The previous episode of Baaghi has us waiting for Fauzia Batool’s character to evolve into the social media star we know her as and little details – or rather attention to detail – helps along her metamorphosis, pointing at her true character. We have been introduced to a hot headed heroine who is unafraid to voice her opinion and follow her dreams. She’s is a woman who has passion and fire in her blood and wants to trail-blaze her own path in life. Fauzia is real and therefore flawed and the best part about the story is that the writer may have taken some creative liberties in adapting Qandeel Baloch’s story for television but she has retained the three dimensions of her character. This would be one of toughest and most complex characters to develop for television in Pakistan.
So, what exactly did happen in the last episode…
Fauzia sets off when Abid refuses to ‘allow’ her to work in the advertisement. She leaves her child (initially she wants to take him but eventually, her passion to work turns out to be stronger than her sense of motherhood), packs her bag and just departs. Her arrival in Karachi and the subsequent makeover is the turning point in her life and career. She doesn’t discard Fauzia for Qandeel just yet but the process has begun with the black coffee, the hair cut and the wardrobe change.
Her boss, or employer, is way too benevolent and time will tell what he wants in exchange of all the favours he is bestowing upon Fauzia. It also makes you wonder (in awe) what kind of agency offers so many fringe benefits to newcomers; there definitely is something shady going on. But as episode 9 releases tomorrow, there are moments that one waits for impatiently…
How will Fauzia’s parents feel when she starts sending them money? How will Abid feel when he sees her all decked up and different on television? How, when and whether she will drop her innocence and morality; that will be a tough subject to broach. There are so many moments that make this storyline extremely riveting that it’s hard to wait a week to see them unravel. And amidst this difficult task is Saba Qamar, who makes it all look so effortless.
Baaghi’s strength lies in Saba Qamar’s fearless portrayal of a woman who is real, she is grey and at times she is condemned. There was no quest of approval or acceptance in Qandeel’s character (it was quite the opposite, in fact) and similarly there is no sense of anxiety in the way her character has been adapted for television; her portrayal is not an apologetic or defensive one, which is why it appears so genuine.
Let’s see where this recklessness takes her and how close to Qandeel’s real story does Fauzia Batool’s turn out to be…
