The (Female) Help

There is no doubt that the role and position of servants in Dhoop Kinaray is very different from what we have seen so far.

More than anything else, the purpose of the maid in Dhoop Kinaray is to fill the void of a mother (or mumta). Her job is of a caretaker. Throughout the show Fazeelat is shown to be worried about Zoya’s health (kaisi duty hai, naa koi aane ka waqt naa koi jaane ka waqt). Her concern is not just a byproduct of her job but there exists an obvious emotional attachment, probably because of having raised Zoya (humne socha nazar utaar dain, hazaron ki nazar paray gi).

Despite the fact that Zoya is a grown woman who is earning Fasi asks her about simplest of things like having proper food when working (ye batao wahan khana milta hai). When Zoya jokes that she doesn’t get food not only does Fasi have a minor breakdown but argues that she would not let her father send her back to work (hum dekhte hain tumhain kaun bhejta hai…nahin jao gi, keh diya humne).

This is where it is made obvious that Fasi’s concern is not just basic compassion. She takes her role as caretaker very seriously. So much so that she is willing to go head to head with her employer, whether it is Zoya’s reluctance to become a doctor (aik tou bachi ko leke murdon mai bhej diya…) or the idea of living in a potentially dangerous area (uss jungle bayabaan mai jaa ke raho gai? Khabardaar!).

This relationship does not entail conventional employee-employer roles. The fact that Fasi is able to scold Zoya (kitni baar kaha hai ke humare haath paoon matt phulaya karo…) and her father (rakho chabiyan safe mai. Humare pass koi kaam hi nai hai…) shows that respect for her is not because of age. It is a rooted in the position the maid has come to hold in the household as a result of having lived with these people for so long. She’s not exactly a servant who is subordinate in all matters but she’s not a household member either.

It is this position that allows her a certain level of authority and decision making power in the household. When Zoya and Anji make plans to visit the new house Fasi is able to invite herself (hum kal tumhare saath jaa rahe hain, kaan khul ke sunn lou). The lack of resistance from the girls shows that Fasi’s word was final in this matter.