Fitoor Episode 38: “It’s All About Loving Your Parents,” Even When They Are Awful

It’s another week and here we are again, with another rant against “Fitoor.” It’s difficult to get on board with a concept that takes such regressive steps at every turn. At this point, even if the end message of “Fitoor” shows Dilnasheen leaving Haider and Hamza in the dust and gaining independence (which is highly unlikely), it’s too late – one cannot have 40 plus episodes depicting all the regressive thoughts and ideas possible and then end with one positive message. That is harmful storytelling. In all cases, it’s not going to happen and we are swiftly headed down a path towards a Haider and Dilnasheen reunion. “Fitoor” stars Faysal Qureshi, Hiba Bukhari, Kiran Haq and Wahaj Ali in lead roles, has been written by Zanjabeel Asim and directed by Siraj Ul Haq.

There isn’t any logical individual in the world who would applaud an affair. There isn’t any family member who would encourage their loved one to step outside the home for affection. There isn’t a good reason for a married woman to begin an affair while still married, nor is there a good reason for a single man to break up a married couple. Everyone on earth understands this. One shouldn’t cheat on their spouse…..but they are perfectly welcome to leave an emotionally, verbally and physically abusive marriage (which is what Dilnasheen and Haider’s marriage has been, any way you spin it) and then get remarried. So while many watching “Fitoor” would argue “How can she leave her (so called) kind husband and get together with her ex-boyfriend?”, they should also recount the experiences that have led her into this marriage and the abuse she has suffered at her husband, her mother-in-law and her own family’s hands since being married to him.

Now with Haider’s (Faysal Qureshi) mother ill, Haider requests Dilnasheen to pretend to be happy with him for his mother’s sake, saying he’ll divorce her after his mother’s passing. Dilnasheen (Hiba Bukhari) and Haider are forced to spend more time together now. This is the oldest trope in the book and so audiences are now forced to watch Haider and Dilnasheen grow closer and realize they don’t, in fact, want to get divorced at all. Unfortunately, Hamza (Wahaj Ali) is now spiraling out of control at the idea of losing Dilnasheen and has threatened to kill himself if she doesn’t leave Haider. Adding to the stress on Dilnasheen’s decisions, which are being made for her on both ends, her brother pays her a visit and essentially tells her that he will kill her if she ever sees Hamza again. Wow.

At the end of all of this, there’s a message “Fitoor” is sending loud and clear – always listen to your parents. They want what’s best for you. Even if your family threatens to kill you, slaps you, strangles you, rejects a proposal from the man you love and forces you to marry an older stranger, they love you (Dilnasheen). If your family rejects the woman you love, ignores your drug addiction and your poor mental health, insults the woman you love, forces another woman on you when you’re not in the right frame of mind and threatens to take your business away from you if you do marry the woman you love, it’s because they love you (Hamza)! Hamza has been a victim in all of this and his love for Dilnasheen has taken him to a really ugly place. For the sake of the show, he has now been written into a corner, turning him into an obsessive villain, indicating an incredibly tragic end for him. Death? Drug overdose? Jail? It’s not clear, but what is clear is that Hamza will be out of the picture one way or another and Haider and Dilnasheen’s toxic relationship will be whitewashed as they ride off into the sunset – because the horrible decisions made by their families were made out of love and families can never make mistakes. Right?