The good, the bad and the ugly sides of Sanam Jung's Maasi No 1 competition

This week, Sanam Jung's morning show Jago Pakistan Jago held a Maasi No. 1 competition.

Yep, you read that right. Over the course of three days, the show hosted a competition pitting four teams of two people each against each other. Each team comprised of a celebrity employer (aka Baji) and household help hired by that celebrity, and the teams were supposed to prove that their respective household help was 'Maasi No.1.'

1) Sanam Jung repeatedly reinforced the message that household help should be treated with dignity and respect

Let's face it -- in our current social landscape we tend to place great value on class and wealth, leading to the marginalisation and mistreatment of those who work menial or labour-intensive jobs. It's no secret that child labour is a huge problem even in urban centers, or that families routinely mistreat their domestic staff.

Sanam Jung's repeated reminders to treat household help with respect were welcome. When a viewer called and said "Saima ki maasi best hai", Sanam responded saying "Irum naam hai inka," which served as a reminder that household staff are individuals, not property, and they should be addressed with respect.

We just hope that her message doesn't fall on deaf ears.

2) The celebrity 'bajis' tried to promote this message too

Host Sanam Jung made it clear on several occasions that although only one 'team' would be declared the grand winner (with a prize of Rs50,000), everyone who participated would receive gift hampers.

4) The participants tried to challenge negative stereotypes associated with domestic staff

1) At times the show fell back into an 'Us vs Them' mode of address

The show constantly othered the domestic staff, as if they were subhumans or did not have the benefit of the polished upbringing of their better-off Bajis.

For instance, the same judge, who was singing the praises of Surraiya (above), says that Surraiya was fat and dark-skinned but had a lovely voice, so people assumed that her daughter had picked up the phone. Typically, good manners dictate that we don't highlight or point out someone's flaws (even if they only exist in our narrow perception of what consititutes beauty). And that courtesy needs to be extended to our domestic staff. They're people too.

Similarly, during a cooking competition, instead of discussing the general need for good hygiene in the kitchen, there was a whole conversation between judges Akif Ilyas and Naheed in which they pointedly talk about how maids need to be clean when handling food.

Also, the staff was repeatedly referred to as 'aap ki maasi' in their presence, which is the equivalent of ignoring them or suggesting they're invisible or don't matter in the context of a conversation between 'Bajis'.

2) Some comments subtly belittled the household staff or questioned their intelligence

Throughout the show, there were problematic exchanges that reinforce the common perspective that house help shouldn't expect good treatment and that basic necessities like food and conveyance are more like luxuries for them.

When Sadia Imam revealed that meals are cooked specifically for her domestic staff because she's usually on a diet, Jung remarked to her help that "You're really enjoying yourself in that house." When Saima Azhar bragged that she sends a Careem to pick up her maid when the latter is sick, Jung remarks, "Oh wow, an airconditioned car is sent to pick you up! You've really spoiled her." Saima Azhar insists, "No, you have to take care of them." Jung replies, "You have to take care of them; otherwise, they run away."

THE UGLY

1) The 'maasi dance' was cringeworthy, and while we're at it so was the competition's title

The domestic staff had been introduced by name in the very beginning of the show, but they kept getting referred to as 'maasi' or 'naukar'. Once names had been exchanged, they should have been used.