Khaani, The Portrayal of Justice and the Impressionable Audience
The Feroze Khan and Sana Javed starrer continues to make waves in discussions one year after its release
* Disclaimer: This article was written in June 2019, but was missed by the site I wrote for and was never published.
Social topics and presentation of “real” stories are the hit formula of the moment – and this is a trend that is being received with open arms by the majority of viewers. Intelligent, realistic storytelling that sheds light upon necessary topics has been missing from Pakistani television screens for some time, but it seems like these shows are now here to stay. With Inkaar, Khaas, Surkh Chandni, Darr Khuda Se and many other shows running successfully, let’s look back at the show that technically began this trend. Khaani successfully ran from November 2017 to July 2018, engaging viewers and receiving a lot of attention for its unusual storyline. Starring Feroze Khan and Sana Javed, Khaani ran on the Har Pal Geo network. Produced by 7th Sky Entertainment, written by Asma Nabeel and directed by Anjum Shahzad, Khaani had everything going for it in order to be a successful show. Was Khaani a successful show? It absolutely was – but this show did not gain success without its share of controversies. To date, Khaani is a widely discussed and debated show on social media.
Khaani focuses on a tale of crime, obsession and justice. Twins Sarim and Khaani (Sana Javed) are inseparable and Sarim takes on the role of supportive elder brother, as Khaani is timid and scared of the world. With two younger sisters and loving parents, Khaani’s family is a vision of loving bliss – until one day, on his way home from his scholarship interview, Sarim is shot dead by Mir Hadi (Feroze Khan) over a parking dispute. Mir Hadi, a young man with power and influence, is unapologetic for his crime and treats it as though it’s business as usual – until he falls in “love” with Khaani and makes it his mission to attain her. Khaani and her family’s grief and their ultimate push for justice forms the crux of the show.
While Khaani ended almost a year ago, the show remains to be a discussion point on social media. When referencing toxic shows with bad messages, Khaani tends to top the list. Did Khaani portray a problematic story though? For this viewer, Khaani was a solid show that made a great statement. Taking the argument against Khaani, the greatest issue taken with Khaani is that Mir Hadi’s obsession with Khaani is projected as “love.” The argument is that Mir Hadi is presented as a lover, a man repentant of his actions and loyal in his affections for Khaani – watering down his crime. This may be true, but only in a sense.
In Khaani, Mir Hadi is depicted as a villain from episode 1 itself. The first episode spends 40 minutes building the audience affection for Sarim, Khaani and their family. The audience is overjoyed as Sarim is approved for his scholarship and happily heads home to celebrate with his family. The first episode ends with Mir Hadi shooting Sarim in cold blood without an ounce of fear or regret on his face. The audience is introduced to Mir Hadi as a purely negative character, shattering the hopes and hearts of an entire family. After the family mourns, Mir Hadi and his family continue to pester Khaani’s family, seeking “forgiveness” from the family in order to absolve Mir Hadi of his crime. Khaani, heartbroken over her brother’s loss, stands firm, refusing to sign the papers. Mir Hadi pulls a gun on Khaani and when she refuses to bend, he holds it to her father, forcing Khaani’s hand at signing the papers. Mir Hadi is, once again, presented as a cold-blooded individual.
Mir Hadi pursues Khaani, threatens Khaani, stalks Khaani and goes so far as to write Khaani letters, posing as a secret admirer. Khaani, in her emotional state, begins to enjoy these letters, falling for the charmer on the other end – until she discovers who is penning the letters. Khaani does not, for a moment, mourn the loss of a “romance.” Rather, she throws the letters on Mir Hadi’s face and declares openly that he can spend a lifetime trying to trap her, but she will never accept her brother’s murderer into her life. Mir Hadi ultimately kidnaps Khaani from her home directly before her marriage in an attempt to have her for himself. At this point, Khaani makes it clear to Mir Hadi that he can have her in any way he wishes, but she will never love him, as he is her brother’s murderer. At this point, Khaani earns Mir Hadi’s respect and he returns her to her house. One can argue that “earning respect” from a killer is showing a softer side which causes audiences to warm up to Mir Hadi. Ultimately, when telling any story, characters must be believable. Whether it’s a Khaani or a Mir Hadi, both characters are human beings – and human beings have shades and angles to themselves. Mir Hadi’s reactions to his inability to “acquire” Khaani only make Mir Hadi seem like a living, breathing character – and this does not make him any less of a criminal.
There are two messages that the viewer is expected to take away from the show. First, the message of justice is the main focal point. Justice is received when Mir Hadi is sentenced to life in jail – a sentence chosen by Khaani’s family themselves, as Mir Hadi sought to be hung to death, desiring freedom from his life. Khaani’s family decides that Mir Hadi needs to be further punished for his actions and that punishment is to live with his guilt in jail for the duration of his life. While in jail, Mir Hadi loses his father to suicide and his mother becomes mentally imbalanced with grief. Mir Hadi, despite his political power, his wealth and his aggression, still ends up in jail for his crime and the girl he desires is unattainable for him. What more could a viewer want in terms of justice?
The second message that is important to the show is that of human growth. Khaani’s growth as an individual is a large basis for the story. When the show begins, Khaani is afraid of everything. Timid, weak and dependent, it’s incredible to witness Khaani’s growth in this drama. Khaani goes on to become the “son” of her family, working hard, discovering herself and becoming self-sufficient – and when this all falls into place, it’s only then that she meets Arham (Muhammad Mubarak Ali), the man who goes on to become her ever-supportive husband. This character growth is important for women to witness, as it gives hope to women and sets a positive example for young girls. Khaani, as a character, is a strong woman who fights against the odds to come out on top.
The greatest drawback of the show, the reason the show received such negative publicity essentially lies in the publicity itself. Despite the writer, director and actors being on track regarding the storyline and presenting viewers with an impressive show, the original soundtrack (OST) of the drama tends to paint a different visual than what is seen in the show itself. Slick editing and tweaking of scenes creates an OST that sells the idea of romance, a romance marred by tragedy between two star-crossed lovers. Those who have watched the show from beginning to end are well-aware that this love angle is one-sided and remains so from beginning to end. However, with the Khaani OST being one of the most highly-viewed Pakistani videos on YouTube, this misinterpretation of the show has less to do with the fault of viewers, the fault of the drama makers and is misunderstood largely due to the story presented by the original soundtrack. Likewise, the casting of Feroze Khan may have worked against the show in the sense that young girls immediately took to his appearance, swooning over Mir Hadi despite his being a thoroughly negative character.
With shows emerging in full form a year later, shows telling equally important stories, it can be argued that these shows have more finesse than Khaani. These shows are clearer in their villains and heroes. These shows come with taglines attached, keeping the viewer in a clear frame of mine regarding the story. The Ost accurately depicts the upcoming storyline of a drama. And while this all may be true, one cannot ignore that Khaani told an important story – a story of justice for a family and a story that sent out a clear message: “The outcome of murder cannot be love.”