Did Bulbulay destroy the definition of feminism?
- Mahnoor Mahmud 24020387
- Jul 30, 2022
- 2 min read
Feminism. A subjective term. Simply put, feminism has come across as an idea to challenge the everyday gender-based inequalities and injustices that women have to face. However, it is serving and challenging different aspects of society. The sociopolitical demonstrations under the banner of Aurat March, and the increased awareness in a third-world patriarchal society like Pakistan are prevalent and we all have seen how the people and their placement in the society as social beings are making shifts.
However, the same Pakistani media destroyed and misrepresented the term feminism and the concept of Aurat March. A very famous Pakistani TV show, starring Ayesha Omar as Khoobsurat, Bulbulay, recently released an episode that raised many questions. Surprisingly, not much of a backlash was seen on Instagram, a platform where a picture of Ayesha Omar wearing a bikini while on her vacation in Thailand went viral. Don’t even get me started on why her character in the show is named ‘Khoobsurat’ and does her being fair, slim, and trendy fulfills the beauty standards that our society has constructed.
The very problematic episode explicitly throws a vile shade on the idea of Aurat March, and the ideological principles encircling ‘feminism.’ For an audience like Pakistan, a deep-rooted patriarchal society, the episode highlights the main manifesto of the Aurat March as ‘man-hating.’ Not surprising at all, because this was inevitable. More shockingly, the script tones out women NGOs as organizations or more so ‘platforms’ that promote and encourage the idea of divorce and staying single among women.
Note here, that the thematic tone and attitude of this media product are humorous. The toxic tint in the script goes ignored. Towards the end, the same man-hating woman falls in love with her husband and starts to serve him and do all his chores willingly. It promotes a culture of ‘majboori’ where no matter what the woman wants or aspires to have as part of a better life, she has to return to the unjust (married) way of life.
However, educating a little goes a long way. Feminism is not only for women but for all the other genders as well, that feel deprived of their basic rights and are exposed to injustices in every aspect of their day-to-day life. Aurat March was a banner event, under which representatives from communities such as the trans, the intersex, and a few others joined to speak up for themselves. Not blaming the women for making Aurat March an event for themselves only, but this blame is to be put on society. Our culture holds the responsibility for not only accepting but also nurturing an anti-women rights environment for decades now. The majority of women are indeed deprived of their basic rights hence, the Aurat March might be perceived as a march for women’s rights only.
This blog really makes me think about why I used to watch this show when I was younger. This show caters to an audience of every age group. From a 10-year-old to a 60-year-old, people of all ages watch this show and actually enjoy it. However, the messages this show sends are not ones which should be normalized by the media. The show is extremely problematic and sexist in nature. One of the most obvious ways you can see this is just by the name of one of the main characters "Khoobsurat", which you also mention in your post. By using platform that this show has, the famous stars that this show has, it should be doing a much better…
This blog is making me think of a hypothetical...
I have an uncle who is a CP patient. He really enjoys Bulbulay. Even though he can't really speak to us or walk, he can still see and listen to us.
Now what if we magically found a cure for his condition and he was to live in this society that has an enormous Bulbulay fanbase.
What would have this form of media inculcated in him?
How would this Bulbulay fanbase echoing some of these problematic narratives effect him?
Thinking about these questions just leads to an unfortunate conclusion.
With this amount of power, there's a responsibility on the producers to educate... but they choose to propagate ideas that make lives…
While my family and I used to enjoy this sitcom some 12-13 years ago, growing up I have only realized how blatantly sexist and problematic it is, and how cheap the comedy is. It's honestly so lame. I'm surprised this show still has an audience, even though years have passed since it started airing.
While I have not watched the episode you talked about in your blog, I'm disappointed that the writers have gone so cheap with their comedy to target feminism and Aurat March. It's important to note that in decades, this show did not target any specific political parties or religious sects, because they know there would have been serious repercussions. But the fact that they were daring…
Thank you for writing this, I was earlier not aware of such a sentiment being promoted in Bulbulay out of all shows. I mean when you think of the drama, you immediately think light hearted comedy and silly behavior. My 11-year old brother was quite fond of it at one point as well, so this really concerns me with regards to the kind of messages he's been getting by watching it.
Honestly, with the kind of fan base Bulbulay has which is HUGE and the fact that it's been running for so many years is a win for the producers, directors and actors. But it also means they have a huge responsibility to the audience, because they can shape narratives…
Some very insightful comments! I believe that humor is such a useful tool if utilized correctly. It can be an avenue for radicalizing society. However, it can also send loud and clear messages in favor of popular toxic tropes. Even as a child, one aspect about Bulbulay which I found pretty problematic was how Nabeel threatened to leave Khoobsurat every time she refused to assist with domestic chores. There were also a chain of episodes where he overtly dabbled with the idea of bringing home a second wife. This just shows how men have this upperhand in our patriarchal society and exercise in warped ways.