Sanam Saeed’s in Kafeel plays a character, Zeba, she is familiar to women of South Asia, especially Pakistan. Zeba is a women that has endured it all. From being forced to marry to finding strength in existing that toxic marriage. But when you endure the trauma, mental and physical abuse, is it really resilience or a sign of vulnerability.
We should not romanticize Zeba as a powerful, strong woman; we should not celebrate the pressure of putting up with suffering. Zeba, an elder child, accustomed to compromising and suffering, quietly. Only for the sake of her parents, her “reputation” and the burden of respect on her shoulders that the society puts on women to endure for EACH. FAMILY.MEMBER.
The definition of being a Farmabardar Beti is not an achievement, it is silent killing of one’s individuality, opinions, and autonomy of your own life. In the drama Kafeel, Sanam Saeed portrays a visual language that the majority of Pakistani women hear and speak, which has justified decades of emotional endurance disguised as virtue.
Sanam Saeed in Kafeel has portrayed a character that has the ability to provide, financially as well as mentally for her kids. Staying married to a financially irresponsible, unfaithful, and abusive man deserves no celebration; instead, society must strongly discourage this, encouraging victims to leave We should start putting responsibilities on men, it is long overdue.
Her character is a representation of missed opportunities that women have to face when they put everyone else above them. Society has always asked women to abide by the rules that exist only for women. Then they praise how she is making her marriage work by enduring the abuse.
Audiences should look up Sanam Saeed in Kafeel not as an epitome of resilience, but as a failed byproduct of societal pressure
