Cheating in relationships is a narrative that has been oft-repeated in many Pakistani dramas. The man cheats, the wife suffers, yet she powers through, because, well, aurat aur karey bhi kya? However, the Humayun Saeed and Ayeza Khan starrer ‘Meray Paas Tum Ho’ reverses this equation.

This has become quite the topic of conversation. However, let’s delve into whether the drama does this reversal justice.

The drama opens with Danish, played by Humayun Saeed, a loving husband, and father who firmly believes that if he has his partner Mehwish (Ayeza Khan) by his side, he can conquer the world. He may seem foolish at first but, the more you get to know his character, you figure out that he is a simple man with little to no expectations from life, except one – loyalty.

Ayeza Khan’s character Mehwish, on the other hand, is drawn to the petty things in life. Expensive jewelry, fine dining, designer clothes, basically everything she does not have.  However, whatever she does have, she chooses to remain oblivious to.

Money excites her. She wants it, craves it – mostly because she does not have it just as yet.

But, is a love story or a happy marriage complete without a twist? Lo and behold, Shehwar enters the scene.

Separated from his own, Shehwar, played by Adnan Siddiqui, predates on other people’s wives. Now, of course, he has some criteria: drop dead gorgeous and money hungry. Ring any bells?

Danish, who is well-aware of Mehwish’s materialistic habits of wanting more – more than he can afford with his hard-earned money without taking any extra home –  blindfolds himself by the constant false hope that Mehwish loves him and it is his duty to go out of his way and provide for her.

A little heads up – they live in a decent home, eat out on weekends, Mehwish buys designer wear from the savings they have kept for their four-year-old son’s school admission fee, eyes diamond jewels and ends up buying them with a loan taken from a good-for-nothing friend.

Despite all this Danish feels he is not good enough for his wife.

Danish is the one suffering in Meray Paas Tum Ho. This man does not say no to his overly demanding wife. She pushes him to his limits, continuously forcing him to shove his morals aside and indulge in corruption because what is life without an Audi and Jimmy Choo shoes, right?

Mehwish cheats, manipulates, and emotionally abuses. 

The first time Danish expressed his disapproval for Mehwish dancing with Shehwar at a wedding, she resorted to gaslighting him, making Danish and (some) viewers believe that maybe he overreacted.

After this event, everything else followed like a chain. There has been an exchange of unlimited phone calls, cheesy texts, flirtatious remarks between Mehwish and Shehwar since their first encounter and the former does not see any harm in all of it.

But here’s the thing – regardless of the role reversal, why is that someone in this equation has to be meeker one, who can’t walk out of something toxic?

Danish knows Mehwish has lied multiple times. If we were to reverse roles, we’d sympathize with the woman who is being wronged to such a great degree. However, the truth is that it’s been a tired, overdone storyline. Yes, such relationships exist, but is the propagation of submissiveness in the face of such toxicity valid or necessary?

Must one party keep turning a blind eye to the other’s wrongdoings? Perhaps that’s a part of the bigger narrative that will be explored further on. Or so we can hope. Have you been following Meray Paas Tum Ho? Let us know in the comments below what you think of the drama.

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Cover Image via Six Sigma Plus