From the hundreds of stories of dysfunctional households, ‘Pinjra’ focuses on the traumatizing impact of strict and harmful parenting. ARY Digital debuted a new drama ‘Pinjra’, a slow start which gradually transforms the entire narrative into horror, mystery, and curiosity. Until the end of the double episodes, the audience is left in a state of dismal as the plot is really close to reality; discussing the plight of strict parents, physical and mental abuse, and the struggles of upbringing in a caged household.
The drama stars the brilliant Hadiqa Kiani as Khadija, and Omair Rana as Jawaid, playing the two ruthless and stubborn parents who go above and beyond to ensure their rules are followed in the house. On the contrasting side, another family includes Sunita Marshall as Wajiha, who holds a polar opposite parenting style and allows more flexibility with her children.
The children are acted by Aashir Wajahat, Aina Asif, Ahmed Usman, Zuhab Khan, and Emaan Khan. Each of the children possesses their struggles, while a few gain the privilege of being treated better by their parents due to their grades and exemplary behaviour, the others are forced to adhere to their parent’s whims.
To build a favourable disparity, the plot includes a variety of issues, emphasizing more on Abhan and his despair. Here’s a lowdown of the notable points of the episode, and what truly makes it a worthy watch for viewers.
The Gruesome Tale Of The ‘Pinjra‘
The title itself illustrates a cage that represents the household and life of Abhan, an ingenious child who suffers from dysfunctional behaviour due to his parent’s actions. Abhan, played incredibly by Ahmed Usman is an amazing painter, but his passion is sealed behind bars so he can prosper in his studies.
It’s an old tale, but it still holds significant value in Pakistan’s culture, where children are stripped of their rights, dreams, and desires to follow their parent’s wishes, or be faced with abuse and humiliation. Unfortunately, Abhan suffers from the same faith, which makes him a highly relatable character.
The episode eloquently expresses the concerns and harmful impact of abuse on a child, and that is a much-needed social issue that warrants attention and discussion. For this inclusion, ‘Pinjra’ certainly deserves applause for their subject selection.
Toxic Vs Healthy
The storyline pertains to really strong issues highlighting the toxicity of parents by demanding too much from their children and lacking empathy. Sending Abhan to a hostel due to his love for painting may seem extreme to some viewers, but is still very at par with how many families function in society.
It also shows the dangers of invasive boundaries which is an important discussion in parenting, as Abeer is stripped of her privacy. Hence, she goes to lengths to hide her phone and still does what she truly desires as a defiant.
In the end, toxic and healthy parenting needs much to be talked about as many people don’t understand their children and only want them to obey their commands like robots. The drama humanises children and appeals to their trials of childhood, showing a different side to viewers.
Performances
No drama is a masterpiece without good actors, and the first two episodes really brought the production to a high level with the performances of children. Aina Asif and Ahmed Usman are especially in the spotlight due to their outstanding display of complex behaviour.
Sunita Marshal and Omair Rana definitely stand out more from the rest with their powerful dialogues that make the show more gripping. Disappointingly, Hadiqa Kiani only adds more value to the show when she sings in the first episode, her acting lacks the certain flare needed to make her role more absolute.
However, there is much narrative left to unfold and plots to reveal, therefore it’s too premature to gauge whose performance will remain to stand out and make the drama a memorable inclusion to television.
The Cliffhanger
The first episode ended on a cliffhanger and was the main factor that caught everyone’s attention. The whole narrative changes once Abhan is shown accidentally pushing a student from the school balcony. It sparks curiosity and adds a violent twist to the story that awaits to reveal in the future.
The second episode takes the audience back to the start of Abhan’s frustration and explains what leads him to be so angry, hateful, and jealous of his brother’s accomplishments. What initiates as a questionable and bleak plot unexpectedly becomes much more interesting, and the cliffhanger takes the most credit for it.
Conclusion
‘Pinjra’ is a promising tale that encounters valid concerns of children that need awareness. Certainly, the drama shows an amazing storyline and has a favourable future for its forthcoming episodes. Amongst the many overdone plots, this one undoubtedly stands as a worthy watch.
