ik Mohabbat Aur started airing a couple of weeks ago. It has garnered quite a fan following. The protagonist, Khushbakht Naz, is an assistant commissioner of police. The male lead is a journalist, Haroon Malik, portrayed by Ahad Raza Mir.

The protagonist is a self-assured and confident professional. She is also a divorcee with a young daughter, who has learnt to live life on her own terms. Although her parents have encouraged her to move in with them, she prefers living independently.

It is encouraging to see that our television plays are starring and promoting prosperous women as protagonists. These characters have the courage and determination to rise above setbacks in their journey and carve out their own niches in life. Naz’s role harks back to the strong female leads of Haseena Moin’s plays, which remain fresh in some people’s minds.

The fact that strong women are seen more frequently on television points to a shift in the industry landscape. Bas Tera Saath Ho, too, stars a very strong female lead, who, despite all the odds stacked against her, is determined to fight for what is rightfully and lawfully hers. Case No 9 is another case in point. It starred some very well-developed female characters, who were not scared to stand up for what they believed in.

Another issue raised in Aik Mohabbat Aur is domestic violence. Khushbakht is shown as a domestic violence survivor, Although she is emotionally scarred, she has managed to put the past behind her and move on. There was a lot of pressure on her to make her marriage work, but when it did not work out, she collected the pieces of her life and is now a successful career woman, single-handedly raising her daughter.

The fact that strong women are seen more frequently on television points to a subtle shift in the industry landscape.

The male lead’s sister is married to a narcissist. She is another woman struggling to cope in a marriage that is on the rocks. Her husband is self-obsessed. He has systematically undermined her confidence and self-esteem so that she has been reduced to a shadow of her former self. The play highlights how being married to self-centred and self-obsessed men can erode one’s self-confidence.

The play suggests that the onus for making a marriage work should not lie solely with the women in the relationship. Enduring physical, mental and emotional abuse when a marriage is not working is not the answer. Where children are involved, the pressure to make it work can be greater. Women are often advise to sacrifice their happiness for the sake of their children. Kafeel penned by Umera Ahmed, was an excellent attempt to de-stigmatise divorce. It was refreshing in the way the children pressed their mother to leave their father and give marriage a second chance.

Strong female leads are a welcome addition to the television landscape. It is encouraging to see that viewers have taken a liking to them, as rankings have shown. Bas Tera Saath Ho, too, is quite popular. The phupho in the play (Shagufta Ejaz) is shown in a positive light. She encourages her father and nephew to stand up for what is right. Unlike some plotting phuphos on television, this one is like a breath of fresh air.

It is good to see that the viewers are steering away from run-of-the-mill productions, with namby-pamby female leads. This has encouraged writers to experiment and craft strong female characters. Finally, a failed marriage does not mean the end of the world and there is a life after divorce. The secret is not to give up, keep going and not bow down to social pressures. One must stand up for what one believes in.

Kudos to the writers for creating thought-provoking and compelling content.

The writer is an educationist. She can be reached at [email protected].