The expression of romantic love

           Because of the difference in their age, Dr. Ahmer and Zoya share a very distinct romantic relationship. His affection for her expresses itself in the most unconventional of ways;  it is almost paternalistic. He is often didactic, always instructing, and of course rather authoritative (he is always issuing commands although it can be argued that their professional relationship requires him to do so). And he does this because he sees her as a novice not only in her profession, but also to life. She is young, inexperienced, and he feels the need to look out for her. His relationship with Sheena is very different. Since they are of the same age, he sees her on a different level altogether. Their conversations are complex and possess a maturity that does not exist with him and Zoya. Although, he often says things that are supposed to "correct" her, especially when she expresses her bitterness at being thwarted in love, she cannot exactly respond to such instruction in the same way as Zoya, and perhaps this is the reason why he can't reciprocate her love. Ultimately, he sees Sheena only as a friend and so can only harbour platonic affection for her.

          In general, love within this drama is shown to be a very ethical kind of love. Affection is expressed/ portrayed through glances, through extended conversation, and thought sequences. The thought sequences play a very important role in expressing the love that exists between the characters, because how the main characters remember certain instances, and which particular instances they reflect back on is vital in developing the romantic storyline. The emphasis is on the maintenance of an ethical kind of love in which both parties indulge in their romance in a very subtle and controlled manner. There are no passionate professions of love or the like-the most exciting moment is when Dr. Ahmer holds her hand in the last episode. And somehow this notion of love comes across as much more palatable than what we saw in Humsafar, which is characterised by crazy amounts of drama, suspicion, revenge, and what not. We’ve discussed how Haseena Moin saw the drama as being instructive, and so a character like Dr. Ahmer fits perfectly  with this agenda. The drama seems to be idealizing this form of domesticated and sophisticated love as compared to a more irrational kind of love that presents itself in today's Urdu drama.