“Rang Mahal” has pulled viewers in from its first episode, not only a visually appealing show with a good-looking cast and just the right amount of mindlessness – but the show actually has a strong storyline. Starring Sehar Khan, Ali Ansari, Humayun Ashraf, Arooba Mirza, Asim Mehmood and others, the story has been written by Shafia Khan and directed by Zahid Mehmood. “Rang Mahal” follows the trials faced by Mahapara, the daughter of the house help who is raised like a part of the family until she is put in her “place.”
While the entire story of societal barriers and the divide between social classes is interesting, the romantic angle in “Rang Mahal” is even more so. Fans are divided between being “Team Rayed” and “Team Salaar.” However, as a matter of opinion, the love story in this show is about more than just “love overcomes all” and the ending of the show could really make or break the show. What sort of message will the show be setting? On one end, there is Rayed (Ali Ansari), the “hero” of the show. This is the man who recognized the class divide between himself and Mahapara (Sehar Khan), warned his family of what he could see coming and then, ultimately, chose to trust his family’s word that Mahapara was one of them, accepting her not only as family, but also as the woman he wanted to marry. Rayed was a good guy, absolutely, and he supported Mahapara through a lot – except when it truly mattered. When push came to shove, Rayed did not even trust Mahapara enough to allow her to give her side of the story. Rather, he branded Mahapara as a liar and a user, turning away not only from her, but from the idea of love overall after suffering heartbreak due to her “actions.” In present day, Rayed may be stable now and he may still be stuck on Mahapara, but he still believes she’s a liar. Adding to that, Rayed’s immaturity is exactly where it was in the past – he continues to be fixated on his Bhabi, doing everything in his power to go against her, a game in which he also used Mahapara. Is Rayed really the ideal “hero”?
On the flipside, Mahapara was engaged to Salaar (Asim Mehmood), a distant relative. While Mahapara unwillingly found herself engaged to this young man, he has consistently proved himself to be her ideal partner. Immediately smitten with Mahapara, he began assisting her not only in her commute, but also in making her life easier, pushing her to continue her education, land a job and really, just about anything Mahapara needed help with. Upon his own success, he continued to make Mahapara a part of his happiness – and when Mahapara asked him to break off their engagement for her happiness, he did it with no questions asked. After everything, it is Salaar who uncovered the truth and determined Mahapara’s innocence. This is a man who has shown his faith in Mahapara at every turn, never doubting her for even a moment, even going against his own parents to defend her. And even now, he claims her as his fiancée, never allowing that label to disappear.
Most shows will shove this idea of “eternal love” on viewers. But what is love? Love is care, trust and respect – something which Rayed has failed at from all corners. If Mahapara accepts Rayed back, what sort of message does this send to the show’s audience? Doesn’t Mahapara (and girls like her) deserve a supportive, strong, loving partner who stands by her through thick and thin? Isn’t that the ideal partner? In the Bollywood film “Kya Kehna,” Preity Zinta’s character, after much grief and turmoil, rejects Saif Ali Khan’s character for that of Chandrachur Singh’s – because the latter held her hand at a time when she needed him most. Wouldn’t it be refreshing to see an ending like this in “Rang Mahal,” an ending where a now strong, independent woman is able to make her own choices – and chooses the person who has been there for her all along?