Are young Pakistani girls pining for a Saim in their lives or an Inspector Nasir?
And, are they even for real?
While dramas have been screened in the past with super patient heroes – throwback to Danish in Mere Paas Tum Ho (every girls’ hero,…or nightmare?) & more recently, Meerab in Shehnai…we see a more refined version(s) of the male lead in Aakhir Kab Tak.
While inspector Nasir aims to win over his girl with charm, humility and zero pressure, Saim’s understanding, mature stance towards an overwhelmed Fajar is both sensitive & hugely gratifying to watch on screen!
THIS is what a husband should be, cries out every young female heart, supportive, compassionate yet not aggressively dominating. THIS is what a suitor should be, smiles every young girl when Inspector Nasir apologizes for his previous uncouth behaviour and tells his mom, “I like her because she is the way she is” … Wait a minute, what? You mean you don’t want to CHANGE her? You like her JUST the way she is?
Why do both these lead men have our hearts?
Oh well, it’s a simple formula of moving with the times, and times have changed. Gone are the days when girls wanted to be swept off their feet in ruthless abandon. They don’t want a crazy kind of love, they want respect, patience and yes, love, but with all the practical, cool headedness of a man who loves them for who they are.
This is not the age of Zindagi Gulzar Hai, and our female audiences know that, and so do the drama makers btw!
So well done there writer Radain Shah & director Syed Ali Raza Usama for giving us 2 male characters that are believable, yet free from the shackles of traditional overtly masculine roles. Inspector Nasir can take a stand when he wants to, but not because he has to (before a woman).
Saim is all soft inside but knows when to stand his ground before his mother. Let’s hope it only gets better from here.
Because, much as we’re loving our two heroes, a tiny part of us wants to pinch ourselves and ask, … are they for real? That’s the part that has seen too many real love stories go wrong – perhaps Saim & Inspector Nasir can set real goals for the real heroes in our lives?
Onwards to last night’s episode’s review
Inspector Nasir & Saim are redefining heroes in Pakistani dramas. And Safia not only represents a large percentage of women in the sub-continent but is also making them think about some very important questions about their own existence.
Inspector Nasir – What a beautiful way to ask a girl out for lunch. He honestly relates his feelings to her & then leaves the decision up to her. We hope men learn how to treat women with the respect they deserve, & women learn that they must be treated with respect to change the toxic notion of forced, crazy love as the only form of romantic & eternal love.
Saim shows us how a husband must trust & support his wife, & give her a chance. There is no sazish, no planning behind her actions … & don’t look for perfect partners. Find real beauty in your imperfect partner & realize how that love & relationship is more fulfilling, stronger & long lasting.
Safia ruled the episode. Her dialogues to her husband were most probably the most impactful ones, reflecting the reality of many wives, who suffer through their husband’s unfair behaviour but when they have the chance to get revenge, they choose to be nice to them. As Safia says “Umer bhar main ney aapko itna ghalat sumjha hai kay main aap jaisee nahin bunna chahtee”. This was perhaps, the most liberating dialogue ever.
Juvaria Abbasi’s super performance is key to this character, and of course, the dialogues were scripted to match the performance!
Finally, a shout out to the writer for showing us men (and women) can evolve over time and not seek the age old weapon of revenge (as in Safia’s case), or the over pressurizing lover or husband as in Inspector Nasir & Saim’s case.
Let’s hope the mothers in-law snap out of it too before it’s too late! For now, we’re watching Aakhir Kab Tak because its giving us many reasons to stay in the story!
