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.