Mahnoor's Post

*note: submittedon time

Dhoop Kinaray suggests a very different agenda then the drama Humsafar. In Humsafar there was a portrayal of western notions, which condemned liberalism whereas Dhoop Kinaray offers a view that is far more complicated in the way that characters are more fluid. They don’t completely condemn western notions and while there are some characters that portray stereotypes in the traditional sense (Fazeelat) there are those that break out of the traditional mold (Zoya) and are not treated by the drama as deviant characters. Society as a whole in Dhoop Kinaray seems to have a wider more fluid characteristic about it unlike humsafar in which there is a rigid class structure and male and female stereotypes are more concretely portrayed.

Fazeelat and Anji’s mother enforce female stereotypes, as they don’t feel the need for Zoya and Anji to be career oriented. At the same time Zoya and Anji’s characters aren’t as predictable and gendered as Khirat and Sara were in Humsafar. Zoya perfectly portrays the character of a female in Pakistani society who represents a balance between being too traditional and too liberal. Her dressing sense like that of all other female characters is traditional but stays true to the fashion trends of the time. She poses no threat to the traditional figure here. Zoya’s dedication to her job and the way her character adapts to the professional environment is seen in the episode where she and her fellow workers make crepe paper flowers for her patients. This scene portrays a lot about her character as she uses her personality to be good at her job. She does not limit herself by diminishing aspects of her personality to fit into a serious work environment; rather she incorporates her bubbly and loving personality to add life to the children’s ward. In a way it can be said that she adds femaleness to the environment as women are meant to represent color and art and craft activities yet at the same time she has accomplished becoming a doctor and proves her self able in this field. Hence, Zoya breaks down gender roles not by portraying another extreme but by finding balance between the two.