Women have often been celebrated for being the epitome of patience, sacrifice, endurance, and more. ZEE5 Global and Zindagi are soon set to break this stereotype and unearth their unapologetic side in the upcoming original ‘Qatil Haseenaon Ke Naam.’
With a star Pakistani cast all set to take ZEE5 by storm, will we see more girl power ruling our screen? ZEE5 web series have recently been picking up on Pakistani talent and promising to deliver engaging content. It has previously made shows like ‘Churails‘ and ‘Dhoop ki Dewaar‘ that starred Pakistan’s finest actors in lead roles. And now, in ‘Qatil Haseenaon Ke Naam‘, we are stoked to watch actors like Sanam Saeed, Samiya Mumtaz, & Ahsan Khan (to name a few) rule our screens!
Unfortunately, it is difficult for Pakistani masses to watch this web series since it is only available on a private Indian OTT streaming platform, ZEE5. Plus, it is a subscription-based platform, and people living in Pakistan cannot pay for it since payments for online Indian content were banned last year by the State Bank of Pakistan (Dawn Images).
However, we do wonder if this new age content will be able to change viewer behavior. Will OTT platforms like ZEE5 be able to facilitate a change in viewer behavior? Will audiences prefer switching to OTT platforms? Eventually?
The Cast
The series features an eclectic cast comprising leading actors from the subcontinent including Ahsan Khan, Osman Khalid Butt, Sheheryar Munawar, Saleem Mairaj, Samiya Mumtaz, Sanam Saeed, Sarwat Gilani, Mehar Bano, Faiza Gillani, Beo Raana Zafar, and Eman Suleman.
About The Story
Being described as a desi noir anthology, ‘Qatil Haseenaon Ke Naam’ is helmed by critically acclaimed British Indian director Meenu Gaur. Written by Farjad Nabi and Meenu Gaur, the show is set in the timeless lanes of Androon Sheher – a mythical neighborhood and showcases stories of love, lust, power, and redemption woven in a web of betrayal, angst, and revenge.
Each story from the anthology depicts the fearlessness of women and their determination to avenge deceit. At the core of the stories is mystery, suspense, intrigue with twist endings. ‘Qatil Haseenaon Ke Naam’ is a compilation of six stories of seven women who wrestle back control and redefine the word femme fatale.
The creator and director of the show, Meenu Gaur says, “This idea for the show was like an outpouring for me and it’s no surprise that the stories here are about all that which surges within us as women – love, passion, ambition, conviction, rage, revenge, and revolution. With the dominance of a male-centric gaze especially in the noir genre, I was keen to explore a new interpretation, one which is told from the perspective of the much-maligned femme fatale (qatil haseena) characters. It is an attempt to correct the sexism of film noir and try our hands at feminist noir.”
Co-writer Farjad Nabi says, “Qatil Haseenaon Ke Naam’ waves goodbye to the victim woman as seven Fatales get their way through methods that are unexpected, sometimes horrifying, but always liberating.”
So, will the audiences catch on to OTT platforms like ZEE5? It all depends on the strength and the impact of the content being put forward. For instance, ‘Churails‘ was criticized by the audiences for having an elitist agenda and presumably failing to appeal to the masses. Thus, will ‘Qatil Haseenaon Ke Naam’ meet the same fate, or will it go one step ahead? Only time will tell.
