Written by: Dr. Saba Noor
Posted on: November 14, 2022 | 
| 中文
Syed Muhammad Ahmed with his daughters in the drama
The story of Betiyaan revolves around girls and the obstacles they face in a patriarchal society regarding marriage, education, honor and reputation. Produced under the Big Bang productions by Dr. Ali Kazmi and Fahad Mustafa, the drama portrays our society’s ugly face and a father’s relationship with his daughters. The drama is directed by Meesam Naqvi and written by Asma Siyani, and it has a unique storyline as compared to the writer’s old dramas like Ghalati or Yeh Ishq.
Fatima Effendi as Fiza and Mahenur Haider as Aiza
The drama boast’s a star cast, but all the actors have been cast in the same old roles that we have been used to seeing them play in the past. The role of the father is being performed by Syed Muhammad Ahmad, who plays the role of a loving father in almost all Pakistani dramas. Javeria Saud, who usually plays the role of an unruly woman in Pakistani dramas, has played the role of a divorced, rebellious phuppo (aunt). Starring Fatima Effendi, Mahenur Haider, Qudsia Ali, Tania Hussain and Eman Khan as the five well-mannered and adoring daughters, the whole story revolves around Muhammad Ahmed’s troubles to find perfect matches for his daughters. The doting father’s desire is to acquit himself of all his responsibilities by getting them married before he passes away. One begins to wonder if finding a suitable match is the ultimate goal for women in Pakistani society?
The sisters. Eman Khan as Komal, Tania Hussain as Anum, Qudsia Ali as Hania and Fatima Effendi as Fiza
Though we have broken away from the old traditions but the customary visit to “Sham ki chai” (a girl is introduced to her potential suitor and his family by ushering in tea on a trolley), but this outdated custom is still used in the drama. While the family is looking for a suitable spouse for the eldest sister Fiza (Fatima Effendi), the guests end up rejecting Fiza and choosing the younger sister Aiza (Mahenur Haider). Mahenur Haider, contrary to her role of a cunning daughter in law of Syed Mohammad Ahmed in Aulaad, is an affectionate daughter in Betiyaan, who would sacrifice anything for her father’s reputation. However, her love affair with her classmate Saad (Osama Tahir), ends up defaming the family as she elopes before her nikkah takes place. When the families discover this, they insist Danish (played by Fahad Sheikh) and Fiza to get married to save the reputation of both the families. While the two are trying to develop some feelings for each other, Danish’s mother (Sabahat Ali Bukhari), in spite of being open-minded and mature, employs all possible ways to drag Fiza out of her son’s life merely because Fiza is from a middle-class family. It is almost impossible to find any Pakistani drama without the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law tussle and antagonism.
Sabahat Bukhari, Fahad Sheikh and Shehryar Zaidi in Betiyaan
In the drama, both negative and positive roles have been depicted equally. If one person in a family has a negative role, the other is a complete antidote, as Danish’s optimistic father is completely different to his negative mother. The characters have been depicted in a balanced manner, no one is pure evil or an angel. Everyone has his/her issues, insecurities and pluses, a good sign for Pakistani dramas, for in the past, they have been painted in black and white.
Javeria Saud as aunty Nagma, Syed Muhammad Ahmed as Laiq Mian and Dadi (name unknown)
Osama Tahir, contradictory to his role of a helpless person in drama serial Mushk, is a dedicated lover. What drags the story is that his father turns out to be Aiza’s aunt’s ex-husband, but also a business partner of Danish’s. It is intriguing how all characters, despite class differences, have some connection with one another. Maybe it’s one of the ways to keep the story more engaging. In order to hold the attention of the audience, dramas should be shorter, crispier and brief. Feels like Betiyaan’s last episode shall be when all 5 daughters will get married and get settled in their homes. Thirty three episodes so far, but the end doesn’t seem to be in sight as only two daughters have got married so far.
Mahenur Haidar as Aiza and Osama Tahir as Saad
Viewers are delighted to see Qudsia Ali as a blunt and an outspoken daughter, yet an ambitious girl, who as Hania wants to break the stereotypes and is keen to establish her academic career to become an independent woman. Whereas all other sisters are more into getting married and rely on their husbands.
When it comes to acting, Fatima Effendi, despite coming back after a long break from acting, is doing complete justice to her role. Audience is delighted to see Mahenur Haider, Qudsia Ali and Tania Hussain acting brilliantly in entirely different roles than we have seen them before. Fahad Shaikh and Osama Tahir have done well in their roles too as the male protagonists. Javeria Saud, however, should choose different roles now, as her role of Nagma in Betiyaan is quite similar to Jameela in Paristaan and Gohar in Nand. Veterans Muhammad Ahmed and Shehryar Zaidi need no introduction, and they have nicely portrayed the subtilities of their roles as fathers.
Shehryar Zaidi and Muhammad Ahmed in the drama
Though the script is good enough to hold the audience engaged, but it has failed to create any suspense because the story is quite predictable. Despite the lack of suspense and its predictability, Betiyaan is a resounding success but a drama of more than 25 episodes gradually loses its charm.
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