Another week, another set of gut-wrenching episodes of Aik Aur Pakeezah puts the viewers in awe as Nadia Afgan’s Aliya reclaims her place in her household. A woman bound by society and responsibilities towards her family, who never got a chance to take a look at herself, her wishes, and her desires. In an impactful scene, Aliya dons her favourite lip shade and wears a perfume, an act she had long forgotten.
Aliya is the apt portrayal of a woman who carries the load of building a household and forgets herself in the process. Her favourite food, clothes, and choices were all lost to build a perfect life according to society’s standards. As she stands before the mirror, she tells her husband how much of herself she has lost, yet is ready to reclaim it without worrying about anyone else’s expectations of her.
Aliya not only discovers herself, but also realizes that she has barely cared for her daughter’s needs. She finds herself lost when she desires to feed Pakeezah her favourite food. In conversation with Pakeezah, she adds that women tend not to care for themselves, doing wrong to only themselves. As she feeds her daughter, she understands that women are constantly expected to sacrifice themselves to serve the ones around them.
Aliya’s reclaiming herself dismantles society’s false notion of a ‘perfect woman’ as she becomes a representation of many women in our society. Taking to X, a user stated that Aliya knowing her worth is the best character development in Aik Aur Pakeezah. They posted:
A netizen commented that tragedy has healed Aliya and posted:
Saying that Aliya sees herself as another Pakeezah in the mirror, a viewer posted:
Another X user added that Aliya represents all women who spend their lives shrinking themselves in a corner. They posted:
One added:
Aliya reminds women to prioritize themselves, a netizen added. They posted:
Appreciating Nadia’s performance as Aliya, a drama critic, posted on X and said:
Admiring the writer’s portrayal of Aliya, another added:
