Written by: Hurmat Majid
Posted on: November 15, 2022 | 
| 中文
Poster of Pinjra
'Pinjra,' based on hundreds of stories of dysfunctional families, focuses on the traumatizing impact of strict and harmful parenting. The show has been made in such a manner that the audience is left in a state of despair because the plot is so realistic, discussing the plight of strict parents, physical and mental abuse, and the struggles of growing up in a suffocating household.
The ARY Digital drama stars Hadiqa Kiani as Khadija and Omair Rana as Jawaid, two ruthless and stubborn parents who go to great lengths to ensure their rules are followed in the house. On the other hand, a parallel has been drawn to another family where the mother is played by Sunita Marshall as Wajiha, who has a polar opposite parenting style and allows her children more flexibility and room for growth.
(L to R) Aina Asif, Zuhab Khan, Hadiqa Kiani, Aashir Wajahat, Omair Rana, Sunita Marshal, Ahmed Usman and Emaan Khan in Pinjra
Aashir Wajahat, Aina Asif, Ahmed Usman, Zuhab Khan, and Emaan Khan play the children. While some of the children benefit from preferential treatment from their parents due to their grades and exemplary behavior, others are forced to conform to their parents' whims and wishes.
To create a favorable disparity, the plot includes a variety of issues, with a greater emphasis on Abaan (played by Ahmed Usman) and his despair. Abaan is shown to be a child who suffers from dysfunctional behavior as a result of his parent's actions. Abaan, played superbly by Ahmed Usman, is a talented painter, but his talent is suppressed so that he can excel in his studies. The title ‘Pinjra’ is already quite literally representative of a cage that represents Abaan's household and life.
It's an old story, but it is still relevant in Pakistani culture and society, where children are denied growth in subjects of their interest and passion, and pressured into confirming their parents' aspirations for them, or face humiliation at home. Unfortunately, Abaan shares the same fate, making him a very relatable character.
The show expresses eloquently the concerns and harmful impact of unimaginative and strict upbringing, which lacks empathy for the child’s needs and aspirations. It is a much-needed social issue that deserves attention and discussion, and 'Pinjra' deserves praise for selecting this subject as a theme for this television serial.
The plot deals with some very serious issues, highlighting the toxicity of parents who expect too much from their children and lack empathy. Sending Abaan to a hostel because he is not good at studies and spends too much time painting, may appear extreme to some viewers, but these practices are fairly common amongst many middle-class families.
Hadiqa Kiani and Omair Rana
The drama also highlights the dangers of invasive boundaries, which is an important topic to discuss in parenting, as Abeer is denied her privacy. As a result, Abeer is defiant and goes to great lengths to conceal her phone from her parents.
Finally, toxic and healthy parenting has been discussed extensively and quite sensitively, because many parents do not understand their children and only want an unquestioning obedience to their commands. The drama humanizes children and appeals to their childhood trials and tribulations, exposing the audience to a more humane and enlightened view of parenting.
(L to R) Emaan Khan as Dua, Sunita Marshal as Wajiha and Zuhab Khan as Fardan
No drama is a masterpiece unless it has good actors, and here, the children are truly the star of the show. All of the young actors have been cast very well. Aina Asif and Ahmed Usman have garnered a lot of popularity because of the way they have displayed complex behavior with such effortlessness.
Ahmed Usman as Abaan and Aina Asif as Abeer
Sunita Marshal and Omair Rana stand out from the older generation with their powerful dialogues and their portrayal of parents who are essentially polar opposites, when it comes to parenting styles. Hadiqa Kiani’s acting is a little restrained, but maybe that has to do with the fact that she is playing the role of a woman who has been denied the opportunity to fulfil her dreams and aspirations by her husband, and has succumbed into the role of a conformist.
(L to R) Sunita Marshal as Wajiha and Hadiqa Kinai as Khadijah Fatima
In terms of production quality, the show has done a great job, there are no issues of continuity or any editing mishaps, which is saying something since ARY is notorious for using poorly edited flashback scenes to stretch the episodes. That said, the team also deserves a shout-out for choosing a storyline different from most usual ARY shows.
So overall, Pinjra is a great show and should be watched by parents so that they could learn a thing or two about being balanced parents and turning households into places of happy growth for their children.
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