Humsafar, like most other Pakistani dramas is geared towards gaining the attention and loyalties of the middle class, they market their brand to their target audience by idealising and exaggerating the virtues of the middle class while at the same time demonising the elite and the core values and lessons that the dramas propagate are inline with the cultural and religious beliefs of the middle class.
In Humsafar, there is a strong assumption that drives the plot, i.e, it is the only lower classes that really know how to fulfil their familial obligations, while the elite despite their easy lives will continue to let their families down and fail to personify a true, loving family.
This message is strongly emphasised from the start, as from the very first episode we find out that Baseerat has failed to be a good brother, while Maimuna, the struggling to make ends meet, asks for nothing but keeps in contact with him. Though Baseerat's actions later on should have exonerated him, however, his brotherly regard came at the cost of his duties as a father and a husband.
In getting Khirad and Asher married made by Baseerat and Maimuna, Maimuna was spurred by her love for her daughter, sacrificing her pride and self respect, while Basseerat was motivated by his guilt for being a bad brother.
Baseerat's threat of divorce to Fareeda showed the supercilious relationship the two share instead of one based on mutual respect and interdependence. Baseerats words showed the materialistic reality of their relationship as his decision was to be followed not because of any duty that the wife owed to her husband, his sorrow or to his family but because she lived in his house and was dependent on his wealth.
Maimuna's sisterly love for her brother can be juxtaposed to the love that Fareeda shared with her sister, while at the offset their sisterly bond seemed to be strong yet in the course of the show it becomes glaringly obvious that it was spurred by a) Fareeda's belief that Sara was a socially desirous bride for Usher that would look good on paper and b) by her sisters desire to help her daughter to gain the object of her obsession. Hence, the sisterly bond was broken once the two sisters failed to reach their own objectives.
Khirad, though personifies the ability of the middle class alone in fulfilling familial bonds and friendships to their purest and truest extent. Not only does she not at any point point out refuse the marriage, resorting to reason with her mother, her refusal was also spurred by the supposed injustice to Usher. Khirad continues to follow up and fulfils her duties to her friends in Faisalabad, her regard for her aunt, Batool Khala is shown repeatedly and she regularly updates her friends about her life. These people despite the absence of a blood relationship between the two came to her aid later on.
She is shown to be the perfect niece and daughter in law to her mammu, always respectful, keeping him company and always ready to make him a cup a of tea. Her mother in law, she readily accepts her as a "Mummy" substitute, even after Fareeda ploys to ruin her life, she is not the one to call an end to their relationship. When she confronts her, she refer her to as Mummy and calls herself her "beti", it was Fareeda who breaks the familial bond between the two. Despite this agrees to live with Fareeda after her mental breakdown.
Comparing Khirad to her peers we see that all of them fail to meet her standard. Asher not only fails to be a good husband but also fails to fulfil his fathers last wish. Sara fails to be a good cousin and friend to Asher, actively disregarding his wishes and desires. while at the same time using Khizer to further her goal. Her suicide itself showed her to be a bad daughter as she ignores her mothers pain and suffering as well as her pleas for her love, leaving her mother broken and distort.
conclusively, only Khirad as the personification of middle class virtues deserved a happily ever after as she was the only one capable in carrying out her familial roles.
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