A little upset with today's 'message'

Today's episode was a little disappointing for me. This whole Rajveer track has actually disappointed me.

Many people are happy that Zoya accepted her mistake in today's episode, but to be honest, for me at least, it felt like she didn't fully accept it. She accepted that Asad was right about Rajveer, but not that she should have been more careful about going out alone and shouldn't have taken a ride from a complete stranger. I even think she should have been scolded a little by Dilshaad. In the end Zoya handled the situation and showed Rajveer his place but it doesn't always work like that in reality.

I don't really understand the message that the show and channel were trying to portray to us. I wanted to make a post first when I read the message but thought I'd let this track play out. Delena90 already discussed most of what I felt but I want to add to it. The main reason the whole thing really bothers me is because they are trying to get a message out in the wrong way. Actually not even that, the whole message is twisted and makes no sense. I get that the show wants to stress the topic about not judging someone by the way they dress, but I don't understand how and why they are trying to connect wearing jeans to a girl getting raped. Yes just because a girl wears jeans does not mean she's available and just because she's friendly with a guy doesn't mean he can come and get it, but relating it to rape is kind of irrelevant. They should have stuck to one simple straight forward message and played it out instead of bringing it and connecting it to something else that has nothing to do with it. If they had left out the part about rape, then I would have more understood the message, but tying them both together just did not seem to make sense to me.

Unfortunately when such an incident does happen, the woman is blamed because she dressed a certain way and acted a certain way and brought it upon herself. But what people need to get is that shameless men will objectify a woman whether she is dressed in jeans, a skirt, salwar kameez, saree, or even burqa. There are sick people out there, and rape can happen to anyone and has happened to even girls who are covered head to toe so dress is least of the problems.

If they want to spread awareness of the issue, then show that anyone can be targeted, and instead of worrying about the way a girl is dressed, teach the public about safety and taking care of one's self. Tell young girls about the precautions they can take if they do have to go out alone and how to avoid landing in such a situation.

Zoya pointed out that men like Rajveer make her feel unsafe in her own country, well its a reality of the world, this happens in each and every country in each and every corner of the world. There are worst men out there than Rajveer who would've pulled their car to some deserted area and done God knows what to the girl. No country, no place is really 100% safe. It's not only a problem for women, but men and children as well. Horrible things other than rape can happen as well: kidnappings, murders, robberies etc etc. Why do parents not let their children play outside after dark? Why do they tell their kids not to talk to strangers? Unfortunately we live in a world that works this way.

Stepping out late at night alone does not make you available, but it does make you vulnerable. Rapists don't see what you're wearing, they see a woman, alone, and an opportunity.

In my opinion, the way I saw today's episode, instead of Zoya learning her lesson, they are showing and in a way pretty much telling people, "yeah it's okay to be walking in the middle of a stranded road alone at night and take a ride from some random guy who's staring at you creepily because as long as in the end you fix it and show him his place it's all good". No, not every girl is Zoya (or that lucky), and if it were real life and not reel, something most likely would have happened to her. I guess I was really bothered because when I read the statement of the message, they brought in the happenings of today and women being raped and tied it in with this storyline which doesn't even compare. This is just the way I saw the whole thing.

Originally posted by: LaVita-E-Bella

Today's episode was a little disappointing for me. This whole Rajveer track has actually disappointed me.

Many people are happy that Zoya accepted her mistake in today's episode, but to be honest, for me at least, it felt like she didn't fully accept it. She accepted that Asad was right about Rajveer, but not that she should have been more careful about going out alone and shouldn't have taken a ride from a complete stranger. I even think she should have been scolded a little by Dilshaad. In the end Zoya handled the situation and showed Rajveer his place but it doesn't always work like that in reality.

I don't really understand the message that the show and channel were trying to portray to us. I wanted to make a post first when I read the message but thought I'd let this track play out. Delena90 already discussed most of what I felt but I want to add to it. The main reason the whole thing really bothers me is because they are trying to get a message out in the wrong way. Actually not even that, the whole message is twisted and makes no sense. I get that the show wants to stress the topic about not judging someone by the way they dress, but I don't understand how and why they are trying to connect wearing jeans to a girl getting raped. Yes just because a girl wears jeans does not mean she's available and just because she's friendly with a guy doesn't mean he can come and get it, but relating it to rape is kind of irrelevant. They should have stuck to one simple straight forward message and played it out instead of bringing it and connecting it to something else that has nothing to do with it. If they had left out the part about rape, then I would have more understood the message, but tying them both together just did not seem to make sense to me.

Unfortunately when such an incident does happen, the woman is blamed because she dressed a certain way and acted a certain way and brought it upon herself. But what people need to get is that shameless men will objectify a woman whether she is dressed in jeans, a skirt, salwar kameez, saree, or even burqa. There are sick people out there, and rape can happen to anyone and has happened to even girls who are covered head to toe so dress is least of the problems.

If they want to spread awareness of the issue, then show that anyone can be targeted, and instead of worrying about the way a girl is dressed, teach the public about safety and taking care of one's self. Tell young girls about the precautions they can take if they do have to go out alone and how to avoid landing in such a situation.

Zoya pointed out that men like Rajveer make her feel unsafe in her own country, well its a reality of the world, this happens in each and every country in each and every corner of the world. There are worst men out there than Rajveer who would've pulled their car to some deserted area and done God knows what to the girl. No country, no place is really 100% safe. It's not only a problem for women, but men and children as well. Horrible things other than rape can happen as well: kidnappings, murders, robberies etc etc. Why do parents not let their children play outside after dark? Why do they tell their kids not to talk to strangers? Unfortunately we live in a world that works this way.

Stepping out late at night alone does not make you available, but it does make you vulnerable. Rapists don't see what you're wearing, they see a woman, alone, and an opportunity.

In my opinion, the way I saw today's episode, instead of Zoya learning her lesson, they are showing and in a way pretty much telling people, "yeah it's okay to be walking in the middle of a stranded road alone at night and take a ride from some random guy who's staring at you creepily because as long as in the end you fix it and show him his place it's all good". No, not every girl is Zoya (or that lucky), and if it were real life and not reel, something most likely would have happened to her. I guess I was really bothered because when I read the statement of the message, they brought in the happenings of today and women being raped and tied it in with this storyline which doesn't even compare. This is just the way I saw the whole thing.

I have nothing more to add as you have said everything.

@red - thank you for pointing that out! Rape has very little to do with sex and everything to do with power and they don't care what women are wearing - it's enough that they find you in a vulnerable position.

👏 WORD! Very very well said! Dont have anything to add - you have summed up my grievances...

Originally posted by: bheegi

I agree with you. Initially when the track started, I was hoping for a more complete message but today when the track ended, it seemed a bit incomplete.

There are several flaws with the way the message was conveyed:

1. Yes, Zoya should have never stepped out when there was a curfew just to meet a celebrity- she never apologized for that stupidity

2. She should have made every attempt to call home instead of taking a ride from a stranger

3. She should have never entertained Rajveer the way she did over the last few days and today. Even letting him take her to a room. She should have screamed or called Asad right away (I think she always carries her mobile in her hand)

4. She was able to give Rajveer a piece of her mind in the comfort and safety of her living room where she was safe. What if she had tried this when they were alone? She would have invited retaliation, violence and possible rape.

5. What's the guarantee that after this incident, this man will not stalk her or do something to hurt her out of vengeance?

6. Why didn't Asad call the police?

7. I found Asad very passive during this whole incident. As her so called protector, he should have shooed this man off the first time he came home even if that meant a fight with Zoya. Even today, Asad should have shown more aggression towards Rajveer.

I agree, at the end of the track, I feel the message was not complete and only conveyed one aspect of this societal menace.

Word Sangeeta! You know my views on this! 😊

As being an American and I completely agree with you. Zoya should've taken precaution and I also did not understand what the CVs message was. Everyone wears jeans? Just because u wear jeans that doesn't mean ur going to get raped. To me it was a pointless track. But on the other hand, if u think logically it's showing how you can't trust anyone and in Imrans case it'll be the same for Najma. Zoya will be the first one to realized( she is suspecting him already) and Zoya will be the one to help Najma get out this Imran mess.

Originally posted by: hsvs

👏 WORD! Very very well said! Dont have anything to add - you have summed up my grievances...

As I was mentioning to Delena90, I was also not too happy with this PSA - done totally in the wrong way. They should have just gone on with their story, instead of passing on half-baked messages.

1) Dilshad and her inexplicable behaviour: The day, Zoya came back home late, I was flabbergasted with Dilshad's reaction. Yes, she should have scolded Zoya instead of spouting lines like Bechari and all.

2) Yes, Zoya handled it well and all - but dammit she is the heroine of this show! In reality, she wouldn't have gotten away - at all. Probably gotten raped in the car itself - irrespective of her attire. And while some kids on the forum are commending how smartly she got out of the situation yesterday, again, very unrealistic. All those smart lines would simply NOT have worked!

I have also been very bothered since the time I saw the TOI article - where they were making claims that this PSA is because of the recent rapes... As Delena and I have discussed endlessly, this half-baked message will land up causing more harm than good!

Thank god I wasn't the only one thinking they have got the whole message wrong! It's way too twisted adding to the fact that Zoya is the heroine. Of course in the end things are going to straighten up for her.

Originally posted by: bheegi

I agree with you. Initially when the track started, I was hoping for a more complete message but today when the track ended, it seemed a bit incomplete.

There are several flaws with the way the message was conveyed:

1. Yes, Zoya should have never stepped out when there was a curfew just to meet a celebrity- she never apologized for that stupidity

2. She should have made every attempt to call home instead of taking a ride from a stranger

3. She should have never entertained Rajveer the way she did over the last few days and today. Even letting him take her to a room. She should have screamed or called Asad right away (I think she always carries her mobile in her hand)

4. She was able to give Rajveer a piece of her mind in the comfort and safety of her living room where she was safe. What if she had tried this when they were alone? She would have invited retaliation, violence and possible rape.

5. What's the guarantee that after this incident, this man will not stalk her or do something to hurt her out of vengeance?

6. Why didn't Asad call the police?

7. I found Asad very passive during this whole incident. As her so called protector, he should have shooed this man off the first time he came home even if that meant a fight with Zoya. Even today, Asad should have shown more aggression towards Rajveer.

I agree, at the end of the track, I feel the message was not complete and only conveyed one aspect of this societal menace.

Originally posted by: bheegi

I agree with you. Initially when the track started, I was hoping for a more complete message but today when the track ended, it seemed a bit incomplete.

There are several flaws with the way the message was conveyed:

1. Yes, Zoya should have never stepped out when there was a curfew just to meet a celebrity- she never apologized for that stupidity

2. She should have made every attempt to call home instead of taking a ride from a stranger

3. She should have never entertained Rajveer the way she did over the last few days and today. Even letting him take her to a room. She should have screamed or called Asad right away (I think she always carries her mobile in her hand)

4. She was able to give Rajveer a piece of her mind in the comfort and safety of her living room where she was safe. What if she had tried this when they were alone? She would have invited retaliation, violence and possible rape.

5. What's the guarantee that after this incident, this man will not stalk her or do something to hurt her out of vengeance?

6. Why didn't Asad call the police?

7. I found Asad very passive during this whole incident. As her so called protector, he should have shooed this man off the first time he came home even if that meant a fight with Zoya. Even today, Asad should have shown more aggression towards Rajveer.

I agree, at the end of the track, I feel the message was not complete and only conveyed one aspect of this societal menace.