Written by: Ayesha Amir
Posted on: February 21, 2024 | 
| 中文
Aleeza Fatima as Hannah and Rasti Farooq as Maryam in Roshan Raahein (Bright Paths)
Sarmad Khoosat has returned to the medium of telefilm after a decade with Roshan Raahein (Bright Paths), which has weaved a strong and powerful narrative around the issues that the women in our society are faced with. Although on the surface this might sound like just another cliched social issue drama film, Khoosat has excelled at portraying the narrative in such a way that it draws the audiences in. Khoosat said, “I used to love telefilms/stand-alone teleplays, but they became passé and stopped making any lucrative sense. Literally, after a decade or so, I got an opportunity to direct this heartwarming story with some of my favorite collaborators.”
Maryam (Rasti) and Hannah (Aleeza) in the film
This telefilm is an excellent narrative starring an ensemble cast, including Rasti Farooq as Maryam, Omer Ghaffar as Faraz, Aleeza Fatima as Hannah and Sania Saeed as Kulsoom. Produced by Sundus Hashmi and directed by Sarmad Sultan Khoosat, who makes a surprise cameo appearance in the telefilm. The story is written by Nirmal Bano, and the concept was conceived by Rashida Dohad and Omar Asghar Khan Foundation.
Rasti Farooq and Sarmad Khoosat in the film
The story follows Maryam in the lead, who is a typical middle-class woman with everyday struggles that a majority of our people face. Her husband lives in Sharjah, where his job has taken him, while she lives with her mother and works in a late shift at a hospital's pharmacy. Not only has Khoosat’s craft as a director captured beautifully the minute and mundane details of day-to-day life and job, such as the transactions that take place in the pharmacy, or the pestering questions posed by aunties in a public setting. Khoosat has managed to become the voice of many women and the challenges they face.
Rasti Farooq as Maryam and Omer Ghaffar as Faraz in the pharmacy
Interestingly, the title of the film Roshan Raahein, ironically shows on the screen when the characters come across a dug up and dark street. It is in this dark street that the plight of Maryam and her other female companion, Hannah, is explored with some sensitivity when they are travelling alone. Throughout the film, there is a sense of anxiety for the women who try and find ways to protect themselves from the dark. The dark as a whole is a metaphor for the various dangers that women encounter. We see Maryam buying a torch and a pepper spray, in order to find ways to protect herself. There are various harrowing scenes where she is alone and scared of the prying eyes of men in public spaces, whether that is while using public transport, or outside on the dark street where a man lurks in the bushes. Maryam has a sense of responsibility she feels towards the safety of not only herself, but also her other fellow female companions. Khoosat portrays her character with great subtlety, as someone who is docile in a way that society expects women to be. When she asks her boss to change her shift and he refuses, she accepts without any resistance, and she shows the same acceptance to her husband's demand to leave her job. She is also turned away from a government office and asked to visit it a later date by an indifferent office worker.
Sania Saeed and Rasti Farooq in the film
Another important issue raised in the film is the inefficiency and incompetence of government offices in Pakistan. A scene in the telefilm shows Maryam and her companion from the pharmacy visiting offices, where they roam directionless and no one is willing to carry out their job with any sense of responsibility. The film very aptly touches upon such themes as electricity and gas shortages, and a lack of accountability of those who are responsible for the welfare of the ordinary citizens. Instead of coming to the aid of the weak and needy, the telefilm accurately sheds light on the society’s tendency of victim blaming. When Maryam brings her complaint to a figure of authority, he chastises the woman instead of addressing the problem, saying things like “tou aap raat ko jaanay se gurez karain na”, (you should avoid going out at night). It is not until Maryam witnesses a gruesome murder, and when she suspects that something “bad” has happened with Hannah on the dark path, that she finds the courage to speak with her family to take action.
Maryam in the office of the politician who tells her not to go outside at night
Roshan Raahein is a beautiful example of how films can make subtle insinuations towards the dark aspects of our society. It not only addresses the societal concerns, but acts as a motivating factor for audiences to realize the potential of sisterhood, companionship and the power of acting collectively to solve an issue. The amazing soundtrack with heart-touching lyrics that perfectly describe the feelings and condition of the characters in that particular moment, is a cherry on top. Khoosat’s comeback to telefilm after ten long years, was a worthy endeavor!
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