Images

Images Staff
17 Jun, 2016

There's a new tear-jerking ad on the airwaves, and this one's telling dads to not dictate their daughter's life choices.

In the ad, aspiring cricketer Sara leaves home to train for the Pakistan team, even though her father maintains that "girls don't play cricket." After months of training, she makes it to the team, putting her mother and neighbourhood into a jubilant mood. Her father, though moved by the news, doesn't reach out to his daughter. But when Sara takes the winning wicket in her first match, her teary-eyed father calls to congratulate her on the pitch.

The ad also marks the launch of smartphone brand QMobile's new logo and tagline 'New Age. New Conversations.' The tagline drives home the point that letting daughters pursue their dreams and being proud of their achievements is the order of the day - and holding on to age-old notions of what girls should and shouldn't do isn't.

In the ad, dad beams with pride as his daughter receives the winner's trophy - Screengrabs
In the ad, dad beams with pride as his daughter receives the winner's trophy - Screengrabs

This ad is the latest addition to a limited pool of ads that question Pakistan's rigid gender roles. Tapal attempted to overturn the tea-making stereotype by having superstar Fawad Khan make his tired wife (Momal Sheikh) a cup of tea after she returns from work. HBL put the spotlight on another boundary-breaker, mountaineer Samina Baig, by selecting her as the face of their brand in recent campaigns.

Public service messages like these are welcome at a time when girls and women continue to have to surmount a number of societal obstacles to pursue their academic and professional goals. Such ads serve as good reminders that their restrictions shouldn't start at home - at least.

Comments

Osama Ashfaq Jun 17, 2016 04:27pm
Are you promoting that Dads are the enemy in the family? I am a father to daughter and I think this is extremely offensive :-)
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tina Jun 17, 2016 04:36pm
This ad should be shown to Shahid Afridi who think pakistani women are only suitable for cooking food
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Qamar Valliani Jun 17, 2016 04:40pm
Because of some organisations wrong lectures/comments, many parents have sent their daughters for studies to Malaysia a Muslim country. My nephew sent his daughter to Kuala Lumpur and during his recent visit to KL, he saw many Pakistani girls studying there. These girls take parts in all the sports and are very happy there and regular in their religious duties. May God protect them and give them success in their lives.
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Kamran Jun 17, 2016 04:46pm
Love this one. Nothing negative but does anybody else wondered why it sounds like an Indian ad? It is like looking at Pakistani culture from Indian lense, again no harm in it but it is becoming harder to differentiate an ad whether it was created by a Pakistani or Indian ad agency. Perhaps it is a bigger debate on dilution of language, culture, accents and values... it seems that over the period last thirty years, Indian culture largely taken westren color and Pakistan has taken Indian color.. I wish dad character said bit more and elaborated the reasons. Commendable ad.
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Abdali Jun 17, 2016 05:01pm
I would like this AD, if its made in Pakistan with Pakistani Actors/Actress and probably all staff but sorry to say All the entire team was Indian . Q Mobile is selling mobile in Pakistan and giving benefits to Indian.
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Sab Se Pehle Pakistan Jun 17, 2016 05:03pm
It is a ridiculous add with multiple direction flaws.
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A. A. Jun 17, 2016 05:19pm
I must say - the bowling was extremely poor - the run-up, the stride, the speed - it was horrible even from an ad perspective! Other than that, I fully support girls doing whatever they want to do including playing sports (but please do it properly)
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HBK Jun 17, 2016 05:45pm
Parents either dad or mother aren't child's enemy. If they advise their child than it shouldn't be labelled as an impediment. They do have right on their children. Any misunderstandings should be sorted out by discussion.
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Amjad Wyne Jun 17, 2016 06:00pm
@Osama Ashfaq, Osama Sahib, I believe you misunderstood the ad. The ad is not about fathers or mothers, it is about listening to and caring for the dreams of your children - and showing respect for the choices they make in life.
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Najaf Jun 17, 2016 07:21pm
So dads cannot tell their daughters what to do??? I am a progressive woman myself but against uncontrolled feminism!
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Shahryar Shirazi Jun 17, 2016 07:45pm
The add itself is outsourced and made in India.
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aslam shaikh Jun 17, 2016 08:50pm
We should not go in the direction where West went and are now feeling bad. Schools teach their kids not to listen to their parents on anything including religion and do whatever their heart pleases.
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Gokarn Jun 17, 2016 09:26pm
Really tear-jerking ad. God bless all daughters.
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Parvez Jun 17, 2016 10:20pm
This was a brilliant add.........brilliantly acted. It's shows it like it is.
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ali Jun 17, 2016 10:55pm
First of all, this add was made in India. Is their no body QMobile was able to find in Pakistan to make this add. And secondly, this add is a very old idea and a very big failure of waste of money and resources. What a big failure decision.
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Manly man Jun 17, 2016 11:08pm
Lol okay no worries I won't dictate to my daughter, she can pay for her own education, clothing, shelter, travel, medical expenses, leisure and entertainment. When she can do that, then I have no problem letting her do what she wants completely independently.
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Khan USA Jun 18, 2016 12:37am
@Kamran Very true . Indian perspective of a Pakistan family !
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Khan USA Jun 18, 2016 12:40am
@Abdali Exactly . we are so dump that we can not produce even our ads in Pakistan .
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Khan USA Jun 18, 2016 01:03am
Pakistani parents especially father do not think like that and thats the reason that Pakistsn women team has performed outstanding in the last T 20 World Cup in India !
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Imran Jun 18, 2016 04:42am
Really Tear jerking ad. I remember those days and feel ashamed when I was against girls education. I wanted to stop my elder sister from going to college. Might be possible that my misbehave hurt her and she could not get good marks to continue her studies and ended up in marriage. Now after watching this add I feel myself guiltily and do not have courage to go and apologies for my comments. During my college days I realized the power of knowledge and supported my younger sister but she also ended up in marriage. Now both were planning to start some work but their studies could not support them getting job. Both have to demand from their husbands for everything. And I feel guilty after watching their dependence on their husbands. Plz support your sisters, dughters and wives to be financially independent for your future generations. I did all those things during my teenage. I should not have done that mistake and should support her to be financially independent by getting education.
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worthless wealth Jun 18, 2016 05:37am
In fact parents do not fear their daughters making sport a career, it is the blood hounds that sniffs the fame and acts with animal instinct that scares the parents. Since majority of parents are not equally powerful to face humans with animal instinct, they prefer not to let their weakness come out in the open.
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@mgaksa Jun 18, 2016 06:11am
@Kamran Its very rude to say nothing to talk, only to listen to dad and she leave with out greeting to Dad, did you call this normal in our Society?
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schal Jun 18, 2016 06:46am
Great, Welcome change.
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schal Jun 18, 2016 06:57am
@Najaf This may not be about only feminism. We overly worry about our children (male or female) and unknowingly can hamper them fully realizing their talents. If the advice does really good to them (not mere intentions), majority of kids will come around and listen to their parents/elders in the family.
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Aulto Jun 18, 2016 07:01am
Would have been better if the actors were Pakistani and a real woman cricketer from Pakistan had been chosen to act.If they really want to support women cricket as a secondary theme.
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Agha Ata Jun 18, 2016 07:02am
Mother understand love, dads know men and their intentions. (I read it somewhere) That is one the reasons men control. Of course, there are other reasons as well.
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sky Jun 18, 2016 10:49am
just BEAUTIFUL ; word can't express
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anon Jun 18, 2016 01:27pm
From which angle does it look like an Indian ad? Indian ads are very different.
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anon Jun 18, 2016 01:29pm
@Abdali None of them look like Indian. The ad very much looks like Pakistani
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anon Jun 18, 2016 01:30pm
@Shahryar Shirazi Source?
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Siddharth Jun 18, 2016 01:39pm
@Kamran believe me only some people in India are westernized.
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deep Jun 18, 2016 05:39pm
@Kamran indian agency as the artists are Indians but the message is good .. and abt westernization of India .. well it is very much restricted to tier -1 cities .. the core of India is still the same and so is for pakistan .. And if the changes is for good .. why not to accept it . After all evolution is the universal law.
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Rashid Jun 18, 2016 09:42pm
@Kamran im sure it was filmed by indian ad firm...the dad in the ad played shahid kapoor's dad in Haider. whoever made this it is awesome ad.
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Ajaya K Dutt Jun 19, 2016 04:36am
Tear rolled down my eyes. What a masterpiece. Reminded my sister's insistence to join Engineering Institute. My father had refused her the permission to go to Engineering College (but relented when she refused to eat anything) - on the condition that she was to go college in a Rickshaw rather than cycle (to avoid any Road Romeos). Reminded me when she was honored as Highest Lady Technical Executive in City of Los Angles during Year of Women, my father was crying with silent stream of tears.
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Patriot Jun 19, 2016 06:39am
@Abdali. Right on brother. My feelings exactly. Surf pakistan is guilty of doing the same thing.
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DG Jun 20, 2016 12:04pm
@Kamran Yes the actors and the AD style is Indian as far as I can say. The singer. But a good ad for all South Asians. The guy playing father played villian in Ghayal Returns
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DG Jun 20, 2016 12:06pm
@anon The actors are Indians. they guy playing father is Ghayal Return's villian. The singer is Indian. The message is for all South Asians though
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PS Jun 20, 2016 03:01pm
Are these Indian actors? Or may be I am mistaken. I have been watching Zindagi with my mum and all Indian and Pakistani actors look so similar.
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Ajaya K Dutt Jun 20, 2016 08:01pm
Three times I logged on to Dawn just to watch this.
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Kamran Jun 23, 2016 10:48pm
@Siddharth That's good to know but may be cinema does not reflect the true colour of a country.. (just saying) e.g. for a long time Lollywood's punjabi films used to show a Pakistan which only existed in the anti-utopia...
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Kamran Jun 23, 2016 10:52pm
@deep No argument on change, if it is towards progressive direction.
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