Media Magick

HUM TV has changed the air timings of Phaans, instead of Saturday they are  now airing two episodes in a week i.e at Wednesdays and Thursdays replacing Raqeeb Se.  In these both episodes the story has shown development but the suspense element still remains, there is so much to unfold despite of Zeba’s reiterating that Sahil is the culprit one feels sorry for him. Believing the victim we know that Sahil is the one but still we fail to create feelings of anger and hatred for him. Not for a single moment we feel any streak of evilness in him so far  where as his father is repeatedly behaving like a creep towards the help making her feel uncomfortable.

Sahil’s father’s repeated creepiness make viewers wonder that he might be the actual culprit but what I get from these episodes is that Sahil might be the actual culprit as being an Autistic adult he may have committed that sexual crime but being Autistic he cannot realize the importance of consent however he still cannot realize the gravity of his sin. He is an adult he likes Zeba and he gets attracted towards her but he fails to realize the important of Zeba’s consent and also being raised by a lecherous father who seems a compulsive sexual harasser, so that act may seem like a normal thing to Sahil instead of a crime.

Apart from Sahil’s father’s negative influence on him, I think its Zeba’s own flaw too. She was being too friendly with Sahil not realizing that he is an adult and this closeness might lead towards a danger any woman  might face from menfolk. Zeba thought of him as an innocent kid like person and that is why she is not be on her guards when dealing with him, while in real he is an adult who naturally have sexual desires too so in his mind he is pursuing his passion for Zeba not realizing that he is actually committing a sexual crime. This play in my opinion is educating audiences particularly women  about Autistic adults. So one feels sorry for Sahil despite knowing that he has committed a heinous crime unknowingly.

Well Sahil is saved because he comes from an affluent family but what for those poor ones who suffers severe punishment for the crime they committed for which they do not any concept about it? Zeba is in real trouble as Sahil’s mother goes at any length to save her family name  and honor, misguided once again by Sahil’s father and taking advantage of Zeba’s miscarriage news she defames Zeba in front of the whole electronic media, conducing  a live press conference where poor Zeba and her mother are helpless to defend themselves. With that press conference Zeba has lost her public support as well.