Our drama industry is blossoming at the moment, and Sana Javed led serial ‘Ruswai’ , is leading the pack. The show, written by Naila Ansari and directed by Rubina Ashraf, is based on surviving rape and the backlash the SURVIVOR faces for something she had no choice in. Sana Javed not only proves what a brilliant actress she is with her portrayal of rape survivor Sameera, she also proves women can play other roles than becharis and evil villianesses. While Sameera is a victim, she does not back down in the face of adversity and stays strong and by the looks of it, will continue to seek justice for the hand she was dealt.
The scene of Sameera’s kidnapping, where she is pulled away from her father, who also has to face the difficult choice of saving his daughter in law or his own flesh and blood from a gang of disgusting men, shook us to the core. The defeat in her face when she realizes her own father gave up on her and fed her to the hounds is incredibly heartbreaking and we don’t know a single person who sat through it without shedding a tear.
While Sameera was abducted and missing, there is a scene that unfortunately, rings true to what actually happens in the society we live in . Her mother in law wishes Sameera dies rather than returns after being possibly gang raped. Death is a better option than surviving a sexual assault, and this is a sentiment that isn’t just restricted to ‘Ruswai’. It is common knowledge that families would rather kill their daughters or sisters or mothers who have been raped, rather than support them in seeking justice and helping them rebuild their lives. From all the brilliant dramas on the air at the moment, Ruswai is the most realistic and has the most effective message to portray.
“Tum aik medical case nai, izzat THI hamari”
Why is rape not reported? Why do families pressure the victims to sweep the attacks under the rug? What does forced sexual assault have to do with your reputation or your izzat? Apki larki ko agwah karke legaye hain zabardasti and you aren’t burning alive with rage, but instead are full of shame and self pity for the ‘dishonor’ that has befallen your family?
Sameera wants justice. Sameera wants to report her case and go public with what happened, but her own family is holding her back. Her husband has abandoned her, her mother is begging her to stay silent and things look pretty bleak. The best part of the serial is that Sameera is not lying in a pool of self pity and is fighting through the trauma she has faced. She isn’t silent, she’s angry, which should be the sentiment encouraged by your loved ones when sexual assualt strikes, and we love that the serial is portraying just that. We can’t wait to see how Sana Javed continues to strengthen the character she is playing , and we hope the drama doesn’t stray from the course it’s currently on, because it’s doing one hell of a job.