Aitebaar has been written by Maimona Aziz and directed by Nadeem Siddiqui. The show stars Zarnish Khan and Syed Jibran in lead roles, along with Ali Safina, as Zarnish Khan stars a woman who battles through society post a traumatic abduction where she’s left convincing others of her “purity” after her return. The concept in itself is intriguing and the cast is great, but it’s difficult to watch a subject like this without getting angry.
In episode 4, as Shiza and Bilal’s wedding takes place, Bilal basically proves to be the husband from hell on the wedding night itself, telling Shiza to avoid meeting her sister and brother-in-law in the future. He tells her to not interrupt him when she tries to protest and then immediately goes back to holding her hand, complimenting her and turning on the romance. If any normal girl were in Shiza’s place, she would run for the door that first night itself – but it’s a Pakistani drama, so we will have to witness Shiza in an unhappy, controlling marriage for many episodes…..assuming she ever gets out of it, which is unlikely. What’s ridiculously annoying here is how Bilal and his mother are behaving as though Pari and Hamza’s absence is the end of the world. Who are these people calling them repeatedly to ask why they didn’t attend? Does it really matter? How did that disrespect them? Bilal is downright rude and continues to show this even through the Walima event in his behavior towards Shiza’s friend, Hina. Later, it’s revealed exactly how controlling Shiza’s mother-in-law is and how she treats her own son like a child. More than Pari’s story, it’s Shiza’s story that’s unfolding into an interesting one.
Meanwhile, Pari (Zarnish Khan) is stuck pacifying Hamza (Syed Jibran), a man who should be consoling his wife who is the one who was actually abducted and attacked. It’s sickening watching Pari convince Hamza that she wasn’t assaulted and managed to escape as Hamza declares that she, as a doctor, has the power to manipulate reports. It’s disgusting to see Hamza’s attitude, as even if Pari were the victim of rape, that is not her fault. She did not have control over the situation. He is a perfect example of one who blames and shames the true victim, becoming a victim himself. It was, however, wonderful to see how Shiza’s friend, Hina, supports Pari and tries to convince her to get justice for herself.
What’s ridiculous about this entire situation is how this family cannot get on the same page regarding their “story.” Everyone tells a different story – that too ones that are unbelievable – with Pari missing her sister’s wedding due to being sick or having work. Does this sound like a realistic excuse? Of course, it’s not really anyone’s business, but if “image” means so much, why can’t this family brainstorm one solid reason for Pari missing her own sister’s wedding? Overall, “Aitebaar” is a triggering watch at the moment, showing exactly how men should not behave after a woman has gone through trauma. It will be interesting to see how this story unfolds, but should not be in favor of Hamza, that’s for sure.