wishes and continues to pursue Ashar’s attention despite his marriage. Moreover, Sheena voices certain comforts of marriage which do not involve love or passion, but instead refer to material advantages. Resigning to her fate of marrying Nasir Jamal, she confesses that at least life will be easy with a huge house, a fancy car, and jewelry. Sara, on the other hand, is fixated on her love.

It is not only the men though who seem to have a different understanding of marriage in both the dramas. For Ashar it was a necessity and perhaps for this reason, he never understood Sara’s love. Likewise, Sara only understood marriage as a result of passion, and not as a situation of compromise. For Ahmer, regardless of passion, he believes marriage means companionship and his friend tells him as well that he needs someone who will make him laugh and drive away the depression and loneliness from his house.  In Humsafar, marriage becomes a crude institution which categorizes people into class, wealth and education. It almost dehumanizes women, classifying whether they are good enough for certain men or not. The concept of companionship and compatibility do not seem to exist. 

Baba ka ghar - A remnant of familial ties

Dhoop Kinaray is marked by moments of contemplation and nostalgia in the life of the protagonist Dr. Ahmer, who is often found walking in "baaghaat" thinking of his deceased foster father baba. An important strand of contention is baba bequeathing the ghar that he and Ahmer lived in to his grand daughter, someone who had never been mentioned before. Not only does Ahmer feel betrayed that baba kept the existence of a daughter from him but also that he left their home for someone other than him, a home that was the junction of countless memories that he had made, and a representative of the content, happy life he had led with baba. This house thereafter plays a crucial role in the misunderstanding and subsequent union between Ahmer and Zoya; it acts as a medium for addressing multiple issues at the same time - belonging, family, happiness.

When the lawyer executing baba's will tells Ahmer about the unusual happening, he justifies it by saying:
"Mumkin hai k ye ghar day kar woh ussay lashaoori taur per ussay apnay kareeb lana chahtay hon ys uss tahaffuz ka ehsaas delana chahtay hon jo woh apni beti ko nahi day sakay" The house is thereby shown as an emblem of redemption of the bygone time when baba was unable to give to his daughter the protection and love that she deserved. It is the only remnant of his life that can somehow bring his daughter's memory and her offspring closer to him. However, as it is, the house has no sentimental value that can be attractive for Zoya. This is shown when Zoya's father is talking on the phone with his lawyer and is saying "Zoya iss makaam ka kya karay gi?" to show that not only is Zoya in no need of a house because she already has a home with her father, but also that the prospect of acquiring wealth like that is not of much significance to her. The only difference it makes is that Zoya becomes "maaldaar" and "sahib-e-jaidaad". This offers a means to an end to Zoya - she can live in the big house with "thaath" in lieu of pursuing the medical education that her father is insisting on but his instant reply to her suggestion is: "Bhool jao makaan ko! Parhai per tawajjo dou!" leaving the matter closed. The house is nothing more for Zoya; not once is she seen to be inquisitive about the place that her grandfather lived in or what the house could represent about the family she never got a a sense of.

Ahmed, on the other hand, has very strong sentiments about the house. For his, it is the abode of the life that his baba was able to give to him after adopting him as a son. It radiates warmth and contentment for him, albeit that contentment is replaced by hollowness and nostalgia after the demise of baba. Ahmer is unwilling to let go of the house because of the strong sense of family that it grants him. When he is shown a new house to live in, he says to a servant "Yeh ghar nahi makaan hai" because the new place cannot replace the home that he lived in before. At finding out that baba's granddaughter wants to sell the house, he is more than glad and then takes Zoya to see it because he wants to restart a life there with her. It holds immense importance for him that he shows Zoya that house as a representation of something that is very dear to his heart, and it's important to note that the idea of starting this new life must be tied to baba's ghar and not just any house. And only through that symbol does Hasina Moin wish to combine Ahmer's sense of belonging, Zoya's reconciliation with the ties she had with her grandfather and the couple's union. 

The meaning of Dr Ifran's words

Dr Irfan might be the only character in Dhoop Kinaray who presents himself as a source of comic relief for the audience because of the unmatched humorous personality that he possesses.

However, the most important thing to his humor is how he makes use of it to say the most serious of things to his colleagues and that is the beauty of this character. This can be seen in the case of Dr.Sheena. When she comes to the hospital and is distributing her wedding cards to all these doctors, the remarks made by Dr. Irfan are very interesting.

He says: " ap ne tou pata bi nai lagne dia," and " tou goya aap khush hain." and then when Dr. Sheena leaves he asks Zoya: " Dr zoya aapne nasir jamal ko dekha hai?" and says: " mene tou dekha hai..
mujhe nai pata tha sheena jee ki nighaahain itni kamzor hain."

Indirectly he is expressing surprise on her decision to get married to a class fellow of hers who she is seeing after such a long time and hasn't even given it a proper thought. He is also seen as disapproving the fact that Sheena did not even tell him or ask him once before making the big decision given how long they've been working for with each other and also given how Dr. Sheena is a lot more pleasant around Dr. Irfan than anyone else. Dr. Irfan's words are a cue to the audience and Dr. Sheena's hasty decision to marry her friend will eventually turn out to be a wrong one since her husband is already married and has children with his first wife. And this very hasty decision will send Sheena into depression.

Faiz in the Drama

"Raat yuun dil mein teri, Khoyi hui yaad aayi,

Jaisay veeranay mein chupke se bahaar aajaye,

Jaisay sehra mein haulay se chalay baad-e-naseem,

Jaisay beemar ko, bewajha, qaraar aajaye."

These verses by Faiz Ahmed Faiz have been included in the narrative in the voice of the male protagonist, Ahmer, who contemplates the possibility of love and finds expression in these words. Throughout the drama there has been the use of metaphors of "darkness" to indicate Ahmer's cynicism and harted for an unknown girl. "Raat", "veeranay" and "sehra" in these verses also point toward his isolated state of being, after losing all he had held dear. With the introduction of Zoya into Ahmer's narative we notice a disturbance; she angers him, tests his patience, draws out the best and the worst in him initially. However as Zoya's character is further developed in the context of her being a doctor and somewhat of a maternal figure to the children of the hospital, we notice the softening of Ahmer's character. Love here takes on the role of reform, as it brings "zara si roshni" to end the "darkness" that encompasses Ahmer's soul. The use of the "chupke se" and "haulay se" indicate a gradual change in his narrative, one that took place so slowly that he could not have put up his defences against it. His writing table now has flowers on it, very literally indicating the arrival of "bahaar". Even his colleagues notice the visible change in him ("Kal tak tou yahan se wahan muskurahat thi" - Dr. Irfan), highlighting the introduction of a "baad-e-naseem". Ahmer continuously refers to an "aag" that burns within him, that kills every positive emotion that he experiences, indicating the existence of a pathology or the loss of a certain humanity. Though he derives most of his happiness from his work as a paediatrician, we notice here that he himself is in need of reform as this happiness never goes beyond the surface. Though he may be the "maasiha" or "thandi chaaoun" for other people; as a "beemar", he himself was deprived of peace of mind. Zoya is created as his "maasiha", being exactly what he needs to end his desolation and his solitude and provide him with the "qaraar" that he so longs for. 

**(I just wanted to add this verse as well because Dr. Ahmer always reminded me of Dasht-e-tanhai by Faiz:

"Iss qadr pyar se aye jaan-e-Jahan, rakha hai

Dil ke rukhsaar pe iss waqt, teri yaad ne haath,

Yuun guman hota hai, gar che hain abhi subh-e-firaq,

Dhal gaya hijr ka din, aa bhi gayi vasl ki raat".)

The Definition of a Strong Independent Woman

The two dramas, Humsafar and Dhoop Kinaray, both show different aspects of the Pakistani society. Similarly, the women depicted in the two dramas also show different personalities of Pakistani women. At one hand Khirat is a women who hardly leaves the domestic sphere on the other Sheena is a strong independent woman who earns her living as a doctor and is usually seen in the public sphere. Khirat has always had the maternal support of her mother and after her death, of her Batool Khala. However, the personality of Sheena is molded mostly by her experiences of the outer world. Even though she lives with her khala but her Khala never gave her the maternal support she needed.

The most defining features of their personalities came to the forefront when they both entered the contract of marriage. Khirat found love and protection in her husband and so did Sheena, initially. However, due to different reasons Khirat and Sheena left their married lives and came back to their original homes. On one side we see Khirat resorting to religion as a mode of support along with her daughter, which made her stronger due to motherhood and on the other side we see Sheena who has nothing to rely on and loses herself initially but is able to gather herself over time and start with a new life. Now when the question arises of who was the stronger of them both, according to my opinion, it will not be wrong to say it was Sheena. When she came to know about her husband cheating on her, she instantly asked for separation and nowhere in the drama she has been seen resorting to religion. Moreover, she came off as more of a practical woman when she decided to leave her love Ahmer and marry someone else as she was well aware of the fact that other factors also play a role in a marriage being successful. Khirat, on the other hand, never asked for separation even though she was literally ‘kicked’ out from her house and disrespected instead she went back to her husband for financial help. Sheena after her divorce started off a new life and came back to the public sphere. Hence, it will not be wrong to say that Sheena had the qualities of enduring every possible tragedy and still come out of it unhurt.

Humorous love

The love story of Dr. Irfan and Anji is the most interesting one because it is dominantly based on humor, which although in this case emerges from the sincerest of emotions but is often considered to lack ‘sanjeedgi’. This love is comprised of all sentiments including jealousy, murawat, sincerity etc. but the demonstration is primarily in the form of humor. For example, when Dr. Irfan finds out about Daddy ke dost ka beta, he immediately lashes out but it takes him a split second to reflect back,

“Wo jo apke daddy ke khabees dost ka khabees beta hai, uska phone number dijiye zara mujhe”

Dr. Irfan makes no bones about how he feels for Anji and there are confessions from time to time. Although these confessions seem to all come out in a humorous manner but on a deeper observation, an earnestness is present in all of them.  However, this seriousness is apparent for a brief moment but it exists,

“Tumhein tumhare fasane sunane ko jee chahta hai”

“Intihaai mukhtasaran ye ke ap mujhe bohat achi lagti hain”

What’s interesting to note here is that despite of all the humor, Dr. Irfan is offering unconditional love to Anji as opposed to all other ‘sanjeeda’ love stories in the drama.

“Khair ab toh jaisi bhi hai mujhe manzoor hai”

This humorous love eventually turns into the much talked about ‘sanjeedgi’ towards the end. This is the only love story which is shown a conclusive and serious ending. This is a tad bit ironic because humour was able to achieve here what serious love stories couldn't. 

Kinaaray Kinaaray with Sheena

            I found it quite interesting to note that the evil character per say, is definitely not as evil as the characters in contemporary dramas. Sara, her mother, and Fareeda are very good examples of the kind of evil characters present in contemporary dramas. However, the evil-ness of Sheena can be taken in another context altogether.

            Firstly, the so-called evil character is evil for a reason. In fact, evil here is a strong term for Sheena. The reason she seems like a negative character in the drama is because she herself is seen struggling and fighting her own battle. Contemporary dramas don’t usually show why the character is evil. Either it is just plain evil, or the reasons for its evil-ness are plain nonsensical. Sheena is a strong contrast when compared to contemporary negative characters.  She has a negative vibe because of genuine and mature reasons, and it actually allows the reader to sympathize, and if not sympathize, at least understand why Sheena may be acting a certain way, and allow her space to get over her insecurities for instance. Contemporary dramas however, just seem to be stereotyping and exaggerating evil characters in their scripts and putting them there to make the good-ness of the good characters stand out even more. And most importantly, they have no realistic dimension to them. No one is that good or that evil!

            In fact, the negative or intrusive behavior of Sheena allows the drama and its characters to grow. She is not there to merely highlight the good-ness of Zoya, but is there for her own independent reasons, and because she fits the realistic narrative.

            The narrative of the relationship between women is also very significant in Dhoop Kinaaray as compared to Humsafar. As mentioned earlier, the characters are realistic in Dhoop Kinaaray. In Humsafar, Khirad is too naive to understand what Sara means and what her intentions are. Zoya on the other hand, immediately gets the hint and knows something is not right when it comes to Sheena. Furthermore, while Sara is never really genuine with Khirad, Sheena, on the other hand, is genuine and there is a level of respect between the two women. And that is not just because Sheena is senior to Zoya.

            Lastly, the negative character, or rather the negative behavior of Sheena adds to the drama, and leaves the viewer with something to hold onto. Whereas the negative/evil characters in contemporary dramas seem to be there just to torture the good character, highlight the good-ness of that character, and add time to the drama. They certainly don’t leave the viewer with anything except maybe a sense of hatred for them; which is kind of sad, because the viewer nowadays seems as if it’s just being dumm-ed down really.

            

Opposites Attract?

Looking at Dhoop Kinaray from the angle of couples and marriage, reminds me a bit of the old cliché that ‘Opposites attract’, and a look at each of the pairs that exist, or are formed through the course of the drama, can support this.

The first couple we can look at is Angie’s parents. Her father is strict, rigid, and extremely involved with his business and the work it entails. He is also shown at multiple occasions to have little knowledge of the world outside his own work, and of losing his temper. Angie’s mother on the other hand, stands in somewhat a stark contrast for she is shown as being flexible, and we also never see her doing any real sort of work whatsoever, or concerned with it. She is also calmer, a lot more involved in the workings of society and the world, as well as placid in a sense. She is thus shown as calming her husband down, and trying to instill some flexibility with regards to his daughter, and some worldly common sense.

There is then the couple that is formed of Dr. Irfan and Angie. He is the comical character, who is rarely serious, even when he is serious in his mood like when he is nervous or upset, his language reflects humor. Where he is quite absurd, bold and funny, Angie is very proper as well as shy.

Coming to Dr, Ahmer and Zoya, their contrast and comparison is often presented through the drama. Dr. Ahmer is a person who hides behind his many layers, but one of his most obvious aspects is that of being a dedicated professional. He is also shown as being deeply serious, or ‘sanjeeda’, carrying his burden of regrets and problems as a darkness inside of him. Zoya on the other hand is clearly a person who is what she is, and means what she says and says it very often without thinking. She initially had no inclination to become a doctor, though through the course of the drama we see her developing into a professional. It is also shown as ‘unlike’ her to be very serious, and her cheerfulness is one of the characteristics that attracts Dr. Ahmer to her.

However, what purpose is served through presenting these contrasting characters that are or eventually enter into a relationship with each other? But first, I think it is also important to notice that there is some underlying factor in common between two people that is shown as one of the reasons that brings them together. With Angie’s parents, it might be their daughter. With Dr. Irfan and Angie, it might be their ability to discern people and their situations and feelings. Whereas with Dr. Ahmer and Zoya, this factor could be their caring attitude towards people, above and beyond themselves.

However by pairing seemingly opposite figures together, I think the drama calls to the need for balance, for finding the mean between extremes, and that though both elements are necessary, such as ‘sanjeedgi’ and cheerfulness, but it is by bringing both together that harmony is achieved. 

Revisiting Sara and Sheena

In one sense, a comparison between Sara and Sheena says a lot about how the values and culture of the Pakistani society have changed and how our TV serials have reflected that change through story lines ad characters. Both Sara and Sheena go through the same tragedy. Actually, Sheena goes through a lot worse giver her age and her failed marriage with Nasir Jamal and yet the way each of them deals with their similar problem of unrequited love is poles apart. Sheena has her moments of envy but she never attempts to come in the way of Zoya and Ahmer the way Sara does, nor does Sheena go all obsessive-compulsive on Ahmer again the way Sara does. In addition, if Sheena is the one who suffers more than Sara then why isn’t she the crazy one? We might even forgive her for it! Also, yes Sara is initially shown in her 20s in Humsafar when Asher marries Khirad but let’s not forget that later in the drama Sara’s mom clearly implores her to move on and get married as she is 30 years old now and she has wasted all her youth (read rishta years) waiting for Asher. Therefore, age is not really the only factor here because eventually both Sara and Sheena fall in the same age bracket and it cannot be conclusively said that Sheena acted more maturely than Sara because she was older than her. 

Here I will go back to my thesis on how the media has represented the change in the culture of the Pakistani society. In the 80s, the setting of Dhoop Kinare, the Pakistani society stressed a lot on modesty, humbleness and on looking out for one another. Back then, people actually used to know who their neighbours are, what they do etc and the focus was on the ‘we’ rather than the ‘I’. The way Sheena deals with her experiences can be very much interpreted in the light of the values of the 80s as not only is she patient in the face of the many obstacles that come her way but the way she expresses her jealousy with Zoya or her desire for Ahmer is also very moderated. Today’s culture on the other hand places emphasis on opposite values and norms. It can be safely said that people in our society have relatively become very individualistic in their thinking to the extent that many embark upon downright selfishness. Moreover, ‘straightforwardness’ is a trait very much valued and embodied by most of us and it has suddenly become important to assert yourself in every little matter. Like with Sheena, the values of contemporary Pakistan can be clearly seen in Sara who literally destroys everything that comes in her of her mission to marry Asher. Interestingly, even the way Sara and Sheena commit suicide is reflective of the times they live in: Sheena ate sleeping pills which is symbolic of humility whereas Sara cuts herself which is symbolic of boldness. 

The Concept of Love- A contrast between Humsafar and Dhoop Kinare

The concept of love when analysed in the 20th century and 21st century dramas is diametrically opposite, with Humsafar evoking more agitation then ever when placed in contrast to Dhoop Kinare.

In the case of Humsafar it is true that Asher's 'male gaze', drove half the female population in Pakistan crazy over the portrayal of romantic love in the drama, but in retrospect the relationship depicted between Asher and Khirad appears to be more of a master subordinate kind, where Khirad is mostly under Asher's 'tahaffuz'. Never have Asher and Khirad actually stood on an equal footing may it be in terms of their education or their financial status. And that consequently plays out in their relationship as well, where Asher takes the lead in everything. Khirad is shown to be the typical shy female who lowers her gaze whenever a cheesy romantic scene ensues and as I recall all the scenes they appear more annoying than ever!   

Whilst this is the case in Humsafar, Dhoop Kinare is a different story. Here, even though Dr. Ahmer and Zoya have a big age gap, their relationship is more at an equal footing. This is played out in various ways in the drama. Firstly, it is refreshing to note how Zoya generally does not shy away when Dr. Ahmer looks at her. Rather, she returns the gaze at numerous points, especially in the last scene where the two are shown in their happily ever after moment.  

Surprisingly, the concept of educational love between the two characters exists in both dramas. Asher acts as the educator of Khirad moulding her into whatever 'sancha' he deems appropriate, sort of creating a mirror reflection of himself. Hence, the idea of educational love becomes one sided here. However, Dhoop Kinare has a two sided approach, where Zoya and Dr. Ahmer's love story is rooted in how they both act as agents for the character development of the other. Dr. Ahmer functions to teach Zoya a certain degree of responsibility, instilling in her maturity through the course of the drama. Zoya on the other hand serves as a reminder to Dr. Ahmer of how he is to some extent behaving self centred in not thinking about how his behaviour implicates her and others around him. So in some sense, both the characters serve as educational agents in their relationship.

In this way, Dhoop Kinare once again appears as the better drama when seen in this light, in contrast to the now more annoying than ever Humsafar. 

Significance of the Car in Dhoop Kinarey

The picture above juxtaposes together the first scene and one of the last scenes of the play. As the picture illustrates the common factor between both the scenes is the presence of the car. 

The presence of an automobile throughout the course of the play indicates its significance to the plot and the connotation it holds. 

The most evident role of the automobile is its ability to distinguish between classes. Dr. Ahmer owns a big car (not sure what model) and has employed a driver. This is significant of his class status earlier on in the novel. On the other hand, Zoya owns a comparatively smaller car (perhaps a Mehran, just guessing) and drives it herself. This shows that even though she is financially sound but Dr Ahmer is richer than her.

Usually connotations of modernity are attached with automobiles. The fact that Dr. Zoya drives, not only is indicative of her strong feminist character but also with ‘modernity’. It gives Zoya a certain power over other characters depicted in different shows for instance Khirad. While Khirad would stay within the bounds of her house, Zoya is outgoing and independent. This has significant values for the women empowerment.

Moreover, what is interesting to observe is the use of automobile especially by the patriarch to reassert his status and maintain hierarchy.

The picture above shows the instance when Dr Zoya parks her car in the parking space of Dr Ahmer. Ahmer is clearly unhappy when he finds this out as he tells Zoya: “Dr. Khan kya aapko pata nahi hai ke junior doctors ko apni ghari kahan park karni chahye ?”  He is trying to maintain the order which is disrupted by the presence of this feminist character in the public space.  

The picture above shows the three different instances where Zoya rather than driving the car herself is dependent upon Dr Ahmer to drive her. First is the time, when Ahmer decides to drop her late at night, then second time is when Zoya’s car is not working and third is the instance when bomb blasts occur and the doctors are at Dr Ahmer’s party.

However, the starkest example of patriarch maintaining his dominance is when Dr Zoya goes to visit a patient who lives quite far. Dr Ahmer is quite angry when he hears that Zoya chose to travel alone.

The exchange between them goes as follows,

Dr Ahmer: Aapko iss tarah inn halat mei nahi aana chahye tha. Chaliye bethen ghari mei.

Dr Zoya: Sir meri apni ghari hai

Dr Ahmer: Aajaye gi ghari, chaliye aap.

Even though Zoya had her own car but Dr Ahmer convinces her to travel with him. In the car, he expresses his anger over Zoya’s ability to do what she wants without thinking of the consequences. She drove all the way to that place without thinking how unsafe it was for her. He is to some extent challenging the type of agency Zoya possesses and trying to control it.  Maybe he is unhappy that Zoya is empowered enough to not to be dependent upon him.  Ahmer could be seen as someone who enjoys that kind of dependence which people have on him. Before he began dropping Zoya at her place, he would drop Dr Sheena as evident in the dialogue: “Dheir hogayi hai. Chalo tumhe ghar chorh dun”.

Moreover, it is also interesting that the climactic moment of the play also occurs in the presence of the car. The scene where Dr Ahmer tells Dr Zoya about his baba’s property and soon discovers that Dr Zoya is baba’s granddaughter (someone whom he has proclaimed to hate time and again). It is a time of great contention between the two.

After hearing, Dr Ahmer shows his anger by driving really fast (as evident in the scenes below).  He uses the automobile to show his aggression over the truth he has just heard. 

The Male Orphan

    Dhoop Kinarey is the first instance where we have seen a male orphan as embodied in Dr. Ahmer, as opposed to the female orphans earlier in the form of Khirad in Humsafar and Jane Eyre in the novel of the same name. What is critical to note about all these works is the failure of patriarchal figures in all three works, but whereas in the cases of the females orphans these failures are critiqued, and by the female orphans themselves, in Dhoop Kinaray Ahmer is unable to criticise any of these wrong doings.

    The biggest failure by a patriarchal figure in Ahmer’s life is on part of his adoptive father. Here the failure is largely paternal. Though his father hides from him the fact that he has a daughter and later leaves the house to his grand daughter never does Ahmer sit and wonder about his wrongdoing. Instead he curses his own self and directs all of his hatred towards the unknown figure of the grand daughter. Though it might appear that his hate for Zoya is great, it is in fact himself that he hates most. In his letter the Professor warns “ Dilon kay zakham cancer ki tarha shaakh ba shaakh pheltay chalay jaatay hain”. Ahmer later confirms this when he talks to his friend Adil and says, “nafrat (-) meray andar bohut dur tak phel gayi hai.” The male orphan is unable to channel his misgivings about the paternal figure in a rational way, and so deep is his inability to do so that it manifests it self in the form of disease almost.

    It is only when Zoya unwittingly points this out is Ahmer able to gain some form of redemption. In the conversation after her resignation, Zoya says to him “Jin logon ko hum aasmaanon per bitha detay hain jab who girtay hain tou chot hamain khud lagti hai.” Though these words are directed towards Dr. Ahmer they have a deep resonance in the relation that the doctor had with his father. It is only after this moment of realisation that Ahmer is able to late go of his deep hate and try to establish a relationship with Zoya.

Why Sheena would be Bronte's ideal female heroine for unreciprocated love

Jane, the protagonist of Jane Eyre, and Sheena, the only possible antagonist in the drama, Dhoop Kinarey are similar in various ways. Both were women who pursued what they wanted in terms of their occupation. Sheena, however, has a full-fledged career which throughout the drama is shown to require a complete dedication and commitment to the field. Although Bronte does not designate Jane as a professional, but a teacher, who becomes a governess and then runs a village school brings up the bold idea of an aspiration among women to immerse themselves in a service-oriented occupation. Jane could very well have become an educationist by the end of the novel and Sheena is already a doctor in Hasina Moin’s drama, which would have been Bronte’s female ideal.

Jane and Sheena are to be admired for the courage they show in disclosing their feelings to the men they love. Both exist in social circumstances that forbid this expression; instead the norm is to conceal any form of love between men and women. Jane expresses her love when Mr Rochestor plays a game pretending to get married to Blanche, as an act of resisting the torment to her feelings. Sheena, on the other hand, sometimes playfully, sometimes seriously gives subtle (and not so subtle) hints of her affection.

Their methods differed but they not only expressed themselves regardless of social conventions but went on to actively fight for their love rather than allow it to be compromised. Jane does not allow St John to denounce Mr Rochestor when he recounts to her the communication he received about the bigamy. She refuses St John’s offer of marriage to return to Thornfield and seeks Mr Rochestor out. Sheena openly expresses her honest love to Dr Ahmer and, actively attempts to eliminate her competition, Zoya. She is disappointed when he does not reciprocate and rather than quietly disappearing she tells Ahmer that she in marrying Nasir Jamal, she was crushing the dreams she had for Ahmer (“tum se Nasir Jamal tak ka fasla mein apny khaabon ki dhijoon per chal kar tey karun gi”)

Sheena is not materially acquisitive- it is only her way to reconcile herself to a marriage she is not interested in, condemned to loneliness. Jane, after a life of poverty, finds herself an heiress and decides to enter into a happy union as an already wealthy woman. Either way, wealth is not the motivator but what either destroys one or creates favorable circumstances for the other. Both women enter a life of wealth towards the end of their narratives though the consequence for each is different.

Hats off Hasina Moin

Since this is the last post we will have on Dhoop Kinaray, I thought I would shed some light on some of the really well written and thought provoking dialogues of the drama, something that is seriously missing in today's dramas. In my opinion these dialogues are equally valid today as they were back in the eighties and they reflect a national narrative that creeps in with great subtlety into the drama.  
First off are these words of wisdom from Mian Jee:
"Talk about today's relations, talk about tomorrow's relations, (because)with the course of time past's relations gradually fade away.(Aaj ke rishton ki baat karo, Kal ke rishton ki baat karo, Maazi ke rishte toh waise hi ahista ahista khatam ho jaate hain.)"   
Hasina Moin, the reformist that she is, follows the steps of thinkers like Iqbal in urging the viewers to think of today and tomorrow, rather than wallowing in the past. I have talked about it in class so I won't go into the debate of origins here again but it needs to be said that we as a nation are still the captives of the past. If back in the eighties it was the pre partition days that were the glorious days then today, it is the pre-9/11 days when everything was all right. Rather than working on changing today, we point fingers at those who messed it up so that the glories of the past are denied us now. 
Next are these realistic words from Dr. Sheena:
"Lights from heaven descend pretty rarely, Everyone has to light their own lamp- given that lamps have to be lighted, then we can light them on any path (Aasmano se ujalay to kum hi utartay hain, Har kisi ko apnay  apnay hisay ke chiragh khud hi jalana parta hai. Jab chiragh hi jalana tehra to kisi bhi raastay mein jala lein gay"- I dont think the translation could do justice to the original but had to give it a shot)
Although these lines were said in the context of a woman choosing who to marry, these lines are equally important in the national narrative. Like Nancy Armstrong pointed out in the case of the nineteenth-century-novel, the woman is the modern figure who is the agent of change. These words sum up the feelings of the pragmatic and forward looking individuals in the narrative-the profound sadness combined with steely determination of the pragmatists :they are forward looking not because they want to be, they take their fates in their own hands not because they believe themselves to be above such trivialities but because they don't think they have any other choice. For when you accept that the fates are not going to favor you and you will have to look after your own interests yourself and it is then that you stop looking for Divine Intervention and become the Masters of your fate and choose your own path- you get the authority as well as the responsibility for making your own choices. 
I can go on all night about it but the word limit is approaching an end here. So I'll just sum up the narrative reflected by the two dialogues: we need to stop looking at the yesterdays of our life and start working on the present for a bright future which is entirely in our hands. We need to stop blaming the fates and take control and ownership of our own lives with the certainty that if we wish it then we can do it. 
With that, its time to acknowledge the genius of the writer: Hats off Hasina Moin, its was a marvelous journey.

The heroic Sheena

While Zoya is the cheerful, bubbly character is lovable because of her jovial nature, the audience feels a certain deeper respect for Sheena. Given the manner in which a broken marriage is looked down upon in Pakistani society, it can be said that Sheena has been through hell and back and still stands strong. She depicts the emotions of a broken woman and emerges as a heroic character.

Sheena clearly has feelings for Dr. Ahmer which is seen in her desire to look presentable to him as she enters his office. But, more than just romantic feelings, she has a strong bond of friendship with him as well; he is her go-to person and while, her love is unrequited, he does serve his duty as a friend. When she has lost all hope, “andhairay main rehna hai tou akelay hee rehloon gee”, he is the one who supports her as she tells Dr.Irfan, “who mera sahara hain and hamesha rahain gai”

Sheena is seen as a pragmatic character; she is a skilled professional but, she knows the place of women in society. Given her age, she realizes her options are limited and we see that she has internalized society’s views on marriage. She loves Ahmer but, she marries Dr.Jalal because, he can provide her and cares about her. However, all other relationships in the drama consist of companionship- Ahmer and Zoya, Irfan and Anji but, Sheena does not get that from her marriage.

Sheena also has a lot of self-respect. When Dr.Jalal comes to ask for her forgiveness, she tells him that she cannot share and that, “Maine kabhi kissi sai khairaat nahin lee”. She would rather die than to live with the shame of what happened to her. But, it is this belief in herself that allows her to deal with what she went through and emerge out of it as a strong individual who takes her destiny into her own control. 

Tunnel Vision

Tunnel vision is defined as the “defective sight in which objects cannot be properly seen if not close to the centre of the field of view.”

If I had to describe the dynamics of love between Zoya and Dr.Ahmer, I would ascribe tunnel vision (on Zoya’s part) as being one of the main factors highlighted. This is apparent when the conflict between Zoya and Dr.Ahmer is at its peak, when the revelation that Zoya is the granddaughter to whom the Professor had left his house, establishes a deep rift between Zoya and Dr.Ahmer.  Zoya believes that Dr.Ahmer’s coldness towards her is because of his hatred for her, his hatred for her because she was the girl who came between him and his beloved adoptive father. Observing only what is at the centre of her vision in that moment, i.e. Dr.Ahmer’s cold behavior towards her, Zoya deems him to be a selfish man, only capable of hatred.

“Aap ne sirf apnay aap say mohabbat kee hai.”

“Jhoot bol rahe hain, aap ne itni nafrat ke hai keh aap mohabbat ker hee nahin sakte!”

And while speaking to Anji after her trip to the Professor’s house with Dr.Ahmer;

“Unn ke nafrat bohat shadeed hai.”

“Lekin unko tum say mohabbat bhi tu hai.”

 “Nahin Anji, nafrat insaan ke achaiyaan, achay jazbun, sab ko iss tarhan khatm ker daiti hai jaisay jungle kee aag sab kuch thori see dair main khatm ker daiti hai.”

Hence, this shows Zoya’s tunnel vision at that moment with regard to Dr.Ahmer, where she can only see one side of his alleged personality and that is his hatred for her. She is unable to judge Dr.Ahmer’s personality in all its complexity, and it is Anji who keeps insisting that Zoya look at the bigger picture. One of the factors for this difference between Zoya and Dr.Ahmer in dealing with situations may be there age difference. Thus in this case Dhoop Kinarey is trying to point out to its audience the inexperience and rashness of youth and their ability to see only what is right in front of them as opposed to age which has experience and therefore a much more holistic worldview. Why then does Dr.Ahmer, while talking to his friend Adil, deny his love for Zoya, on the grounds that he can never love someone who came between him and the Professor. Interestingly, just as Zoya compares hatred with a forest fire, Dr.Ahmer speaks in similar terms, saying to Adil;

“Pata hai, mera kya jee chah raha hai? Mera jee chah raha hai main iss dunya ko agg laga dun!”

This is not to be interpreted as his hatred for Zoya, though, but in fact as his reference to the dilemma that he is facing with regard to his love for the Professor. Zoya being the girl who came between him and his adoptive father, the consistency of his love for the Professor demands that he should detest her. However, try as he might he cannot. This anguish is the reason he says what he says and not because he has an all consuming hatred for Zoya. Hence,

“Jis say nafrat kerta hun, uss se nafrat ker bhi nahin sakta.”

And so in the end, when Zoya resigns and storms down on Dr.Ahmer all thunder and lightning, we see Dr.Ahmer trying to tell her that she has misunderstood him.