Last weekend, the final episode of Zard Patton Ka Bunn aired. It marked the end of an underrated journey that was directed by Saife Hassan and written by Mustafa Afridi. The drama wasn’t your typical romance story; rather, it was a thoughtful look at the difficulties that women in Pakistan face that are rarely discussed so sensitively on television.
Zard Patton Ka Bunn is rooted in everyday struggles, aiming to shed light on systemic issues like gender inequality, barriers to education, child labor, and overpopulation, with patriarchy being the overarching theme, in contrast to Mustafa and Sharjeena’s romance in Kabhi Main Kabhi Tum, which has been the talk of the town lately.
“pakro pakro, dekho parh na jaye larki / jakro jakro jakro, agay badh na jaye larki [catch her, make sure the girl doesn’t study, make sure she doesn’t progress]” is an effective way to incorporate the theme into the soundtrack.
The drama stars Sajal Aly and Hamza Sohail and is about Meenu, a lively village girl who wants to be the first village doctor. Meenu, played by Aly, fights against family and societal expectations with fierce resolve.
On the other hand, Dr. Nofil, played by Sohail, is sent to the village to run a hospital that isn’t working when he gets there. He decides to leave because he sees no point in staying and decides to go back to the city. However, Meenu prevents him from doing so because he wakes him up to his duty to treat the sick villagers who haven’t had access to good healthcare for years. The story of Meenu and Dr. Nofil begins here.
The writer emphasizes various themes throughout the show, such as the significance of a well-educated mother, as Meenu and her pregnant friend discuss, and family planning, which is emphasized in a number of conversations. This is also connected to the social problem of child labor, in which the villagers justify having more children because they are seen as earning members of the family rather than being children.
The consequences of these evils are then shown in two heartbreaking instances: the first occurs when a woman dies while giving birth to her fifth child, and the second occurs when a young girl dies after being brutally tortured by her employers. The villagers’ perspective changes as a result of the two tragedies, and they begin to gradually accept Dr. Nofil, who was previously viewed with suspicion.
The audience is treated to an old-fashioned romance between the two leads in the absence of technology, as they secretly exchange glances and letters, despite several difficulties and daily drama that remain the show’s core. The need to climb a tree in order to receive phone signals is just one example of the show’s well-executed lighthearted scenes. Meenu’s first realization of her feelings for Dr. Nofil takes place here as well.
