LAHORE - Since Pakistan’s entertainment industry started trying their hand on web-series, we have seen a plethora of content being generated, and once in a blue moon, we are presented with quality shows like Sadia Jabbar Productions’ Shameless Proposals, that not only entertain us, but are thought provoking as well.
This web series explores an extremely important and crucial issue of our society; the rishta culture. Although the show presents this problem in a humorous way, it still highlights the brutal aspects of this arranged marriage system. As soon as the show was aired, it started making noise amongst the youth of Pakistan, as somehow or the other; everyone had been victim to this rishta culture.
This week’s episode, #Meetha tackled another vicious, almost barbaric side of our society. Where we live, it is expected of the children to obey their parents, no matter what.
Not only girls, but sometimes, boys too are forced, or emotionally blackmailed into marriages that they don’t want or are not suitable for. This week’s episode highlights the issue of forced marriages to ‘fix’ someone who might be different, and we really appreciate how the writers of the show projected the misery and innocence of the man, as well as the woman, who are both being pushed into an unwanted situation.
It is a sad reality that such marriages end up being disastrous for both the parties involved.
Parents refuse to understand that their sons may want to marry of their choice, may not be interested in the girl or may not want to marry altogether.
Instead of trying to understand their sons’ perspective, the only solution they come up with is an arranged marriage.
These results in men leading double lives and women living like silent shadows, deprived of some basic human needs. It also births the vices of anxiety and depression or other mental health issues. God forbid, if someone rebels against this practice, or tries to be a little bit different, he/she becomes a threat for their family’s ‘honour’ and suddenly become social outcasts. While Shameless Proposals may be categorized as a comedy show, it addresses one of the most crucial issues of our society. The way the makers of the show handle and communicate the bitter truth in every episode is commendable. It has to be one of the most essential shows of recent times and must be watched by all!