Family dynamics can sometimes be pretty complicated. Sometimes there are rifts between, and sometimes family members plot against one another. Matters only get worse when money comes into the scene. “Khamoshi” is one such example of how families are torn apart when they get greedy about money. While I’ve only started watching the show, I was absolutely shocked and was in utter disbelief at how people change their colors. Whether it is the way Arsala’s mother changes the way she behaves with her, or how her father starts expecting her to only keep sending money home

The show starts with a simple family, Arsala’s, that struggles with money

The father is a factory worker, whose salary fails to cover the running cost of the house. In turn, the burden falls on Arsala’s shoulders. She sews clothes for other people to make ends meet, pay the bills in the house and her brother’s tuition.

Arsala is also in love with her khala ka beta, Atif

However her father is highly against the two being together. And eventually calls off the engagement between Arsala and Atif. That breaks their hearts, but Arsala doesn’t get much time to grieve her loss, because she has to go to Karachi.

One other person who can’t stand the thought of them being together is Arsala’s sister, Naeema, who is also in love with Atif

Naeema conspires to separate Atif from Arsala, which eventually leads to their engagement breaking off. She lies to Atif about Arsala’s conditions, about the reason why she’s gone to Karachi, and why she’s not coming back.

Things take a drastic turn when a distant relative of Arsala’s father comes and requests for them to let Arsala go with him as the house help

While Arsala really doesn’t want to go, the prospect of getting a huge amount of money without moving a muscle is tempting enough for her father to force her to go to Karachi. So off she goes to Karachi along with Mudassar Chacha to take care of his temperamental wife. Who end up treating her better than her actual family.

Throughout her time in Karachi, her family gets greedier and greedier with money

While the mother was on Arsala’s side, initially, after seeing the comfort that the family is living in, also starts persuading Arsala to stay and work as the house help. Everyone starts demanding more and more from her. They hide Arsala’s horrible living conditions from Atif, and keep pretending that she is living in Karachi by choice. And that she’s found a really nice job. All this time, Arsala keeps hiding the fact that her parents have forced her to stay in Karachi. In doing so, she tells Atif that she is happily settled in the city and that she doesn’t plan on coming back.

Turns out, Arsala’s family doesn’t want her to get married because that would mean putting a cap on their source of income

If Arsala gets married, obviously her husband or the family that she gets married into, will not be okay with her working at someone’s house. And that is also why thee family manipulated Atif into marrying Naeema, instead. During the new couple’s engagement, Arsala comes back home with Mudassar Chacha and is heartbroken to see Atif and Naeema together. Even after all of this, the family gets together and makes Arsala feel highly unwanted and come off as only being interested in the money that she brings into the house.

What baffles me is that how can your family, those related to you by blood, and in such close proximity end up treating you like a money mint

That Arsala’s own father, her mother and her sister only want to milk out all the cash they can and they don’t want her coming back home. Even when she calls and says she’s miserable and doesn’t want to stay, they only ask her to stay put and make their list of demands even longer. When they fix the dates for Naeema and Atif’s wedding, they don’e tell her. Because they don’t want her to feel bad and not send money back home.

It’s just really sad how some people become absolutely blinded by money

How they turn against their own families, and try putting down people they are supposed to love. How Naeema, Arsala’s baby sister and the girl Arsala is willing to do anything and everything for, wants to spend every last penny Arsala sends home on herself and her shaadi to Atif, but doesn’t want to see sight of her own sister. Just because of her insecurities with Arsala and her fear that Atif’s feelings for her might rekindle and he might change his mind and not end up marrying Naeema. So she keeps Arsala at arms length, throws a tantrum any time anybody in the family tries making contact with the Arsala, but still keeps screaming and shouting for more.

As a side note, I especially want to highlight Zara Noor Abbas’ performance as Arsala

Unlike actresses in the past who have portrayed downtrodden, always-at-the-receiving-end-of-zulm roles, have always been crying and been absolutely annoying, on screen, Zara Noor brings something else altogether to the screen. She’s not constantly crying, or cursing her life, or just sitting in a corner looking like a ghost. She brings character to the screen, she adds something different to the average mazloom larki. 

What are your thoughts on this? Let us know in the comments below

I Watched The First Two Episodes Of “Noor Ul Ain” And Like, I Don’t Know How To Feel

“Aakhri Station’s” Heartbreaking First Episode Is An Honest and Raw Glimpse Into Marital Abuse

Cover image via HUM Television