The Mother-in-Law and Daughter-in-Law Dynamic in Pakistani Dramas

There is a common theme that is often observed in the media that we consume, especially TV dramas, which involves the almost demonization of the mother-in-law figure. This is however an appropriate reflection of our culture which pits mothers and daughter in law against one and other. Perhaps, the most appropriate and fitting description for this fraught dynamic is a battle of power. Society and culture had reduced the women’s world to the four walls of her household. This is then reinforced over and over again through generations that the most coveted place for the women is the as the keeper of the household. This meant that often women felt that the household was the only platform on which they could exert meaningful power within the system. The daughter in law is then pitted as an opponent to that supposed power and influence that the mother-in-law veils, thus leading to friction between the two. While it is important to note that the above-given claim is a broad generalization, the fact remains that often women are so suppressed within the idea of traditional roles that this dynamic develops and is then further fanned by the representation in the media.