Joint Family Phenomenon

Pakistan’s TV serial industry offers delightful stuff to watch. Danish Nawaz’s 'Chupke Chupke', with Ayeza Khan and Osman Khalid Butt, has won the hearts of elders and youth alike. The serial highlights some major issues in Pakistani society through a filter of humour and laughter.

The story is set in today’s times in a joint family system. While the world, including Pakistan, is making moves towards developing a nuclear family system, the revival of the extended family has transported us back to the good old days, questioning why we were shifting away from joint families in the first place? It can be said without doubt that living in an extended family is a fun-filled experience for children. But what about when these children grow up? Adults require privacy, which is not possible when your cousins and other family members are constantly nagging you. Your life doesn’t remain yours. Apart from your parents, the entire family has a say in the decisions of your life and that’s where the problem lies. Privacy and decision-making of the family are disturbed and that’s what pushed us to start inhabiting nuclear families.

Furthermore, the serial’s story outlines that the grandfather, Nawab Sahab, had two wives and that’s the root of the rivalry between the two families. In the initial episodes, it is clearly stated that both wives were given separate houses and businesses and both had an equal number of children. The setting story sets a brilliant example of how a man should treat his wives if he is married to more than one woman. Equality between wives is imperative and that’s where the stigma ends. As long as the husband has treated his wives and their families equally, there’s no need for the women to have bitterness between them.

By marrying off Meenu with Faazi bhaiya, ‘Chupke Chupke’ reflects on the problems associated with cousin marriage. Growing up in a joint family household, all cousins are taught by their parents to call each other ‘Behan’ and ‘Bhai’. While these titles imply the bond of siblings between the cousins, marrying them without their consent, results in their newly-named relationship of spouses that could be a potential root cause for arguments within the family.

While perceiving a girl as your sister your entire life, how is it possible to develop an intimate relationship with her when she is your wife now? Furthermore, science has discovered that cousin marriages often lead to genetic disorders in future generations and Pakistanis are yet to acknowledge this serious issue.

Extending the problem, once they are married, there is a lack of privacy for them to build an understanding. As said earlier, privacy has become a serious issue in Pakistan when it comes to families. While we have moved towards living in nuclear families, our minds are still confined by stereotypes, thinking that we are obliged to have a say in every matter of the household.

In addition, some focus also needs to be made on the precious bond of siblings the serial represents. However, as we grow up, we form our own families; siblings need to maintain some boundaries and not invade the privacy of each other’s families. While teasing each other in childhood seems playful, interfering in personal matters in adulthood is just wrong and needs to stop.

It is high time that as Pakistanis, we ponder over these issues that prevail in our society and hold us back from prospering as a nation. They might seem trivial at the moment, but every step counts no matter which aspect of life it is. No doubt the serial has given our evenings laughter and family bonding, but the audience expects such serials to be broadcast all round the year instead of just in a particular period.

The actors in the serial have unrivalled acting skills. Indeed, every actor portrays their character with excellence and Saima Akram Chaudry has served her audience with yet another story to remember.