Written by: Waseem Abbas
Posted on: April 03, 2024 | 
| 中文
Late Khalid Butt and Faysal Qureshi in Khaie
Racial stereotyping in dramas and films influences public perception, perpetuating certain stereotypes. If the producers of television shows pick certain themes regarding some ethnic/racial communities, focus on the one-dimensional and selective representation of them, emphasize specific characteristics and traits, and ignore the diversity and multiplicity of thought in these groups, it can lead to the ‘othering’ and marginalization of these ethnic communities.
The Cultivation Theory of Media, developed by George Gerbner in the 1960s and substantiated by research, suggests that exposure to media shapes the viewers' perception of reality and the way they conduct their lives. These racial stereotypes in dramas can influence the attitudes and beliefs of the viewers about these communities. It is, therefore, necessary for the makers of television shows and films to not depict certain communities as backward, radical, or lacking an enlightened view of life.
Ahsan Khan as Darkhazai in Meray Humnasheen
Muslims, Asians and Arabs are often portrayed as barbaric, hate-mongering, violent and archaic in Hollywood movies, particularly after the 9/11 incident. Similarly, Muslims and Pakistanis are increasingly being portrayed as villains, terrorists, goons, drivers, domestic workers or doing other menial jobs by Bollywood, especially after the rise of Modi's Hindutva politics. Empirical studies have demonstrated that the stereotyping of Muslims and Pakistanis in Hollywood and Bollywood has deep roots, which leads the viewers to internalize these stereotypes and results in discrimination against these marginalized communities. Similar discrimination against Pashtuns in Pakistani dramas and films is prevalent, as they are usually portrayed in negative light or as comic characters.
Dur-e-fishan Saleem and Faysal Qureshi in Khaie
In a research paper analyzing three Pakistani films Khuda kay Liye (2007), Jawani Phir Nahi Aani (2015), and Karachi Se Lahore (2015), Rakhshan Rizwan concluded that “the Pashtun subject is pejoratively represented as either the noble savage, the violent Islamist, the vengeful patriarch, the pedophile or the simple-minded buffoon. Such representations are grounded in colonial discourse and in post-9/11 national and transnational political discourse, which is then inflected by historical legacies of Punjabi majoritarianism.”
An analysis of Pashtun characterization, and the portrayal of male and female Pashtuns in six prime-time Pakistani dramas, including Bulbulay, Suno Chanda 1, Suno Chanda 2, Googly Mohalla, Uran and Yaqeen Ka Safar, was revealing about the extent of stereotyping. The numbers showed that 58.4% of Pashtuns in the selected dramas were in comedic and negative roles, 32.9% in positive and 8.7% in neutral roles. 19.9% of Pashtuns were depicted as illiterate, 2.3% as laborers, 9.9% as fighters, 15.8% as opportunists, 12.3% as conservatives, 8.2% as hospitable, 9.4% as unemployed/cricket enthusiasts, while 18.7% were shown as educated and 3.5% as hospitable/friendly villagers. Interestingly, the study found that Pashtun women are depicted more positively than their men, as 28% of men and 42% of women are in positive roles in these selected dramas, while Pashtun males are mostly portrayed in comedic or negative roles (65.8%). It can be said with certainty that a study of recently aired television dramas will have similar findings.
Sania Saeed and Hania Amir in Sang-e-Mah
Pakistani dramas depicting Pashtun society mostly explore its negative aspects, ancient practices now defunct or rarely practiced. Whether it is the topic of Khaie (2023-24), ghag (the custom of shooting outside the house of a girl whom the boy lays claim to as his potential bride) explored in Sang-e-Mah (2023), honor killing in Sang-e-Mar Mar, sawari (the custom of giving away one’s sister or daughter to make peace with the enemy of the family) in Dukhtar (2014), Pakistan’s submission to Oscars. Pashtun men are often represented as violent, patriarchal, scheming and repressive, whether it is Faysal Qureshi's character Channar Khan in Khaie (2023), or Ahsan Khan's character Darakhzai in Meray Humnasheen (2017), Noman Ejaz as Gulistan Khan and Omair Rana as Saif Ullah Khan in Sang-e-Mar Mar. Pashtun women, on the other hand, are either depicted as completely docile and submissive, or revolting against the patriarchal society, such as Zarguna (played by Sania Saeed) in Sang-e-Mah or Allah Rakhi (played by Samiya Mumtaz) in Dukhtar.
Samiya Mumtaz and Saleha Aref in Dukhtar
Pashtuns are associated with drug culture, arms and ammunition in almost all Pakistani dramas that explore Pashtun society. Scenes where Pashtun characters carry guns without any restriction and murder opponents on minor issues, as we have seen in Khaie and Sang-e-Mar Mar, are almost omnipresent in Pakistani dramas. In the popular Pakistani sitcom, Bulbulay, a Pashtun character gives a gift to the protagonist, Nabeel (Nabeel Zafar, who is also the producer), to which he says: "What could be the gift: either a bomb or naswar (tobacco that is chewed)”, reveals the reality of Pakistani television shows and their depiction of Pashtuns. The only positive aspect of the Pashtun society depicted in Pakistani dramas and films is its hospitality. Sarwat Gillani's character, Gul, the sole Pashtun in the main cast of Jawani Phir Nahi Ani (2015), brandishes a gun at her husband, portrayed by Vasay Chaudhry, due to minor inconveniences.
Sarwat Gillani in Jawani Phir Nahi Ani as a Pashtun girl
Another characterization of Pashtuns prevalent in Pakistani media is of outright fools, who can not understand routine things, or of drivers, chowkidars and office assistants. Kubra Khan’s character asks in Sang-e-Mah about a Pashtun driver, to which a colleague of hers replies, that there are eight Pathan drivers, not one. In the popular Pakistani film, Karachi se Lahore, the Pashtun character played by late Rasheed Naz, makes inappropriate jokes that associate Pashtuns with homosexuality. A similar incident can be found in the acclaimed film Bol, where Pashtun truck drivers can be seen homing in on a young boy. Shoaib Mansoor’s Khuda Ka Liye tries to see extremism as a product of Pashtun culture that is inherently misogynist and violent.
Late Rasheed Naz in Karachi Se Lahore
It is important that producers of Pakistani dramas do not ride the bandwagon and perpetuate stereotype any community. The Pashtun society needs representation in television dramas and films, but the writers and producers should not stereotype Pashtuns, and it is important to highlight the positive aspects of the Pashtun culture.
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