In the first episode of Burka Avenger, which debuted
last month on Pakistan TV, an evil magician named
Baba Bandook and a corrupt politician named Vadero
Pajero attempt to close a girls’ school in the fictional
town of Halwapur. Their views on women mirror those
of the Taliban and their ilk.
“What business do women have with education?”
Bandook says. “They should stay at home, washing,
scrubbing and cleaning, toiling in the kitchen.”
Enter the Burka Avenger. She uses her karate moves
and an arsenal of books and pens to beat the bad guys
and keep the school running.
The Urdu language animated show was created “to
make people laugh, to entertain, and to send out positive
social messages to the youth,” according to the show’s
website. The social messages include the importance of
girls’ education and treating everyone equally.
While the burka
itself may be viewed
as a symbol of oppression,
Pakistan
pop star Haroon
Rashid, who created
the show, doesn’t see
it that way, partly because
Jiya, the young
woman who turns
into the Burka Avenger,
doesn’t wear a burka during her normal activities.
Along with the social messages for the youth,
there’s also a message for meddlesome men: You never
know what’s under a burka. It could be a woman with a
black belt who might send you flying into the air.
Compiled and partly written by Indian humorist MELVIN DURAI, author of the novel Bala Takes the Plunge.
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