Khaas – What an anti-climax – When Saba’s innocence was proven!

Khaas has won audiences’ hearts through showing a side of marriage that many women face in this society, but have never been able to explain to anyone or voice in public, although this is something that might be happening in their marriage as well.

Khaas addresses the issue of mental abuse in a marriage.

While physical abuse is more talked about and is more visible and easy to identify, mental or psychological abuse is much harder to detect and pin point. In many cases the victim fails to realise what is really happening to her, as she accepts the treatment as part and parcel of being  a good wife and a  good daughter. 

So Khaas shows how Amaar (Ali Rehman Khan) plays the dual-natured spouse. He pretends to be the considerate, attentive husband in public. Yet, in reality his attitude towards Saba (Sanam Baloch) is very humiliating, degrading and many times, abusive. But the lavish gifts, the excuse by his family that he is just joking, and his two-faced behaviour with Saba’s parents, never let on to anyone what was really happening behind the scenes with Saba. 

So many women related to this particular drama on so many levels. The story hit multiple dramatic highs when, for instance, Amaar refuses to let Saba work, dragging her out of the office, or when she loses  her child, or when the in laws blame her for having an affair with Amaar’s friend Fakhir. Saba’s father’s entrance added extra drama, excitement, stress and adrenaline to the scene. 

This Is What Went Wrong For The Audience

So in all fairness we as audiences were now desperately waiting to avenge the wrongs. We were waiting for the scene where Saba’s innocence will be proven and Amaar’s asli shakal will be revealed to the public in an equally dramatic and filmy scene … giving the entire story just the right lift and climax… but sadly… nothing like that happened.

After making us watch several episodes of Saba being ridiculed and taunted by her family, (and we very patiently suffered these unnecessary scenes)… nothing happened… nothing… really!

Wait For It – The Climax That NEVER Happened!

Saba’s friend (who is also the Fakhir’s neighbour) vouches for his character in front of Saba’s father. Her clarification was so half-hearted … so completely lacking in emotion and jazba that we would have liked her to display while trying to prove the innocence of her friend and Fakhir (Haroon Shahid). I feel it was really unfair to us – keen fans of dramas and Khaas … the scriptwriters deprived us of the relish and satisfaction of finally winning justice for Saba.

To top it all, she gives the lame justification: “Well, Saba had no one to turn to, no one to tell , I was not  here so she had no one but Fakir to talk to…”

Hmmm, well, what happened to Saba’s mother, what about her elder sister, or did we maybe miss the fact that this was Saba’s ONLY friend? Saba had so many people to talk to but she chose not to…

And when she did talk to someone, could she not have chosen a confidante more wisely? Her conversations with Fakhir could have led to a more complicated relationship, and many people in this situation, watching this drama might be tempted to do that. In fact, the fact that it didn’t, is quite hard to believe – a bit unreal, if we may say so. If you are depicting reality, then show it all the way, or lead your characters to make wise, or at least REAL) choices.

It’s just a bit disappointing and also beyond our understanding that a story that was going so well, that was so close to reality, suddenly left us with a gaping loophole! It left us with many questions … and as always, we will stress that:

Alif vs Shehr-e-Zaat. Which one will you love more?

Dramas are effective, they not only reflect what’s happening in society, but they also impact thoughts and actions.

So when you write a drama script, think about the effect you might have on the lives of those watching. Do consider that you are talking about REAL lives. There are women watching who might be going through similar circumstances, and they not only want to see their story played out on screen, (to know that they are not the only ones out there), but they also want justice to be delivered. If nothing, your story might give them courage to do the same in their own lives! How’s that for consequences?

Rabia Mughni

Rabia stays involved in various social causes. Believing in creating equal opportunities for underprivileged kids, she helps The Citizens’ Foundation, Pakistan, to create awareness of the need for providing quality education to children. At the same time, she is also involved with Singapore-based VWO, 4PM’s Ramadan on Wheels project by supporting it through the FUCHSIA platform. At FUCHSIA, Rabia oversees the Marketing and Public Relations work. She is also part of the Editing Team in conceptualising articles and monthly issues.