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In the face of adversity
“If you want to call me a feminist, go right ahead!” says Sultana Siddiqui off-handedly. Siddiqui, of Marvi and Yeh Zindagi fame, has yet another woman-oriented programme up her sleeve. This latest venture is dubbed Kismet kay sitaray: sachi kahanian, a series of true life stories revolving around women who have braved the storms of their lives; chased and conquered their own demons and come out on top.
Siddiqui revels in doing programmes on the fairer sex because she believes females are, to quote her verbatim, “committed, disciplined and focused.”
These true stories have been dramatized in a glamorous form for the small screen by actors of the highest calibre under the veteran eye of Sultana Siddiqui.
While seated in her airy, sun filtered office dominated by a panel of glass windows, she explains the inspiration behind this latest series, which went on air on June 20 and will run for at least 13 episodes.
“We have conducted in-depth research on the lives of exceptional women with the help of a research team comprising of Atiya Dawood, people from Aurat Foundation, media figures like Noorul Huda Shah and Asghar Nadeem Syed.”
The women whose life stories she has chosen to portray range from varied backgrounds. On one hand there is the kaleidoscopic life of Musarrat Misbah: the lady behind the world of beauty and poise. On the other is the story about a 25-year old mother of five who, with the help of her husband, has ushered in a revolution in her village. The other stories are also about women who have clung on to the anchor of hope in this tumultuous sea of life.
“You will not believe the stories we have heard,” she says with quiet emphasis. One might expect her to shudder at the thought. But she doesn’t. She is, after all, Sultana Siddiqui — a woman who herself has fought many battles, personally and professionally, to finally enjoy the status of the media icon that she is today.
“I am here today because I don’t give two hoots about this farce of labeling what a woman can and cannot do. If you are good at your job, no one can do any hanky panky,” she says doggedly. “The only thing men excel in is physical strength, and never accept help from a man unnecessarily. It undermines your own professional ability.”
The one point that she continued to accentuate was how, in spite of the fact that a woman possesses the ingredient of courage, she needs a home base where she can derive her support from.
“She needs the backup to shut people’s mouths,” she adds. “But remember, a man cannot do without a woman. But a woman can!”
She is a fervent believer in the fact that in times of crisis, women allow that infallible steel in themselves to surface and face calamity, come what may.
“It takes a lot of courage for a woman to share her life, its nuances and crests with others,” Siddiqui comments. But the purpose of this venture is for women to come together by sharing their tragedies, to become a sorority. It is programmes like these which will drive men who mistreat women to think again and be forced to realize and acknowledge a woman’s strength. It gives a clear message which says women today will not silently play the punching bag for their frustrated husbands.
The siren who will act as compere and narrator in this series is Nadia Jamil.
“She is the link between the assortment of stories. In certain plays, she is also playing the lead role,” says Momina Siddiqui who is one of the stalwarts behind this project. It’s no coincidence that this LUMS graduate is Sultana’s daughter-in-law.
This programme will definitely be a breath of much-desired fresh air; it pays homage to those women who have carved out their own destinies and touched the stars.
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