'Aisi Hai Tanhai': The end was just a new beginning

Aisi Hai Tanhai – The girl and the boy don’t marry each other to live happily ever after…

The girl doesn’t even marry her benefactor and the doctor who is still single…

The girl does not sit back and relax after getting justice for herself in a rape case.

So ends ‘Aisi Hai Tanhai’, the play Pakistan watched with shock and disbelief but wanted it to end like a typical 8PM play; a happily ever after scenario.

The play starring Sonya Hussain, Sami Khan, Nadia Khan, Kamran Jilani and Saba Pervaiz in pivotal roles had all the ingredients for a successful play, a good story line, flawless acting by leads Sonya and Sami and a number of powerful messages but the way it ended was another ground where the play impressed the sensitive segments of society.

During its 32 episodes, the the play’s multi-dimensional plot did not only bring to mini-screen our society’s struggle with modernity but the youth’s abuse of social media and the younger generation’s blind following of whatever the western culture has to offer but the last episode aired on March 21 impressed me more than all its previous 32 episodes.

Pakeeza (Sonya Hussain)- who not only fought the society after some of her pictures got leaked but also saw her rapist punished by court after a long and mentally tiresome legal battle- did not sit at home after getting justice for herself.

She learns boxing and self defence to live like Hamza- her love interest who sacrificed his life to save her’s- and imparts self-defence training to girls in order to live a meaningful life, to take her struggle to next level.

“He who catcalls a woman, teases her or harasses her thinks she is weak; break the hands that try to molest you, fight those who harass you; I had two choices before me; to die like a poor helpless girl or to fight back… I did and I won,” says Pakeeza as the play ends.

The message, we must say, is timely and befitting for a drama which dared to be different in an industry where saas-bahu soaps rule, where plays trying to touch sensitive topics either end like a usual happily ever after performances or drift away from their original topic to keep viewers and society “comfortable”.

“Aisi Hai Tanhai” not only ended like a true social drama but made a number of viewers understand what it was all about.

As a number of viewers watched  the play on Youtube, they had questions too but but other viewers replied and their thoughts are a proof that message has resonated with them.

“Drama ka maqsad sirf shadi nhi hota hai. Hamza nhi Mila to Dr saad. Boht se viewers ka dil dukha ho ga main mazrat chahta hun…. All they wanted to deliver a strong message through this serial,” wrote a Youtube user.

“Jo log bol rahe hain k happy ending nhi hoi . Tw guys ye ko fairytale nhi h ye haqeeki zindagi h or haqeekat me aisa hi hota h tw ab fairytales se nikal kr haqeekat dekho. This drama is such a masterpiece. Big salute to makers humain zindagi ki haqeekat dikhane k liye,” wrote another.

The best comment was: “People are asking why the writer had to kill Hamza in the end, but if he would have lived, he could never have lived a fulfilling life as he loved Pakeezah but had to marry Kinza; if Doctor Saad had married Pakeezah, it would have sent a wrong message that men only help girls to marry them; the last scene was just awesome.. Girl Power”.