The plot development in Gulbahar touches on a theme often explored in television dramas: domestic sacrifice and complex family dynamics. Sara’s (Sanam Saeed) decision to arrange a second marriage for her husband, Sheheryar (Emmad Irfani) stems from ongoing pressure within her household over being childless and the fear of her marriage ending. By bringing Diya (Komal Meer) into the marriage, Sara attempts to address the strain in her home while keeping the situation within her immediate circle.
Diya’s position adds a distinct layer to the narrative. Having joined the household as an orphaned young woman dependent on Sara’s family for support, her agreement to the marriage is driven by a deep sense of gratitude and obligation toward them. The storyline relies on this power dynamic, where family duty, indebtedness, and personal sacrifice overlap in a non-traditional living arrangement.
The episode triggered discussion online, drawing commentary from women’s rights advocate, Kanwal Ahmad. She argue that using a second marriage as the primary plot resolution overlooks modern medical alternatives for childlessness, such as IVF. From this perspective, the storyline relies on familiar tropes where female characters bear the burden of resolving domestic issues, while a younger, dependent character is integrated into a marriage to fulfill a family need. She posted:
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While the concept drives from an extreme domestic conflict the shift from treating Diya as a younger ward to incorporating her as a second wife is unsettling, Kanwal said. She added that women’s silence and sacrifice is presented as virtue while they spend their lives accommodating a man’s needs.
Netizens too have reacted to the plot development as they not only criticize the decision but call it exploitation of a dependant girl. A user posted:
Sympathizing with Diya, another user posted:
Criticizing the storyline, one netizen added that Diya deserves better and posted:
Another called it sickening and posted:
Stating that the drama should have focused on showing how childlessness is not a woman’s issue, one posted:
