SLOUGH, ENGLAND:
Do you doom scroll? Never mind, what a silly question. Of course you doom scroll. Anyone with a phone and a social media account (it doesn’t matter which platform) is unable to escape the clutches of scrolling aimlessly, even if they are about to miss their stop on the bus or if the onions have burned coal-black on the stove.
If you are a doom scroller of the female variety, you will be aware of a specimen of human males called ‘red flags’ wreaking havoc upon women’s lives all over the nation.Since red flags already get so much publicity online, let us turn our attention instead to their diametric opposite: green flags. We are referring to the pleasing male variety here, not literal ones made of cloth. Even if they are not as abundant in nature as one may hope, they do exist in the world of television – and no, they are no longer the tall, dark, handsome type bearing the expression of a serial migraine sufferer. Here are four green flag male characters who have graced Pakistani television with their wit, charm, loyalty, and empathy. Like an Olympic archer, they aimed straight for the hearts of viewers and didn’t miss.
Farjad (Fairytale)
If you crack open a thesaurus of idioms, you will find Farjad’s earnest visage under ‘green flag’. Fans have compared Farjad to that other romantic stalwart Mr Darcy, but presumably, this is at the endpoint of Mr Darcy’s character arc where he has made amends and gone out of his way to rectify his botched proposal. Comparing Farjad's charming good nature to Mr Darcy’s permanent scowl is like comparing a floodlight to the flame of a match. On the inside, however, they are both men who do not let pride get in the way when they need to make amends. Complete with a solid moral compass and full to the brim with empathy, Farjad is an inspiration as someone willing to go the extra mile for the people he cares about.
Unless there is a lizard in the fray, of course. Farjad does not fake male bravado in the face of unwanted visitors invading the marital bedroom. He does not pretend to drum up macho caveman instincts and go off in search of a weapon like a jharoo or a slipper. In fact, he offers workable solutions like ‘sleeping in the lounge’, and even volunteers his beloved to go to the front line and wage battle with their reptilian enemy. He accepts his limits and has no qualms about admitting that he is ‘darpok’. Such honesty in a man is as hard to find as a blue diamond. Farjad, you are a keeper.
Hamza (Mere Humsafar)
Surrounded by the usual gang of toxic males – and females - populating Pakistani dramas, Hamza stands out by mere dint of being a decent human being and, if we are being honest, doing the bare minimum. For example, during enforced social gatherings in the family lounge, he sits next to his wife in a society where a man sitting with his wife (in reality, anyway) is considered a blasphemous public display of affection.
Continuing his winning green flag streak, Hamza volunteers the clothes off his back when Hala doesn’t want to face the dreaded ‘daadi’ to get her clothes. “This relationship will stay with us until our dying breath’, he informs Hala, even though his mother has dramatically ripped up the nikah papers. Later on, he ignores his mother’s histrionics when she threatens to slit her wrists in a fit of pique. In other words, Hamza did what husbands are contractually obliged to do: he provided his wife with unconditional love and unwavering support (in spite of her incessant snot-nosed crying, could have driven anyone up the wall) and showed her that she, too, is worthy of respect. With so many failing to aspire to even bare minimum standards, it is nice to see at least one male shining like a lighthouse.
Aunn (Aunn Zara)
Aunn starts off as a pampered manchild, and from the outset, his husbandly prospects look bleak. His mother wakes him up every morning. She even personally drops him off at work. Much to his unending mortification, his mother refuses to mend her ways despite his many attempts to make her see reason. Aunn foolishly believes that entering a bride into the equation will make such dire problems vanish in a puff of smoke – or at least redirect them elsewhere - and is by no means the first person in humanity to harbour such a misguided notion.
Sadly for Aunn, wedded bliss does not change his life the way he hoped. He continues to be bullied by all the women in his life – including Zara, the bride he naively hoped would make his life easier. Aunn is inundated with so many family problems (such as being forced to go jogging when he doesn’t want to) that there will be someone out there who will be able to sympathise with at least one – if not all – of them. However, Aunn’s character arc proves that love conquers all, and whether he wants to or not, he has the gift of making people laugh, even if it is at his own expense. As we have already established, tall dark and serious-faced handsome is out, and anyone with a funny bone is in. Aunn may have a lot to learn, but at least no one can complain of being bored in his presence.
Dr Asfandyar (Yaqeen Ka Safar)
If you are on the hunt for a man who supports a woman’s dreams and ambitions without displaying any hint of ego, look no further than Dr Asfandyar. Not only is he the rare doctor who has an exemplary bedside manner, our dashing hero has the ability to explain things to women without sliding into condescending mansplaining territory.
Whether it is medical skills or emotional support, Dr Asfandyar has it all. In a society where English is a mark of one’s social standing, Dr Asfandyar cares little about whether or not Dr Zubaida can speak any English. Instead, he cares about wanting to get to know her. Moreover, he harbours none of the toddler-like tantrum tendencies plaguing his red flag television counterparts. Despite having suffered significant personal loss, our gorgeous doctor always puts everyone else first. With his maturity, patience and heart-to-heart connection with everyone around him, ‘Asfi’ has not only the power to heal patients, he can also set hearts aflutter with one soulful gaze.
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