Pehli Si Mohabbat is asking the tough questions yet again, but are they really that tough? Are Rakshi & Aslam justified in running away or is the izzat of families more important, even if it means succumbing to a tortured life?

Writer Faiza Iftikhar is pushing our boundaries once again. Do we re evaluate our value system, do we support an elopement, do we wait for the narrative to take a turn for the better so that Rakshi is saved from the horrendous life sentence of spending her life with Sikander? Sikander himself by the way, is quite anxious. His entire plan seems to be failing as Zainab refuses to give in.
But here’s the thing.
Why do our heroines have to wait for the narrative to take the twist? Why can they not take a stand and refuse the marriage in the first place?
Something to think about as we contemplate episode next of Pehli Si Mohabbat

If Rakshi is not saying no to Sikander because of her father’s ‘izzat’ then how can she run away – will that not be a greater violation of her father’s trust (and public ruin for the family)? Is it not the better of the two evils to refuse Sikander, yet stay home?
But, will she have the courage to do that? Many Rakshi’s might take courage from her move, and many might get the wrong idea if she decides to elope. What would you advise her to do?
On Aslam’s Misery

Instead of giving money to Aslam if everyone had fought for him & Rakshi, maybe they would not have to run away? We doubt it though, because both Faizullah & Sikander have turned out to be formidable & obstinate in their decisions. Also, undoubtedly, since the people siding Aslam are all women, and though we applaud the sisterhood in Pehli Si Mohabbat, we have also seen, unfortunately, that women do not have the final say in the love story. They are driven by the decision making powers of men, be it Zainab, Zainab’s mother, Ishrat or Rakshi – Nargis the most emancipated of the lot, was probably the strongest till she too, submitted to marriage and to her fate?
Pehli Si Mohabbat, despite the heavy love story material and vintage sets feel, is keeping us on tenter hooks – kudos to some great performances from the entire team, the leads as well as attention to detail in directions & scripting – going strong in the 22nd Episode!