As we revisit a number of illustrious dramas in a series of picking out and deciphering scenes, we begin with ‘Humsafar’s’ nostalgic rain scene, digesting the tender moment between Ashar and Khirad and why it was an important crux in the molding of their relationship. What makes this wistful moment so important? Why is it so great?
The whole thing is incredible evocative really. It’s the first time romance flutters its wings, sprinkling a bit of magic on two people who had little no idea what they were in for in their arranged marriage. Ashar and Khirad at surface seemed like two very different people, shrouded by their class disparity. And while the whole drama is an evolution of their relationship, it’s this particular winsome moment in the rain that blared a realization to Ashar that Khirad really is the one.
Rain’s the go-to for a lot of things on-screen. From Hollywood classics like ‘The Bridges of Madison County’ to ‘Four Weddings And A Funeral,’ rain transcends genres in both film and television. The symbolic reference of rain is whatever you want it to be. It’s ambiguous, moldable at most to project any kind of feeling, from swallowing sorrow to a chirpy contentment. Rain can be as romantic as it can be morbidly depressing – but the premise is the same regardless; a downpour makes everything far more heavy, profound and vivid.
In ‘Humsafar’s’ case, it’s Khirad’s childlike nature that’s unfurled as rain pours down. It’s the first time we see this side of her, with a beaming smile and pure merriment as she declares she’s going to dance in baarish as a besotted Ashar gazes on. It comes as a pleasant surprise, what with her being quiet and reserved 99% of the time, even shying away from Ashar if he’s staring a little too long.
In a way, the rain helps her completely strip herself of any armor, kind of pouring down and corroding away the walls she’s confined herself within. Her confidence beams through the drizzle, and it’s in this particular moment she feels absolutely and entirely infinite (cue inspiration from ‘Perks Of Being A Wallflower). The metaphorical foundation of rain serves as a canvas for storytellers to depict redemption, forgiveness and in ‘Humsafar’s’ case, liberation.
It’s a moment for Khirad to forget everything; every aching, every pain and every moment of anxiety she’s ever felt – and in a way, it’s a time to start fresh, with each drop a burst of hope. Rain is a lot of things, but mostly it’s used for that dramatic effect that has audiences thinking about it long after the credits roll in. Ashar looks at Khirad in a way we all like to be looked at; utterly in love, bewitched at most in a starry moment of clarity. He never knew this Khirad existed, and the way he calls her ‘meri jaan’ mid-dialogue suffices to say that what he’s just witnessed as plunged him deeper in love. While rain here might have been a foreshadowing technique, as the calm before the storm that tears Ashar and Khirad apart, it’s also a tender scene that makes us fall a little more for the two protagonists.