“NBT Redefined The South-Asian Male”

If you go to the website of one of Pakistan’s best known contemporary art magazines Nukta Art (http://www.nuktaartmag.com/Nukta/), you will run into stimulating discourses about post modernist dilemmas, narratives woven around personal and collective histories and the artistic urge to blur orders, dissolve the idea of separation between countries, religions and go beyond “identity politics.”

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The woman who helms this extraordinary cultural mouth–piece is Niilofur Farrukh, a Karachi based art critic, author, columnist, curator and art activist. In her own words, her interest lies in, “investigating different links between art and society. These links range from history to contemporary social challenges.”  She has been the Founding Editor of NuktaArt since 2005  and writes for  international publications too. She also served as Pakistan’s Commissioner at The Asian Art Biennale ( 2006), Tashkent Art Biennale ( 2009) and Kathmandu International Art Festival ( 2012). She has conceptualised and curated many shows including In Killing Making Visible Buried Truth that toured five cities in Pakistan.  She also occupies prominent positions in forums that talk about peace, human rights and community welfare.

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Currently she is the President of the Pakistan Section of Paris based, International Art Critics Association ( AICA) and freedom of expression is one of her biggest preoccupations. That and the idea of what art is. Any kind of art. On canvas. As prose or poetry. On celluloid and even the small screen. She explores the meaning of artistic self-expression in a commercial context especially when it is treated like a commodity and must sell without selling itself out.

This question applies to art and artists everywhere and Farrukh has never looked at Hindi films or television serials through the filter of anything other than what they say about our collective humanity. So over two years ago when a Hindi television serial caught her eye, she wrote a passionate blog post about it.

We asked her about her fascination with this Indian soap..which lost out on ratings and had to be wrapped up a few months back.

What made you so drawn to the story of Na Bole Tum Na Maine Kucch Kaha?What is it that drew me to Na Bole Tum, Na Maine Kucch Kaha?  The emotional link that the writer, actors and director were able to establish with the audience.When the art critic in me searched in it for something deeper, I fond myself looking at the cultural subtext emerging from within the narrative.
I am interested in the human condition and how its negotiated within social norms…how individuals deal with restrictive customs/ taboos…that’s why Na Bole appealed to me. Kunal Karan Kapoor, the lead actor was such a natural. A male not afraid to reveal the vulnerable side. His ying was so refreshing. He did not mark his emotional territory in a stereotypical way but confidently allowed space for other memories from his wife’s past to enter their life. Mohan’s exchange on pink as a popular metro sexual color with his brand new son..I have never before seen a writer venture into that territory.

Why was the male character so unusual?

He was a deconstruction of the macho male protagonist on the South Asian TV screen. It made for a thought provoking watch. It had the potential to sensitize the audience to alternative male representation with the machismo losing some of its validity.

How was the gender politics different from other soaps?

Megha, played by Akanksha Singh, is a strong woman but still frozen   in the mode of a conformist who prioritizes the needs/wishes of her in-laws/children above her own. We only catch a glimpse of her independent spirit in confrontations with Mohan, the lover. The woman in her is deeply buried and she almost misses her chance at happiness. The  writer gives her courage and determination but seems almost afraid to portray her as an independent modern woman. Maybe it’s the fear of adverse response from a mainstream audience that inhibits the pen. One look at the heroines of serials with high ratings can easily give you an idea of conventional expectations.

So the woman protagonist’s struggle to be similar and yet dissimilar from  the Tulsi Viranis of the TV industry fascinated you..

As did Mohan’s character. With Mohan , we saw a serious challenge to the power of the Alpha male hero on the South Asian screen. Mohan shed the macho baggage with such ease. He was the hero unafraid to cry when  petrified to lose the love of his life. Not the token reel tears. He allowed his to keep coming, as they flowed from a deep emotional space. No inflated ego stood in the way. He never took for granted the arrogant ‘superior’ partnership role in a marital relationship.”

What is that connects Indian and Pakistani narratives?  

The common thread is that soaps deal with the same family issues/ intrigues , sometimes stereotyping not taking into account social changes so when they do it is refreshing. Pak serials have dealt with some bold issues in the past in the days before TRP dependency. TRP is a crippling mechanism and kills creativity. Regarding films,  I enjoyed Queen and Shudh Desi Romance.Both showed the changing relationships in society…I think the bollywoodization of TV serials has not allowed it to grow into an independent creative space in India while in Pakistan , TV plays in the past have been very socially critical.

 with The New Indian Express  Reema Moudgil works for The New Indian Express, Bangalore, is the author of Perfect Eight, the editor of  Chicken Soup for the Soul-Indian Women, an artist, a former RJ and a mother. She dreams of a cottage of her own that opens to a garden and  where she can write more books, paint, listen to music and  just be silent with her cats.