The Pakistani Entertainment industry is presently playing a role in disturbing the social norms and values of society. It is trying to implement the western way of livelihood in Pakistan. Media is a powerful tool having the responsibility to guide people towards the right path. However, in present times media is spoiling the social bond of society to gain some financial benefits. The aim of media is to generate more and more revenue by misusing its tremendous power and breaching ethical standards in a target to set new standards that are to be in a comparison with the western standards (norms and values).
Unfortunately,
in the name of modernization our Entertainment Industry has given up on our
rice national heritage and culture. Till the early ’90s, our
Entertainment industry was flourishing
very rapidly keeping all the integrity of our social norms and values but unfortunately,
today’s industry is the opposite of what we knew then. Today’s Industry is focused
on portraying the negative image of Pakistan, internationally and to some
extent, it seems that our industry has become a puppet of our enemies’ hands.
Pakistani Films and Dramas are Boosting
Materialism and social evils:
In the name of
education, our Entertainment Industry is continuously showing the darkest side
of our society neglecting the positive perspective. In other words, non-issues
are shown as major issues in Pakistani Films and Dramas.
We cannot deny the
fact that TV dramas affect our lives in many ways. Pakistani entertainment channels
e.g., PTV, ARY
Digital, GEO TV, and HUM TV are major channels that telecast various
films and drama serials having a huge impact on women and men's life and playing
a great role in showing various cultural aspects. So, to examine the effect of
dramas on the behavior and mindset of women and men, we have to deeply dive into
the present entertainment industry. TV channels are more likely to blur our Islamic values and
are encouraging western values.
I observed that
ARY is not portraying its own culture in dramas and similarly HUM TV
while PTV dramas to some extent are portraying the Pakistani culture.
Not everyone is satisfied with the content of these channels due to ideas represented
by these channels, again and again, are not acceptable for promoting wrong
values. Unlimited glamour and these dramas are playing a significant role in
putting the viewers in psychological conflicts These dramas especially ARY,
GEO TV, and HUM TV are blurring our own Islamic values by promoting western values.
The following variables are targeted by the Entertainment Industry:
·
Physical intimacy.
·
Modern Dressing style.
·
Luxurious Lifestyle.
·
Language.
·
Taboo norms.
·
Breaking stereotypes.
·
Gendered language
Analyzing Pakistani Dramas:
To Analyze the effect on social values I watched two Dramas. To be specific,
24 episodes of ‘Besharam’ and 31 episodes of ‘O
Rungreza’. Every scene was considered as the unit of analysis for
both the selected dramas.
Ø Both
the dramas were showing content having scenes of physical intimacy to some extent. Pakistani society has its own
moral and religious values where such acts are considered seriously
objectionable. But due to the repeated exposure of such content viewers do not
find these acts offensive.
Ø But
both the dramas were promoting the lifestyle of elites. While the majority of the Pakistani population
belongs to the middle class.
Ø The
content of both dramas was promoting modern dressing styles. Almost eighty percent of the scenes of both
the dramas were portraying women with a modern dressing style. Pakistan is an
Islamic country and western attires are not a part of its culture.
Ø Characters
of both the dramas were using English
language words
quite often. This indicates that both the dramas are showing characters
speaking English as a trend.
Ø The
titles of the drama are mostly using gendered language which is cultivating
negative female images in the minds of viewers as well as degrading and disrespecting women at large.
Ø The
image of women that is portrayed in these dramas actually shows that their body parts are more important than their
personality or moral values and they should be pretty to be accepted and loved
by society
Ø Women
are shown as home bounded rather than employed and
independent which actually puts a negative thought in men that they should not
all their wives or sisters to go outside and work whereas there should be no
such gender discrimination and they should be allowed to work.
Ø Both
dramas portrayed romantic scenes which can lead to psychological
behavior changes. A greater percentage of females in rural areas are getting
affected by it.
Ø Marriage
ceremonies in these dramas are under the influence of Indian and western
culture
Ø Dramas
sets an image that the women have to bear the pain to save their
homes. They should bear the violence quietly to get their home
going or otherwise they are divorced and not given any kind of importance.
Note: Almost every scene of each drama
is depicting liberalism and puts down females’ characters. All the variables i.e.,
physical intimacy, luxurious lifestyle, modern dressing style, English
language, taboo norms, the celebration of events, breaking stereotypes, and gendered
language were found in both the dramas. But pathetically women have mainly
been responsible for all the negativity and moral bankruptcy.
Conclusion:
Pakistani
serials and Films are slowly spoiling our society by the values they are
presenting and by the image they are portraying of women. Dramas of Pakistani
entertainment channels are mostly presenting stereotypes. They are showing
and injecting the idea of good and bad women into the mind of people in society.
By showing such stereotypes, people are forming different opinions without even
knowing whether they are right or wrong. Western values and even the Indian
culture are being shown in the dramas
and shaping our society into something which actually we are not. Pakistani own
culture and values should be promoted in these channels as they are widely seen an audience so that people remain stick to their Islamic
values and culture.
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