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Cheekh is basically saying that women who seek justice will always suffer

Cheekh is basically saying that women who seek justice will always suffer

Why is the overdose of tragedy so necessary? More importantly, why does the writer hate women so much?
19 Jul, 2019

26 episodes in, the only message Zanjabeel Asim’s Cheekh has managed to give us is that if you are a woman in Pakistan, you cannot fight for your or anyone else’s rights; that justice doesn’t exist – and if you happen to somehow get it, you lose everything and everyone in the process.

So basically, if you are a woman, sit down and be quiet.

In the last four episodes, Mannat (Saba Qamar) has not only lost her unborn baby, but her mother and husband too. Wajih’s (Bilal Abbas Khan) lawyer gets his cronies to threaten Mannat’s mother (Gul-e-Rana) so much that she goes to court and testifies that Mannat is actualy crazy, causing the judge to send Mannat to a mental hospital.

Bilal Abbas Khan plays Wajih to a T but is that enough to prop up the drama, just good acting?
Bilal Abbas Khan plays Wajih to a T but is that enough to prop up the drama, just good acting?

She can’t take the guilt of doing that and dies. In the hospital, the doctor is paid off by the lawyer to keep Mannat drugged and told to increase dosage daily. When Shayaan (Emmad Irfani) finds out, he goes to Yawar (Aijaz Aslam), who has no idea what is happening anymore and Wajih has taken over.

Shayan and Mannat didn't deserve this ending
Shayan and Mannat didn't deserve this ending

Wajih goes to talk to Shayan, the brothers end up fighting and Wajih pushes Shayan, causing his death.

Cheekh is leaving us with too many unanswered questions

I don’t understand what is going on. There are so many questions and so many holes in this script that it’s hard to believe that not only the actors but the director too agreed to do this drama.

All the doctors in Pakistan seem to have forgotten the vows they took and have no issues forging reports or overdosing a patient due to greed and/or friendship.

The lawyer that Mannat has is so incompetent that he called zero family members to the stand. Why didn’t he call Haya (Azekah Daniel) or Shahwar (Maira Khan) to court and get their statements? They all lived with Mannat and Wajih when the murder took place.

In fact, Shahwar even heard Wajih threaten Mannat and she herself was threatened by him so why didn’t she go to the police after Yawar divorced her?

Don't even get us started on how inconsequential Yawar's character has become
Don't even get us started on how inconsequential Yawar's character has become

She showed up at Mannat’s mother’s funeral for support, so wouldn’t it make sense for her to tell at least Shayan what happened? Even Haya has known for a while that Wajih has been lying and through Shariq, she heard Wajih confess so why didn’t she go to Shayaan right after?

Zanjabeel Asim knew from the beginning she would have to write 25+ episodes, so why couldn’t she change the narrative? If she had to kill Mannat’s baby, why didn’t she just stop there? Or better yet, instead of showing Mannat’s mother so weak, why couldn’t she show her to be strong and supportive to her daughter?

How did the judge just believe Mannat’s mother and send her to a mental hospital? We all know the police can be bought in Pakistan, so I won’t even go into why and how the inspector was bought.

The thing is that if Mannat was a lower middle class or middle-class woman, maybe (maybe being the operative word) I could understand. But she isn’t! Her husband was a doctor practicing in the U.S; if Yawar was able to payoff the inspector to lie, why didn’t Mannat give him more money to tell the truth?

Why couldn’t they get a competent lawyer? How did Shayan being a doctor, not know the medication Mannat was on or the dosage she was given till the last moment?

The story has been dragged so much that no one seems to know how to end it. I get that production cost must be recovered, but at what cost? Why was Mannat made to lose everything and everyone? Why is the overdose of tragedy so necessary? But, more than anything, why does the writer hate women so much?

Zanjabeel Asim knew from the beginning she would have to write 25+ episodes, so why couldn’t she change the narrative? If she had to kill Mannat’s baby, why didn’t she just stop there? Or better yet, instead of showing Mannat’s mother so weak, why couldn’t she show her to be strong and supportive to her daughter?

How did the judge just believe Mannat’s mother and send her to a mental hospital?
How did the judge just believe Mannat’s mother and send her to a mental hospital?

Why couldn’t she have given Shahwar and Haya the courage to go to the police? I’m going to compare this to Udaari again because Sheedo was the mother that should be shown everywhere in Pakistani dramas.

She wasn’t even lower middle class; she was less fortunate than that but she was strong and supported her daughter at every cost. She gave strength to Zebo and her mother to fight the case against Pa Imtiaz for Zebo’s rape.

Mannat just can't catch a break

The sector of the society that is liking Cheekh is the one that needs to be shown a different narrative. They don’t need to be told that women are weak and must endure so much pain, they need to be shown that women are strong.

Yes, I’m sure at the end, Mannat will have gotten justice for Nayab’s death, but again, at what cost? Why do these writers insist on insulting the audience’s intelligence?

Zanjabeel Asim had the chance to write a phenomenal script showing strong and resilient woman; yet she did the opposite. She was highly praised for making Shayan’s character a husband that finally supports his wife through thick and thin; even against his own family.

The story has been dragged so much that no one seems to know how to end it. I get that production cost must be recovered but at what cost? Why was Mannat made to lose everything and everyone? Why is the overdose of tragedy so necessary? But more than anything, why does the writer hate women so much?

Why didn’t she take that and explore further? She had a golden opportunity to completely change a narrative that is so deeply situated in patriarchy, but she blew it. She could actually have made Yawar’s character remorseful after divorcing Shahwar and given him a conscience. The only answer I can come up with is that she hates women.

In fact, why did the actors agree to do the script? No one is denying the phenomenal acting by literally everyone in the drama; that isn’t at all up for debate. One would think that after doing a project like Baaghi, Saba Qamar would think twice about going back to the bechari aurat type roles.

I honestly cannot think of any other drama where a woman goes through so much pain and suffering to get justice. I mean Farida aunty in Humsafar didn’t torture Khirad as much as the writer here has tortured Mannat.

There are apparently 5-6 more episodes left and the promo for the next episode is more comical than anything else when Mannat tells Wajih that she will now fight like him. Seriously? Why wasn’t she doing that before? She had the guy arrested in his own house so I was under the impression that she knew who she was dealing with. Guess not.

Comments

Umair Jul 19, 2019 03:48pm
Mannat needs to lose everything because it will show that it was her fight and she herself has won it. Even after losing everything and everyone who stood up for he she is strong in her resolve to bring culprit to justice. Weakness of others bring a beautiful contrast to strength of mannat
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MJK Jul 19, 2019 03:53pm
What a brilliant analysis perfect!!!
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M. Saeed Jul 19, 2019 04:26pm
We must take Cheekh as a happening and not as a general rule.
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SadFaces Jul 19, 2019 04:41pm
This is society nowadays functions. No one comes to your aid at time of need. You have to fight for your rights as others just want to move on with their lives.
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Al Jul 19, 2019 05:17pm
The drama lost its appeal due to the story being one sided. It’s a remake of the movie Damini in Pakistan. The actors should know enough to challenge the writer on the flaws in the storyline. There is serious imbalance
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Rizwan Jul 19, 2019 05:47pm
As a rule of thumb, anyone seeking justice must be prepared to lose all that they have left.
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Man with a heart Jul 19, 2019 05:51pm
When I watch Pakistani dramas, I get excited and emotional. I even cry on emotional scenes. The script of this drama is so out of context, that it does not bring any emotions but it brings questions in my mind. The only reason I watch this drama is because of good acting. The drama itself does not makes sense.
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ahmed Jul 19, 2019 07:14pm
@Rizwan But that's not how it should work.
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aamir Jul 19, 2019 07:14pm
Very objective analysis, i think pakistani dramas need more logical stories
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Ayesha Jul 19, 2019 08:17pm
Such a great start with brilliant acting but the writer just killed it. Wonderful review.
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Bilal Jul 19, 2019 08:18pm
The woman vs. man is a definite theme. But the overarching theme is rich/influential vs. common man/poor. I think people are overly sensitive about the woman power topic right now and are over exaggerating it everywhere.
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Sheheryar Jul 19, 2019 08:39pm
Writer/director’s perception seems initially and thoroughly tragic. On pure literary ground the Drama lacks poetic justice . Bringing in life , reality and Pakistani society in context , the story certainly is tilted on the wrong side and wrong doers. Clearly the production team has lost the plot and desired theme for the Play. I must add all the suffering, crying and deaths were unnecessary and no where logical sequence of events or fate’s blind sword . All can be conceived as writers predetermined notion of Women has to suffer. Writer and director on an ethical ground if not literary failed to float any message about truth or justice in society. Apart from acting the audience will certainly struggle to find anything commendable.
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Sohail Nokhab Jul 19, 2019 09:20pm
I’ve watched all the episodes, laud the courage of the lone, brave lady but in the end it shows too much negativity for the young viewers, that women can’t stand if they stand they’ll turn to death or mental hospitals.
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JHN Jul 19, 2019 09:23pm
Very good Analysis , I would also add that how a judge can send some one to mental asylum while the case hearing was on other charge. Overall the drama should have positive approach instead of giving negative ideas and tricks how to lie and dodge the system.
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Umair Jul 19, 2019 10:14pm
It's really a very balanced and perfect criticism on the story and story writer!
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Hi Jul 19, 2019 11:51pm
, being as audience drama based on facts of life which shows that justice is for rich ppl who could buy and hide anything on the basis of money. Why writer portray the women as a super heroine who could face any challenge in fact this drama is really near to the facts of life except of few emotional scenes which was the height of exaggeration rest of other drama l will say excellent effort of writer
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Mehvesh Hasan Jul 20, 2019 12:02am
I still dont get it,its becoming more like tragedy comedy drama.I am just losing my interest.Main characters acting is great but script is more like filmy
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imran ahmed Jul 20, 2019 12:55am
i have been watching this drama from very beginning . Writer has unnecessarily dragged and made lot of unbelievable mistakes in order to dramatize characters. the writer has also tied to make our justice system joke and call in question for ordering Mannat to admit to Psychological hospital on fully fictitious evidence from defendant side. Prosecution did not object and ask for 2nd verification of Mannat mental stability. This drama has lost its earlier thriller and now i am waiting for its last episode. Also i want to highlight to the writer of this above feature that it is not only about women struggle but this drama revolves to show that how our system can be easily purchased and any affluent / powerful person can easily manipulate the facts with impunity.
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Chooran Man Jul 20, 2019 04:40am
Forget everything, my problem is that even after two decades, Aijaz Aslam still can't ACT !!!
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Was Jul 20, 2019 06:55am
when 3 auratten 3 kahania wali aunties become writers :-)
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Uzay Yazdani Jul 20, 2019 07:05am
Women who seek justice will suffer.
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Asim Jul 20, 2019 07:31am
Well this drama is not just about a woman's struggle. It's abput struggle of the weak when they stand up against tyranny. And the sufferings are pretty realistic. The drama is showing us the determination exhibited by the suppressed, and Mannat is leading the drama. It's just that her husband being killed like that is a bit over dramtised. Otherwise, it's the best drama I have watched after Dhuwan.
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ZAB Jul 20, 2019 08:39am
An excellent critic, you nailed it Sheeba Khan! I have a couple of observations to add; a) absence of a public prosecutor. When the case goes to court viewers don't see any law officer conducting the proceedings on behalf of the government, b) the story does not go against woman alone it seems to be a challenge between the haves and the have-nots as well...e.g. how Nayab's father is humiliated and goes through all kinds of pain and suffering.
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vicky Jul 20, 2019 11:18am
Very well-balanced article. The writer is some one having totally out of reality personality. She is not even cognizant of the fact what audience is she making fool of? She has an extreme mindset with killings and murders and star plus like tricks of women. Pakistani drama has become mature with passage of time but the writer is completely immature person having no sense of reality. Dont trust my words ? watch her pathetic writing titled BALAA.
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sheema zain Jul 20, 2019 12:03pm
Its a terrible drama . Well analysed.
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Mona Jul 20, 2019 04:43pm
I totally agree with the above . The start of the drama wa s great . The message was was clearly given. But mannat’s husband role was a very loving and trusting husband which was good to see he made silly mistakes .yes the lawyer was not strong enough: their side was shown weak .the husband being a doctor should have been more aggressive instead of crying endlessly and feeling so helpless . So basically they showed the weak are aleays baggered and have to sacrafise .
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Seema Jul 20, 2019 11:28pm
Well I also stopped watching it because it was very depressive. But yes it is reality. Log aisay hi harrass kartay hain. It was very close to reality. Definitely the writer has a fatalist approach... so teagedy after tragedy is expected. Drammay ka maqsad hum sab ki cheekhain nikaleana hai. Ta k hum kisis aisi cherkh ko future mein nazar andaz na karein.
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Zee Jul 21, 2019 04:49pm
I think writer is inspired by Game of throne. In every episode getting rid of a character.
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شیرولی خان اسیر Jul 21, 2019 05:31pm
میں فاضل لکھاری کے ساتھ متفق ہوں اور اس تحریر کو بہترین تجزیہ قرار دیتا ہوں۔عورت کی شدید بیچارگی اور کمزوری، پولیس کی کھلی بدعںنوانی اور مردوں کی انتہائی بالا دستی دکھا کر سکرپٹ رائٹر نے سماج کی اخلاقی گراوٹ کا تاریک ترین پہلو پیش کیا یے۔ ڈرامہ دیکھنے والے منت کی کامیابی دیکھنے کی شدید خواہش رکھتے ہیں تاکہ عورت کو یہ پیغام پہنچے کہ وہ حق کے لیے لڑ سکتی ہے اور سب کچھ کھونے کے بعد بھی انصاف کا بول بالا کرسکتی ہے۔
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Ujala Jul 23, 2019 01:44am
Acting is up to the mark ! Specially mannat and wajih both have played the exact characters they had to play ! But yes I agree that the writer has shown extraordinary tragic situations with mannat. She did not deserve that much tragedy !
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