NOOR JAHAN: Portrayal of gender norms and a social critique

• Saniya Arshad
• Oct 28, 2024
• 1 min read

A popular drama aired on Ary Digital, Noor Jahan, depicts gender representation and power dynamics and highlights various characters with their own complexities. Typically it seems like a saas-bahu drama but it shows resilient and assertive independent women who by the end of the show and even through the start, the character of Noor Jahan herself shows that how despite being alone with no male dependent establishes her business and raise her children with all the challenges she faces through ner in laws but instead of being more of a progressive woman who supports the equality and independence of women, she tends to maintain a strict control over her daugthers in law which showcases the duality of the society especially in Pakistan.

One of the main aspect in this story line which was interesting to me was that how safeena and sumbhul even being oppressed for a long period of time, support eachother and safeena encourages her to stand up for her self and her rights inorder to live a life she desires. The drama also pushes back against patriarchal narratives by showing women who gain strength, assert their independence, and, in some cases, choose to leave unhealthy marriages​.

Lastly, The men in Noor Jahan, often depicted as naive and overly reliant on their mother. This shift emphasizes how women, rather than men, drive the narrative through their growth and acts of defiance against rigid family expectations. Overall, this show showcases on how the agency of women should be considered when compared to others.