Identity Construction and Stereotypical Roles of Women in Pakistani TV Dramas

Abstract

The article dismantles the representation of women by focusing on the identity construction and stereotypical roles associated with their characters in the selected Pakistan Television dramas. This study is based on the premise that these drama serials play an important role in constructing social beliefs and attitudes. By drawing upon the models of Fairclough (1989,1995) and Baehr (1980) the study analyzes the two popular Pakistani television Drama series of HUM TV, ZindagiGulzarHai and Hamsafar. As revealed from the analysis, traits such as freedom, boldness and outspokenness are associated only with the women of the upper class. The upper-class women are stereotyped as bad mothers but those from lower middle class are deemed as perfect in terms of the traits that can be idealized by society. The research suggests a more just and non-reductionist representation of women in general and upper class women in particular.